The Sims 4

 PC
User Score
4.2

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 2630 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 680 out of 2630
  2. Mixed: 543 out of 2630
  3. Negative: 1,407 out of 2630
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  1. TabulaRasa
    Oct 15, 2014
    5
    This is the base game of the Sims stripped down to the absolute bare minimum. Nearly all content that has been part of the series from the very beginning has been removed for seemingly arbitrary reasons, and now it's being sold for full price.

    No. Gone is the open world, Gone is the Create-A-Style, Gone are the Law Enforcement, Business, and Medical careers, Gone Is the story    This is the base game of the Sims stripped down to the absolute bare minimum. Nearly all content that has been part of the series from the very beginning has been removed for seemingly arbitrary reasons, and now it's being sold for full price.

    No.

    Gone is the open world, Gone is the Create-A-Style, Gone are the Law Enforcement, Business, and Medical careers, Gone Is the story progression that let other sims get married, have children and live their lives, the 5 personality traits from the previous game are down to 3, Gone are toddlers...

    It's all gone.

    Technically, it's proficient. It gets the job done and I ran into almost no bugs or glitches during my playtime of the game. The game runs well, but since only one lot is rendered at any given time, that's not really an accomplishment. The interface is streamlined and more efficient, but since most of the features are missing, I don't suppose there was a lot to even put on there in the first place. Graphically, I suppose the Sims look slightly better, but a slight graphical improvement doesn't justify repackaging everything and telling us to start over.

    Save your money, stick with the Sims 3, which is cheaper, better, significantly more fulfilling.    … Expand
  2. Deschain89
    Oct 15, 2014
    0
    I bought it, played it thrice and then forgot about it until my girlfriend asked me if she could play it for a bit.

    So naturally, being a gentleman and a scholar, I gave away my Origin password and username so she could have all the time she wanted with this new iteration to this revered franchise. She played once; again, she played ONCE. A game catered to her demographic, late    I bought it, played it thrice and then forgot about it until my girlfriend asked me if she could play it for a bit.

    So naturally, being a gentleman and a scholar, I gave away my Origin password and username so she could have all the time she wanted with this new iteration to this revered franchise.

    She played once; again, she played ONCE.

    A game catered to her demographic, late teens-early twenties girls who are not gamers at heart but want to make a beautiful blue house with a white picket fence and fantasize his boyfriend was an achieved man instead of playing video games all day after uni, and she played once and never went back to it.

    Now, I ask to you, why is that? This is a rhetorical question, since we all know what happened.

    Greed happened:

    Somewhere a board meeting took place, and it was decided that in order to drive up sales, the franchise should be simpler, easier, for the Minecraft audience. That way, the graph showed, it would appeal to a greater number of people.

    It was decided, Maxis would do anything in its power to create the simplest of experiences, devoid of soul and depth, so even the lowest of the meme spouting 10 year old's could understand it.

    It was rushed, it was a cash in, it's resources were wasted in marketing ploys and internet meme implementation, instead of building up in the simulation aspect.

    The graphical fidelity was compromised, loading screens made a comeback; all because a graph showed little kids didn't have the greatest hardware, and the code programmers didn't have the skill to make a game that runs as it should. Remember people, they had to cater to the lowest of the low, insertion is equal to sales, and Maxis needs to feed the beast that is EA, or else it will devour it like it did with Westwood or Bullfrog.

    In the end, mature people were left with a soulless game they did not enjoy, and the very same little kids the graph showed would love the memes and the simpler gameplay, didn't buy the game because "LEL it's fur teh girlz n buring an stuff", and continued to rage when people teabaged them in Cawadooty.

    A sad story, for a sad company. Someone should take the flag at this point, and create a truly engaging and in-depth life-sim, for Maxis died a long time ago, but there is a clear consumer base in urgent need to quench the thirst for this genre.    … Expand
  3. awesomeguy423
    Oct 14, 2014
    0
    Awful. Truly the worst game I have played in a very long time. It blows my mind how EA can make such bad games over and over and over again. Won't they ever learn?
  4. Larry223
    Oct 14, 2014
    5
    Por que no esta en steam? Si pones el anterior juego en steam pues pon el siguiente en !!steam!!. Es como Mass Effect pusieron los 2 primeros con sus DLC pero no el tercero. Que idiotas, no lo comprare. Por eso le doy un 5, por que al no poder probarlo no puedo decir si es bueno o malo.
  5. bshanrules
    Oct 12, 2014
    0
    I really wanted to love this game, but it just doesn't live up to its predecessors. Game play is slow, glitchy, and even less realistic than the Sims 3. If your whole goal with the sims games is to make sims that really look like actual people, or to design and decorate houses, then this is for you. If you want to play a game where you control the lives of a bunch of characters in a funI really wanted to love this game, but it just doesn't live up to its predecessors. Game play is slow, glitchy, and even less realistic than the Sims 3. If your whole goal with the sims games is to make sims that really look like actual people, or to design and decorate houses, then this is for you. If you want to play a game where you control the lives of a bunch of characters in a fun way, then go back to the Sims 3 and don't waste your money.… Expand
  6. Isjoke
    Oct 12, 2014
    0
    Another let down from EA. Sims 4 lacks in content which will be sure given to you by infamous DLCs that EA likes to take your money with. Freedom and options are taken away from you with this game and Sims 3 was so much better compared to this.

    Outcome: Do NOT buy this game before they have fixed everything.
  7. DerAleckz
    Oct 11, 2014
    3
    Here's my rating for The Sims 4 (played on PC)

    +Create-a-Sim-tool
    +deeper emotional feelings

    -graphics
    -controls/UI
    -neighborhoods
    -lack of innovations
    -no cars, no toddlers, ...
    -very basic (bad value)
  8. TheSecretEmber
    Oct 11, 2014
    10
    I love this game, even for being a closed world (which Im not saying Im enjoying but I never took my sims out of the house besides work). Now they really tried for customization in this game, you can go anywhere with the amount of colors in this game. The whole face customizing is brilliant. In sims 3 I never customized my sims face because I didn't like any of the faces provided andI love this game, even for being a closed world (which Im not saying Im enjoying but I never took my sims out of the house besides work). Now they really tried for customization in this game, you can go anywhere with the amount of colors in this game. The whole face customizing is brilliant. In sims 3 I never customized my sims face because I didn't like any of the faces provided and didn't like the face customize they gave. Also I may not like how you get promotions with the "make 10 friends" but it makes it difficult instead of sims 3 where you just had a certain skill level.

    So I do enjoy this game. there are down falls like closed world but there are many things you will like about the game. My suggestion if you are thinking about buying a game is to find a youtuber and watch about 5 parts of their lets play and see if you would like to stick with sims 3 or get sims 4.    … Expand
  9. Reahunt
    Oct 11, 2014
    7
    Not entirely a bad game, but there is just a truckload of content missing, though the content already there is great. Unfortunatly it seems like another EA cash grab i am afraid.
  10. Maruge
    Oct 10, 2014
    0
    Most of the few things people are putting in positive about this game have drawbacks.
    1: It runs smoothly, but the constant loading times make it a large step back.
    2 The UI is simplified, that's probably because most of its features are gone. 3 The game has little content because it has non of the DLC's, so are you telling me that its become the standard for EA users to not even care    Most of the few things people are putting in positive about this game have drawbacks.
    1: It runs smoothly, but the constant loading times make it a large step back.
    2 The UI is simplified, that's probably because most of its features are gone.
    3 The game has little content because it has non of the DLC's, so are you telling me that its become the standard for EA users to not even care that they are buying expansion packs for content that is not a new idea? The sims 2 added in many great expansions, and then they were all added in a second time, with some new ones (because there was less content than the sims 2 base game), and some of the good old ones never returned, now we will see these same ideas again in 60 dollar expansion packs and some new DLC that was sims 3 base game, and a few of the nice sims 3 expansions will never be seen again.
    Not to mention the awkward new building system and the generally ugly furniture lacking in variety and numbers, and the removal of cars and babies is just salt in the wound.    … Expand
  11. Ch_diego
    Oct 8, 2014
    10
    is a very good game, with new, more powerful tools, authoring tools and construction. Sims more emotional and expressive, the loading screens are very fast
  12. Suindalae
    Oct 8, 2014
    0
    Wish I Could say this iteration is the original game with better graphics but because Sims 1 base game came with more stuff than this version I can't even say that. bought TS4 hoping that had fixed some of the Building tools and terrain tools would have been improved upon but instead there not better but actually worse than they were in TS3
  13. gonzalosims
    Oct 6, 2014
    7
    It's an excellent game, is so addictive, very good graphics and sound. But: the swimming pools? The infants? The work places? I like the game, it's good, but it's incomplete. EA should have released the game when they completed the game a little more. It isn't bad, but it isn't very good. I like it.
  14. Exwin0880
    Oct 6, 2014
    3
    Sims 4 is a major disappointment. It is hard to put your finger on a single failure, but as a whole it just isn't a very good game. It feels very shallow.

    The world is tiny, so tiny that you have to load to go visit the next door neighbor. While this does help the loading of the game, a lot (in Sims 3 it could be quite lengthy) it detracts from the feel of an immersive and interactive    Sims 4 is a major disappointment. It is hard to put your finger on a single failure, but as a whole it just isn't a very good game. It feels very shallow.

    The world is tiny, so tiny that you have to load to go visit the next door neighbor. While this does help the loading of the game, a lot (in Sims 3 it could be quite lengthy) it detracts from the feel of an immersive and interactive world. Careers seem dumbed down compared to the last version. Non player characters, instead of interacting, it seems like they are just sort of parading by.

    I'm sure they will be adding many of these missing features as paid DLC, but that itself is offensive. The base game should at least be enjoyable. In it's current state, it is not.    … Expand
  15. necrodancer
    Oct 4, 2014
    5
    Like any "The Sims" game, this looses the attention of the player really easy. When you get that feeling, "Wait, this is all i do?", the game is already over. Still, much better then The Sims 3; much better graphics, great character customization (the only reason why this game can be considered good), more freedom in gameplay (you can play as other lots unlike The Sims 3" etc. But if ILike any "The Sims" game, this looses the attention of the player really easy. When you get that feeling, "Wait, this is all i do?", the game is already over. Still, much better then The Sims 3; much better graphics, great character customization (the only reason why this game can be considered good), more freedom in gameplay (you can play as other lots unlike The Sims 3" etc. But if I had to choose one The Sims game, I would choose Sims 2 all over those.… Expand
  16. FizCap
    Oct 4, 2014
    0
    There is so many stripped features in this game it's unenjoyable, on top of that the game is really buggy and unstable. Everywhere you go you need to wait 30 seconds to 1 minute for it to load, compared to sims 3 free roam where it could take 1-2 minutes but it's worth it because you save more time in the process. I feel like the game rotates around the character only, instead of everyoneThere is so many stripped features in this game it's unenjoyable, on top of that the game is really buggy and unstable. Everywhere you go you need to wait 30 seconds to 1 minute for it to load, compared to sims 3 free roam where it could take 1-2 minutes but it's worth it because you save more time in the process. I feel like the game rotates around the character only, instead of everyone else, no one is interacting only you are, no one is traveling to places they just get placed there. The game small improvements that I liked, but I barely enjoyed the game at all with the stripped features, such as no pools and toddlers. They say it's for their engine, but it seems like a **** engine to me, ea knew what they were doing, they just wanted to get a few easy bucks from unsuspecting customers.… Expand
  17. Orhunkk
    Oct 4, 2014
    7
    Sims 4,still a good game, even with some things removed since 3 such as pools.Nothing much improved and the price is little over high.However there is emotion,customization, and there is a lot of interaction and strange situation.
  18. Annoymous1
    Oct 4, 2014
    8
    I really am not sure what to think of Sims 4. It's a great improvement from Sims 3, but its generically the same thing. The worst part is the favt that whenever you take your date, you only got a bar. Hell, the place is extremely shabby. An open-world environment would be excellent, yet, this is over 9.60 GB of space on your PC. Its good if sorts.
  19. godzillarandom
    Oct 2, 2014
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. **** you EA,You have ruined a good game once again,I hate you EA and I don't know why fools like me buy your ****,This game is WORSE than the "Sims 3" ,Anyone that has played ANY of "The Sims" games know that this is one of the worst "Sims" games! (Yes,I know ,Simcity was garbage)… Expand
  20. wiragita
    Oct 1, 2014
    3
    At first i want to pending the review for some expansion but NOT! Here is the story:

    i feel the game are disappointing because it close world not an open world like sims 3. i feel bored easily because in my computer, it take 5 minutes per load which is take a hard time to going to the gym or park. When i played the sims 3 , the sims can going by cab. i think in real world people    At first i want to pending the review for some expansion but NOT! Here is the story:

    i feel the game are disappointing because it close world not an open world like sims 3. i feel bored easily because in my computer, it take 5 minutes per load which is take a hard time to going to the gym or park. When i played the sims 3 , the sims can going by cab.

    i think in real world people going somewhere by vehicle not by loading and teleport like the sims 4. Why the hell EA downgrade from open world to closed world? This is disappointing. I ask the possibility of open world and Sims 4 Admin confirm that the sims 4 will never going open world.

    Thats it!! End of the story...

    why the hell they downgrade to closed world anyway? i am trying to figure it out and got assumption: EA want to back again to sims 2 because in some review, people always compare sims 3 to sims 2 and said "Sims 2 are better than sims 3 blablabla..." But it just my assumption.

    i am sure 99% i don't need to buy sims 4 expansion. What the hell they want to sell anymore: Astrology sign? color wheel? toddler? woohoo technique? amusement park? weather? new skill? new job? life stage? NOT INTERESTING!

    I want to jump to the sims 5, if EA open registration for sims 5 now, i am ready on the list!

    i actually want to score it 0, but i kindly think EA work hard for this game and deserve more than that. Well maybe you can get better score for sims 2 fans... Just saying...    … Expand
  21. BalicanBreeze
    Oct 1, 2014
    4
    While a pretty good game in itself, it's hard to judge Sims 4 without comparing it to the previous versions in the franchise. The constant loading screens are quite annoying and the lack of features compared to release versions of 2 and 3 are very blatant. The good.. the character creation and house building is much better and more streamlined than in S3, but lacks options. TheWhile a pretty good game in itself, it's hard to judge Sims 4 without comparing it to the previous versions in the franchise. The constant loading screens are quite annoying and the lack of features compared to release versions of 2 and 3 are very blatant. The good.. the character creation and house building is much better and more streamlined than in S3, but lacks options. The multitasking feature is a great addition, and would have been worthy of its own expansion to S3.… Expand
  22. gayars
    Oct 1, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I gave a review earlier of 5, with a list of things I liked and didn't like about the game. However, in lieu of the fact that today they patched in ghosts for free, I am raising it. They have also announced pools are coming next month as well. As well as many more careers (probably the ones that are typically there, but were missing this iteration of the sims.), I will raise it again, when they patch in the pool, but won't give it a 9 or 10 till I get my toddlers!… Expand
  23. kamealex
    Oct 1, 2014
    7
    Good game, but terrible publishing techniques. EA is still in "the game". The game of considering money over the product. It's not a bad game. In fact, it's pretty good, but the bare existence of the two previous parts it's just too much to consider spending some money on this title.

    Hope there's a really valuable pack in the future with a lot more options, because this is a product    Good game, but terrible publishing techniques. EA is still in "the game". The game of considering money over the product. It's not a bad game. In fact, it's pretty good, but the bare existence of the two previous parts it's just too much to consider spending some money on this title.

    Hope there's a really valuable pack in the future with a lot more options, because this is a product that has been purposedly dismembered to make money. Don't pay this people. Not yet, because they, as publishers, don't deserve it.    … Expand
  24. andrew2080
    Sep 30, 2014
    5
    Average reviews aren't highly rated these days. However I claim the actual real deal with this game is: Too few features and too high price. Details: It's a good fundament for a social sim game, most of the basic features are there, basic neigbourshood, basic householditems, and sims are less "robots" thanks to more focus on emotions. Some basic features lack, like many have pointed outAverage reviews aren't highly rated these days. However I claim the actual real deal with this game is: Too few features and too high price. Details: It's a good fundament for a social sim game, most of the basic features are there, basic neigbourshood, basic householditems, and sims are less "robots" thanks to more focus on emotions. Some basic features lack, like many have pointed out toddlers, swimingpools and dishwashers are missing. Alas they will probably show up in expansions, making people that have paid the full price for this game feel like they have been played by marketing. Final point: With the lack of features compared to the sims1,2 and 3 then if the price was about half, this would be a reasonable deal.… Expand
  25. johnangel
    Sep 30, 2014
    0
    This is what happens when we morons buy ea games, I hope all the morons that gave it more than 3 would just stop gaming, YOU are destroying the industry.
  26. stranglehold
    Sep 29, 2014
    8
    This is a really great Sims game. Other than a couple bugs this is a great Sims game to add to the franchise. If you are a Sims fan you for sure have to pick this game up. The Sims 4 is an all round great game.
  27. pjmsilverwolf
    Sep 29, 2014
    0
    This game sucked. EA took everything out and is going to make you buy it all again. For $80 I should have gotten everything or the ability to make anything and not have to buy expansion packs. I took it back and I won't be buying it again at a later date. Good riddens to bad rubbish. If you are thinking about buying it, don't save your money for other, better games.
  28. Kingbingo
    Sep 29, 2014
    1
    Most of the content has been removed. It is a substantial backward step from Sims 3 which was itself a backward step from Sims 2, the best version of the game.

    I suspect that in future you will be able to buy back most of the content that came as standard in Sims 2. But at the costs of hundreds of dollars.

    Avoid this rip off.
  29. Bootyface
    Sep 28, 2014
    0
    I spent 65$ on a BUST! EA, please give me back my money. This is BS. This was very disappointing because of the previous games. They should've just stopped at Sims 3.
  30. nousername00
    Sep 28, 2014
    0
    I really tried to give this a chance, I did. But it is like what most of the other people on here are saying. It's a different game, with far less options. It is not, in my opinion, more user friendly at all, or more intelligent or more realistic. it is simply packaged differently. In fact it is less user friendly and I could type an entire book on what was the last freaking straw withI really tried to give this a chance, I did. But it is like what most of the other people on here are saying. It's a different game, with far less options. It is not, in my opinion, more user friendly at all, or more intelligent or more realistic. it is simply packaged differently. In fact it is less user friendly and I could type an entire book on what was the last freaking straw with this game but I already tried and ran out of room. In short, new goofy walks and facial expressions make for a more enriching and realistic experience NOT. So they can do some multi tasking now. That was kind of nice. And certain activities like dating, now include goals you can complete and earn trophies. That was fun. When I discovered that weddings also have goals (activities with goals are timed btw which in it self is fine) I thought that would be cool too. But come to find out, if you do one of the goals first instead of last (the ceremony of taking the vows) it ends the wedding and you no longer have any opportunity to complete the other goals, and the game gives no indication of this. There where many other problems and set backs with the wedding, but the worst was when I finally got everything right (or so I thought) painstakingly went to all this trouble, and after the vows, I'm launched into another screen which asks you who lives with who. I thought I was choosing to have my sim move into her new husbands household, but no nothing that simple. The game then takes me to a view of the town. WTF? I thought I was moving in with husband? Guess not, it wants me to choose a house. But no empty houses are available. Finally I figure out I can evict sims currently living in a house, which I do but guess what? The game wants me to create a new household, Doesn't give an option to move in the household I was JUST playing. Also there is no way to back out of this screen and get back to the game. Finally I go back into my library, reselect the sim I was playing seconds before, I than choose the house she already lives in to make my life easier and have them move in. Instead of going back to the wedding ceremony I was just in, it takes me directly to my sims house, which is now EMPTY of all furniture and belongings, and my sim is somehow late for work. And on top of all that, I never even got the flipping trophy I worked so hard for! UGGHHHHHH! Not user friendly AT ALL. This game, all in all, lacks the humor and creativity of the previous, and its all very...compartmentalized. I don't know how else to describe it. It should replace sims 3, I should be playing the new sims and not even thinking of 3, but I did nothing but think of it the entire time. It's a RIP OFF! I am getting my money back.… Expand
  31. PyongyangMayor
    Sep 28, 2014
    0
    The Sims = Damn good. The Sims 2 = Amazingness, pure **** awesomness. The Sims 3 = Eh, alright. The Sims 4 = Garbage. Can't believe it took them this long to make this piece of crap. Avoid buying this and buy the Sims 2 instead.
  32. LillyPutian
    Sep 28, 2014
    10
    The game feels very alive and dynamic. The Sims are different, more interactive and more reactive. There are countless charming little touches to the way they respond to one another and their environment. Still just a base game and it needs more stuff, but what is there is good for now. There are some fun items that haven't been seen before and lots of game play to be had.
  33. SGAR
    Sep 27, 2014
    6
    Still a good game, even with some things removed since 3 such as pools. If you prefer to take a more backseat approach to the Sims this game will accommodate that nicely. And with the addition of multitasking the Sims feels more alive. The base that this game is built on is great, however there does seem to be something missing, I can't put my finger on what it is, but I'm sure that someStill a good game, even with some things removed since 3 such as pools. If you prefer to take a more backseat approach to the Sims this game will accommodate that nicely. And with the addition of multitasking the Sims feels more alive. The base that this game is built on is great, however there does seem to be something missing, I can't put my finger on what it is, but I'm sure that some DLC will deliver it.… Expand
  34. shadowhenry
    Sep 27, 2014
    10
    I think this game and all the others are serving there purpose I think this game is fun but there's some flaws I have but other then those this game is one of the best Sims game that has ever came out yet keep up the work EA
  35. DariaVDM
    Sep 27, 2014
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's $60 waste of money. In sims 3 the towns looked bright but now it looks dull, you have boring places to go, there isn't a town hall or a place where you litterly can apply for a job, EA what have you done? You ruined sims for me and the fact that you doubled the price but you gave less progress and worse performance makes me think you scammed us. I don't want anyone else to waste their money on sims 4, stick to sims 3.… Expand
  36. wilsonjadealex
    Sep 26, 2014
    0
    Horrible graphics. Very disappointed that toddlers are not a part of this game. The world was downright awful, and the whole aspect of how you have to complete challenges to move on to the next level of school and work is just annoying. I'm sticking to Sims 3. It's a shame that I wasted $70 on this horrible game. I'm also upset with all of the critics who stated that this game is "The bestHorrible graphics. Very disappointed that toddlers are not a part of this game. The world was downright awful, and the whole aspect of how you have to complete challenges to move on to the next level of school and work is just annoying. I'm sticking to Sims 3. It's a shame that I wasted $70 on this horrible game. I'm also upset with all of the critics who stated that this game is "The best of the Sims." Honestly? I liked Sims 2 more then this game. My bookworm Sim won't read any longer than half an hour at a time. I like how you can have more interaction with the baby, but I really miss the toddler stage. I bought this game strictly on the hope that Sims 4 would offer more interactions with toddlers, but I was sadly disappointed when I found out that "toddler" was not even a stage in this game. I wish I was able to return the game for my money to get a new Sims 3 game, but Game Stop has a no return pc game policy. I would recommend this game to people who strictly like "childhood" and up, who like to stay in their main Sims house, (because it's a pain in the butt to go anywhere, even next door to see neighbors) and who don't mind the awful graphics. EA games are slowly going downhill, and I will not be purchasing any games other then the Sims 3 from them. The only problem I have with Sims 3 is that it glitches every now and then, but other than that, it's pretty much the only game they have to offer that I enjoy.… Expand
  37. Terrum
    Sep 25, 2014
    3
    Let me start by saying that I have read through a lot of the reviews, I have watched videos of the game footage, and I even went as far as playing the game on a friend's computer, as I've seen some people complain about reviews being unfair just because they hadn't played the game. So, as someone who grew up with The Sims series, this is genuinely the least impressive. They really shouldLet me start by saying that I have read through a lot of the reviews, I have watched videos of the game footage, and I even went as far as playing the game on a friend's computer, as I've seen some people complain about reviews being unfair just because they hadn't played the game. So, as someone who grew up with The Sims series, this is genuinely the least impressive. They really should have stopped with The Sims 3 because that was average too, but still much better than this. No one should ever have to pay for stuff in-game after spending $70-$80 on the game itself. The graphics, fine, they're pretty good and very Sims-style graphics. But the gameplay is no different and you pretty much have to buy DLCs to actually play it properly - what happened to having community made content for free like in The Sims 1?… Expand
  38. bennyboo
    Sep 24, 2014
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have all the sims games I have bought all the add on packs I have played them all. Sims 4 is by far not worth the money you will pay for it . Something as simple as eye colour change not available. It is missing quite a few features . It looks like its still in production and they have not finished it. Not a happy chappy… Expand
  39. Mittens72472
    Sep 24, 2014
    0
    The Sims 4 is not fun to play. It feels less like a game and more like an perpetual sales pitch. This game is 100% advertising and I'm sick of games like these. When people play a video game, they want to escape this corporate bs and just enjoy a game. This game is just way too expensive for it's level of quality and overhyped. This game is really gimmicky because as of now it costs $59.99The Sims 4 is not fun to play. It feels less like a game and more like an perpetual sales pitch. This game is 100% advertising and I'm sick of games like these. When people play a video game, they want to escape this corporate bs and just enjoy a game. This game is just way too expensive for it's level of quality and overhyped. This game is really gimmicky because as of now it costs $59.99 (all before tax) or $69.99 for a couple of extra items. You can also buy Sims 4 headphones that actually have a color wheel (unlike the game), a Sims 4 mouse and a strategy guidebook. You can also opt for the collector's edition which ranges from $79.99 to over $100 depending on where you want to buy it. Those are some pretty steep prices for a game that lacks toddlers, llamas, color wheels, swimming pools and general intelligence. You can have an affair with everybody on the Sims 4 and no one cares. Firefighters and police have been removed from the game as well as family trees. The game is also becoming less tangible, more digital and the game seems more like the kind of game you would find on a mobile phone or an MMO. This game is a lower quality than it's predecessor the Sims 3 because it is missing many features and has less customization options. This whole game is just marketing research, it is just designed to be addicting and leave people unfilled so they will want to buy more. Don't even both trying out the sample or buying the game. It is way too expensive, is lacking a ton of features and overall just feels very low quality and contains a lot of glitches (Sims walking through doors,) This review recommends to stay away from this game and please for the love of God, stay away from this company.… Expand
  40. alehmarchiori
    Sep 24, 2014
    10
    I really can't understand why the people are nothing like, the game is just on he basic and the basic of the sims 4 is better than the sims 3 in all, the sims 2 is still the better but i think that I can change that with this new game!
  41. Tharghuul
    Sep 24, 2014
    1
    Horribly stripped down towns and not creativity possible anymore but sadly bought game in store so no money back guarantee so stuck with crappy partial alpha of a game cause would not even consider this ready for beta as it stands right now. So really hope that Maxis/ EA get their act together and give us some more options in free updates since else this will definitely be the end of myHorribly stripped down towns and not creativity possible anymore but sadly bought game in store so no money back guarantee so stuck with crappy partial alpha of a game cause would not even consider this ready for beta as it stands right now. So really hope that Maxis/ EA get their act together and give us some more options in free updates since else this will definitely be the end of my spend on this former great game series… Expand
  42. Mudget
    Sep 23, 2014
    4
    The Sims has been my favorite franchise since its release in 2000 and this is the first time in the series' long run that I have truly felt disappointed. Disappointed, I should add, in much the same way I was disappointed with SimCity and what's happened to that franchise. At this point I truly abhor EA, as it feels like the decisions made regarding these classic games have been made byThe Sims has been my favorite franchise since its release in 2000 and this is the first time in the series' long run that I have truly felt disappointed. Disappointed, I should add, in much the same way I was disappointed with SimCity and what's happened to that franchise. At this point I truly abhor EA, as it feels like the decisions made regarding these classic games have been made by the same committee who decided to improve upon the wheel by making it square.

    There are good aspects to this game, it's not a 0 or 1 rating game, as so many people are trigger-fingering here. The user interface has undergone a much-needed facelift and after a short and awkward learning-curve, you find it's far more intuitive and well-placed, opening up the majority of the screen to watch the game rather than be cluttered with information. The way specific skills level up seems more natural, and the addition of new skills like 'comedy' when talking or traits like 'introspective' when not being social for a while is cool. The graphics, lighting, effects, music, all still good, but compared to the difference between Sims and Sims 2 or Sims 2 and Sims 3, this is easily the smallest leap and I've noticed some people are annoyed at the slightly more cartoonish approach. I am not bothered by it.

    I'd love to say there's a lot more to love about this game, but there's not. Sims 2 introduced a whole host of improvements, notably an 'open world' type system. Sims 3 introduced a ridiculously innovative style system of textures and colors, among many other improvements. Sims 4 strips all of these things away and claims its big introduction (something so good it had to replace those other things) - moods and multitasking. If added to the already awesome additions of the previous games, fine. Great, even. I like multitasking - watching tv while eating and talking is nifty. But for as unexciting as that is, the moods system is even less exciting. Yes, now moods affect things, particularly how you engage in conversation (always has, though, really), but now you get corresponding facial expressions, body language, and animations. Again, add these innovations on top of the previous innovations, and fine.

    But removing previous advances, especially the style-swapping features of Sims 3, has caused this game to feel like a big step backwards. I mean big. Feverishly looking for the eyedropper tool as I style a room, only to be reminded yet again that the function was totally removed, is the hugest bummer. Yeah they took out swimming pools and toddlers and ... whatever ... I want the ability to style everything the way I like it. With that one single feature gone, the game has lost an entire level of engagement for me. Add to that the missing open world design of previous games, and then, yes, a freaking universe of items - and this thing feels like just a totally incomplete shadow of former Sims games. A real letdown.

    I am playing it and supporting the series for one reason and one reason alone - out of the hands of EA, I think this game could be revived (I feel the same way about SimCity). I honestly have no idea if EA is even directly responsible for these ridiculous design decisions or not, but I know that everything EA has touched in the last five years or so has turned to complete you-know-what.

    The game isn't worth buying for sixty dollars right now. Period. It's a practically empty shell of a game where your only real aspirations are to become friends with people in your direct vicinity and maybe eat and do dishes, watch tv, go to sleep, rinse repeat. There's practically nothing here anymore, feels like very little to do. The interest in seeing how moods affect things wore off after about 15 minutes of playing and I longed for the ability to at least lose myself in styling things to my content. I'll go back to the Sims 3 where I've got Sims in college, on vacation, and everything looks badass because I made it that way. I can do without the moods. I'll be in a better one myself with all the stuff missing from Sims 4.    … Expand
  43. Karlone123
    Sep 23, 2014
    7
    The Sims 4 comes with a lot of disappointment, this product feels very bare bones and as it feels like it has little to offer to the player in terms of open freedom. I can accept there being no open world neighborhood if it could help reduce the performance problems sims 3 faced. And while the performance is good with few crashes, the fact that only one lot can be active in the part of theThe Sims 4 comes with a lot of disappointment, this product feels very bare bones and as it feels like it has little to offer to the player in terms of open freedom. I can accept there being no open world neighborhood if it could help reduce the performance problems sims 3 faced. And while the performance is good with few crashes, the fact that only one lot can be active in the part of the neighnorhood that your sims is in.

    This greatly disappoints me as your neighbors houses are inactive unless you visit them personally, I feel that other sims living in your part of the neighbothood should be active inside their own houses. This is step a bit too far. The game should be able to have more than one active lot just to give more essense of life other than sims wandering the street. I hope a future update make this so.

    I am glad the game has bars and mixology, this helps gives my sim to visit a pub and socialise with the patrons, it's just the nightclubs need improving on. Seeing many sims in the background does give a sense of a active neighborhood, such as being at the park and seeing sims jogging on by. Sim interaction and mood is a major plus, interactions are unlocked depending on your sim's mood if they are feeling frustrated or playful.

    I tried writing a review to be not so biased coming from playing the sims 3 with all the expansions, and the sims 4 does feel empty in many areas, I hope the game does receive the updates that are needed.    … Expand
  44. tiggerlily
    Sep 22, 2014
    0
    I am done with big greedy corporations, I have no real review to post because those who really play have already realized what EA games has done. **** EA!
  45. badbluewolf
    Sep 22, 2014
    0
    Not buying this game on sheer principle. It maybe very good, but leaving out pools, toddlers and customization options just paves the way for EA to exploit money from people by releasing the features at a trickle slow speed in DLC. But then I guess that just adds to the list of franchises that EA has poisoned.
  46. Sawt00th
    Sep 22, 2014
    3
    It is a solid base for DLC nothing more. Now do not get me wrong the base is solid and will be built upon well. However the lack of content is astonishing. I cant help but feel it is praying upon the younger users who do not appreciate value as highly as those who are spending heir own money on a title. £50 is not cheap at all and I can only assume the DLC will follow in a similar vein.It is a solid base for DLC nothing more. Now do not get me wrong the base is solid and will be built upon well. However the lack of content is astonishing. I cant help but feel it is praying upon the younger users who do not appreciate value as highly as those who are spending heir own money on a title. £50 is not cheap at all and I can only assume the DLC will follow in a similar vein. The lack of items turns it from being a choice of style to that of higher ratings, however it would be interesting to see the relative differences within the mechanics of the game in relation to the stat boosts of the items i.e. bed, showers etc. Nowhere to really go outwith of the house and the desert town is just plain ugly.… Expand
  47. andiereynolds
    Sep 22, 2014
    1
    Essentially for every cool new feature they added in that made you go "Oh sweet, I always wanted that!", they took out about 6 features from the previous game that you loved. The towns are tiny, you are back to not interacting with your Sim at ALL while at work... can't even view their stats. You are back to having to map travel a la Sims 2. They took away work buildings, the groceryEssentially for every cool new feature they added in that made you go "Oh sweet, I always wanted that!", they took out about 6 features from the previous game that you loved. The towns are tiny, you are back to not interacting with your Sim at ALL while at work... can't even view their stats. You are back to having to map travel a la Sims 2. They took away work buildings, the grocery store, the hospital, police station, and several of the core career lines. Not to mention the intensely small selection of furnishings for your home. Yes the graphics are pretty and the interface, once you adjust over, is fairly nice. The only real substantial improvement I can give it is that it seems to run pretty smoothly... what do I mean? I don't have the problem of the game glitching out every 5 hours and losing all my data. Other than that, its like the Sims 3's hot cousin. Suuure it looks good, but once you get into any depth with it you kinda miss your main squeeze.… Expand
  48. chris050200
    Sep 21, 2014
    1
    The game at it's core isn't so bad. The building system is the best in any sims game, and the graphics are good, but compared to all of the other sims games, it is laughably shallow. Never before has a sims game included such a small amount of content in their base game. It isn't bare, but it is clear that EA setting up to charge money for each of the many features that should've beenThe game at it's core isn't so bad. The building system is the best in any sims game, and the graphics are good, but compared to all of the other sims games, it is laughably shallow. Never before has a sims game included such a small amount of content in their base game. It isn't bare, but it is clear that EA setting up to charge money for each of the many features that should've been included in the first place. This game is worth about 20 dollars, and if it had came with all future DLC, it may have been worth 60.… Expand
  49. Enerla
    Sep 21, 2014
    0
    Lack of swimming pools, toddlers, etc? Who cares. When a Sims game has so much strange content that it stops being a simulation, and becomes a "strange fairytale dollhouse" we get a new Sims game, with some of the content removed. I can understand that the functionality for swimming pools, etc. should be developed again, and toddler gameplay needs some more design. As I say it is natural.Lack of swimming pools, toddlers, etc? Who cares. When a Sims game has so much strange content that it stops being a simulation, and becomes a "strange fairytale dollhouse" we get a new Sims game, with some of the content removed. I can understand that the functionality for swimming pools, etc. should be developed again, and toddler gameplay needs some more design. As I say it is natural.

    But when a game feels almost empty, and even the press notices it... When the game not only feels empty, but you see they reserve even basic furniture models for later, so they can get more money... That wouldn't be enough for a 0 score. But how it gets old quickly, greed, and how it limits your building styles can reduce the score by 1 point each.

    Why it isn't a 7 then? Lets start with graphics. Solid colors with interesting shaders? Nice. And some can say we also got the most powerful create a sim. Too bad we only have a very limited palette, and for some, the new create a sim is unwieldy. -1...

    One of the core features of the Sims was access to mods,. The new create a sim mode seems to make modding much harder. So I would think it hurts its value... -1...

    As you see at this point, there would be a chance for 4 or 5, both above the average ratings. But Sims is a complex game, there can be issues, and to fully enjoy it, good support should be essential. EA is weak here, and their general practices doesn't focus on our fun, and we don't feel like valued customers.

    So even if all other things would be perfect it would be hard to give the game a score higher than 3. Any bug or issue cann reduce it. And the game isn't the next big thing either. You can say: it is easy to resize a room. I could point out, that if you have a story, houses on your lots will have their stories as well. It would be defined by how your sims built new parts, knocked down walls, etc. A button to resize a room can make your life easier, but it makes the game lot less engaging.

    Even after quie a few iterations for both desktop and mobile, we have family storylines, but we don't see the differences between generations, as the game doesn't have a timeline, no technical advancement happens.

    The game is still full of homeless sims, people who have no home, who live nowhere, come from nowhere.

    The amount of loading screens can be annoying, and while it feels fast now, it doesn't have to load a lot of content, and doesn't have to check a lot either. When you will have plenty of content installed it will be much, much slower, which is a major issue.

    Solid colors means right now the game doesn't have to load textures, and doesn't have to keep them in RAM. It looks good at first as it saves ram. But a lot of things won't work with solid colors. With extra content the game will use much much more resources.

    We hear how the game is 32 bit "as some might have old 32 bit systems". They wouldn't have a problem iif the game would have both 32 bit and 64 bit versions.

    The game uses solid colors to make sure you need less textures. The game uses loading screens so it doesn't have to load the whole town. Yet its resource usage is high for a 32 bit program, and there can be a wall. So it is a serious issue with performance and optimization.

    People who whine about swimming pools, toddlers, etc. point to the smallest problems with the game, and if you keep hearing those issues you might think they are the "most important ones" and think the game is decent. It isn't.

    And even if you would believe later it will become a good game with all the expansion, buying it right now is pointless. You will be able to pick up the game and some expansions in a bundle, and buy the rest at cheaper prices whe the game becomes good enough to compete with previous sims games.    … Expand
  50. aleks93
    Sep 21, 2014
    0
    How in the world could they manage to screw this game up so bad? I have always loved The Sims series and spent alot of time on it, but this one i played for some buggy hours and refunded. The game feels half finished. Like they ran out of time and just said "whatever, we'll add it as extra content later and get even more money that way".
    Huge disappointment.
  51. wizardofnoobs
    Sep 21, 2014
    3
    Do you like loading screens? EA/Maxis likes loading screens alot! Want to make your sim go to another house in the same small community lot? Loading screen. Would you like to go to a museum for a date? Loading screen. Would you like to visit the gym beside that museum? Loading screen. It eventually got to a point where my sims now spend ALL of their time on their one starting lot.Do you like loading screens? EA/Maxis likes loading screens alot! Want to make your sim go to another house in the same small community lot? Loading screen. Would you like to go to a museum for a date? Loading screen. Would you like to visit the gym beside that museum? Loading screen. It eventually got to a point where my sims now spend ALL of their time on their one starting lot. I tried playing the game for about 30+ hours to give it a fair rating but after taking a break from it I just cannot go back to it with any sort of anticipation. The emotion system and animations are improved but they give you a Very basic game with an incredibly small world for your sims to live. I really really wanted to love this game but I feel as though EA/Maxis just slapped me in the face for supporting their product (I pre-ordered months in advance of release). I know that alot of people are saying...ya but its a base game, it will get better with expansions! Why? Why do I need to pay additional money for expansions on an INCOMPLETE base game? I highly doubt that they can fix the core game mechanics with expansions. There is a reason why the User Reviews scores are so low versus the Critic Reviews. I would not recommend buying this game unless its on sale for under $20. However even for $20 you could purchase much better non AAA games (including ALPHAS) on steam with more features and fun.… Expand
  52. MBBasar
    Sep 21, 2014
    1
    This game is best Sim game BUT if they bring at least 10 expansion. I hate this marketing strategy. Sell core game with lowest content as possible and force people to buy expansions. Company think profit yes i know but this sale strategy is un ethical so i support crackers for this kind of strategy.

    My score is 1 not for Sims game but for company's bad behaviour.
  53. TheTokenFemale
    Sep 21, 2014
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Another disappointed long term simmer here.

    Have played the games since it first came out in 2000, brought all the exps and stuff packs and would have described myself as quite loyal to the franchise. Having seen a lot of stuff on the internet and read reviews both on here and Amazon, I was very unsure about whether to get this but bit the bullet on Friday (partly because it looked like the modding community was already looking for fixes for the most frequent fan gripes) when I saw it on offer, it has now been returned.

    For me, it feels as if the soul has been ripped out of the franchise; playing it just doesn't feel the same as the other games to mend for me, the immersion just isn't there for me, I would imagine partly because of the shoddy camera controls (I switched to Sims 3 mode in the options and it still didn't solve it for me) and the endless loading screens which put me off actually leaving the lot - I have lost hours upon hours in the other games and couldn't this time .

    Socialization in particular is really difficult, especially for teens (why do four out of the five age stages look almost identical?- who thought that was a good idea?) as you can't tell which age stage is which, relationship building seemed to take forever (definitely a lot longer than in the other games).

    I know a number of reviewers have already mentioned the speed needs deplete and I would agree with this. It did really hinder me it using the new objects and "exploring" (if you can really call it that) the new neighborhoods, again it made everything feel more of a faff than it should be. For me it also made the game's pacing feel lumbering and slow - like you'd just finish getting everyone sorted and it would be time to do the whole cycle again. Really not fun at all

    In all fairness I did feel the create a Sim and build/buy modes were very good a definitely the best parts of the game. However I really felt the loss of the colour wheel and quite often found myself thinking 'I don't want this to be x colour - I want it to be y, bit oh-wait that's not a preset so I can't do it' I could live without the patterns from the Sims 3 but how hard would it have really been to stick in just some alternative un patterned colour choices? Really liked the pull and drag walls in build mode and did think it made building easier. As good as these functions might have been; Sim and House creation are not why I play the Sims and so couldn't redeem the game for me.

    In terms of the stuff missing - pools and toddlers I can live without, the open world I sorely missed and the community lots which came along with it. Although a few community lots come with the Sims four; I was less than less than impressed - there didn't seem to be much there and they were difficult to negotiate with the camera. Things would have improved a lot if they'd included cinemas and restaurants rather than one empty nightclub and a gym. The Pathfinding seemed to be a bit dodgy as well - my Sim would continually not be able to get to places. Yet another aspect of the game which felt like a chore and wasn't really fun. They also seem to have removed a lot of the old skill objects which is a real shame.

    There are a lot of unlockables in this game - the whole concept of which I dislike - The thing which really appeals to meabout the Sims is not having to complete objectives and (although of course you're not obligated to unlock stuff) I begrudge having to do so just to get objects (and not really all that special objects going by the descriptions like you did in the Sims 2 with the career rewards). On this point - I hate the fact there most of the careers from the first three games are missing - not everyone wants their Sims to have a wacky career. They should definitely bring the old careers back - what the hell's a tech guru anyway? That said I did like the fact that all the careers had two possible branches and would have liked to have seen that in Sims 3

    The emotions aren't really worth mentioning just a bit of a gimmick which didn't really add anything to my gameplay. I resented having to send my Sims top work feeling a certain emotion rather than just in a good mood. Once again just made everything more hard work than it should have been.

    In conclusion, I wouldn't recommend this game - not to fans of the original games or to newcomers. I've seen this compared a lot to the Sims 2 and while agree it does feel a little bit like that - it is nowhere as good a game. The whole thing felt like a chore with everything feeling so convoluted and hard work- the charm and entertainment value from the old games just isn't there. I think I got about five hours playtime before I gave up. Definitely going to stick to playing a combo of Sims 2 & 3 until the inevitable Sims 5 comes out.    … Expand
  54. Noyo_Furious
    Sep 21, 2014
    6
    First of all; this game absolutely doesnt deserve 0 - 1 of enraged trolls, nor 8 - 9 of fanboys. Sims 4 is successful or not, it depends to ur point of view, as a sequel to Sims 3, many things disappeared, such as toddlers. Babies skipping toddler ageline, they aged directly to child, this is unacceptable. Plus Sims 3's sandbox mode is gone as well, towns in Sims 4 are too small, too manyFirst of all; this game absolutely doesnt deserve 0 - 1 of enraged trolls, nor 8 - 9 of fanboys. Sims 4 is successful or not, it depends to ur point of view, as a sequel to Sims 3, many things disappeared, such as toddlers. Babies skipping toddler ageline, they aged directly to child, this is unacceptable. Plus Sims 3's sandbox mode is gone as well, towns in Sims 4 are too small, too many and long, loading screens for travel are very frustrating. Sims stats are pointless; well, dear producer team who needs to know how many times "go here" ordered to the sim? However i would like to see stats about my sims skills, such as how many books written, how many tips earned, etc. Cant even see the family tree, is family tree hidden in a future expansion pack plan? Two additions are nicely created though: Emotions and new skills (i.e. rocket science, programming, gourmet cooking, etc.) Emotions change the gameplay, that is not bad at all. New UI, (easy to use) graphics,(colorful, shiny) smooth gameplay (with bloody loading screens though) are cool realy. As a Sims 3 sequel, its worse than "one step back" i must say, however as a separated game no point, plus no right to write hateful reviews. And the price (70$ , Limited edt. with %10 discount in my country) is obviously unfair. if the price was 35 - 40 $ i'd write more positive comments...… Expand
  55. erinnicole92
    Sep 20, 2014
    0
    The game is missing everything i loved about the other Sims, it doesn't cater to the gamers like me that buy these games to create extravagant house. I know its a life simulation but there only reason I played it at all was the building. Creating a Sims is even crap compared to Sims 3. I hate it and wish i could get my money back
  56. zetalore
    Sep 20, 2014
    0
    This game needs a ton of work done on it. Given that loading speed is quicker, but do you really need to load just to visit the neighbor? They better code neighborhood clusters or maps for those who have better pc's. Should you buy it? No, not in poor state of affairs. I bought the cd in retail to get rid of on-line nonsense. Alas Origin gets installed eats up 100mb ram for uselessThis game needs a ton of work done on it. Given that loading speed is quicker, but do you really need to load just to visit the neighbor? They better code neighborhood clusters or maps for those who have better pc's. Should you buy it? No, not in poor state of affairs. I bought the cd in retail to get rid of on-line nonsense. Alas Origin gets installed eats up 100mb ram for useless reasons, and the dreaded 100% online all the time like in Sim City nightmare is back?

    I feel so sad, i bought Sims 4 in a whim because me and my wife enjoyed Sims 3 so much.

    Sims 4 is also crashing on me. I feel really bad.    … Expand
  57. Justin_A
    Sep 20, 2014
    0
    If EA wanted a bland tablet version of The Sims then it should have been honest and released it as such. Rehashing The Sims 2's insular format and regurgitating the game with most of the content stripped might be OK for an iPhone version costing a few bucks. There isn't even a 64-bit binary, which shows how seriously EA is taking anything other than the DLC diamonds dancing in its eyes. ToIf EA wanted a bland tablet version of The Sims then it should have been honest and released it as such. Rehashing The Sims 2's insular format and regurgitating the game with most of the content stripped might be OK for an iPhone version costing a few bucks. There isn't even a 64-bit binary, which shows how seriously EA is taking anything other than the DLC diamonds dancing in its eyes. To show us just how much it cares about quality art, the company has threatened that there won't be a Sims 5 if enough people don't fork over cash for this sad excuse for a game. We can only hope they'll follow through on their threat!

    And, as for some of the "critics'" reviews... two-three paragraphs of utter vapidity in a large typeface does not a credible professional review make. I love how cruddy titles like this get their ratings inflated by such puff pieces. And, the fluffiest most superficial one of them all won't even let anyone leave comments unless they're apparently part of some special little forum community. How... adorable. I registered for their site and it wouldn't even let me post a comment to the "review".

    The Sims 3 was barely enough of a change to warrant releasing it and this game positively absolutely fails to do anything other than offer a cheesy "emotion pack" that could have easily have been added to the previous title. The horridly bland corporate look of the Sims themselves is to be expected. Clearly, the blandness of SimCity 5 had to carry over. But, the utter barrenness of this "game" (really just a portal for DLCs), given its high price and the track record of EA in terms of the franchise and the SimCity franchise, must be some sort of new IQ test.

    F... not for anything but farce.    … Expand
  58. mutantmanifesto
    Sep 20, 2014
    2
    It was so promising. I also created an account to just talk about this game that I've been waiting YEARS for.

    First things first, I'm really not into making the sims less realistic but that's just me. The CAS is cool, yeah, but why make them more cartoony? They look like the sims freeplay characters and that bums me out. And now my major gripes: No family tree...what?! I'm a    It was so promising. I also created an account to just talk about this game that I've been waiting YEARS for.

    First things first, I'm really not into making the sims less realistic but that's just me. The CAS is cool, yeah, but why make them more cartoony? They look like the sims freeplay characters and that bums me out.

    And now my major gripes:

    No family tree...what?! I'm a legacy player, this game is basically pointless for me.

    No customizable anything. I get it, expansion packs $, whatever, but shouldn't you be going FORWARD from your previous game and not backwards? I understand not including pets, supernatural, university etc., that's standard, but to strip the game of features that came standard with the previous version makes zero sense.

    The neighborhoods are a complete joke. What is it, 4 houses per? A loading screen (yes, short, but still) between itty bitty neighborhoods? WHY? I don't see the reason and EA/Maxis seems to think this is a central core will not budge type design. Why though? I really don't get it. If they would go ahead and explain to anybody WHY they consider this central to the game, maybe I will feel better about it.

    No toddlers...again why? I LOVE the toddler stage. It's annoying as hell but you see the beginning of genetic mixing even then (is that even a thing in this game? genetics?)

    One less trait...when the game is all based on traits. Kinda silly and limiting.

    No pools, no cars? Huh?

    I think I only have a couple of pros:

    I always hated building houses and decorating because in general I suck at that, but I'll admit that the building aspect is awesome and I like being able to download from the community because there are a ton of skilled players out there

    The community/gallery is actually pretty rad, I really like that. If we can't get online play, I'm at least happy we can have some sort of interaction with our friends.

    CAS is neat as I said, but too cartoony for my liking. The physics and graphics behind it are pretty cool though.

    The multitasking is nice I guess.

    That's really about it.

    ----

    In summary: this game was half-baked. It wasn't ready. This would be a good demo of the game. Once they start rolling out expansions and I inevitably buy them because I have since the very first sims 1, maybe just MAYBE it'll reach some sort of finished feel. I really hope that they take the fan reaction to heart and give us some huge upgrades, but I sort of doubt it. For now, I'll stick with the sims 3.    … Expand
  59. simsl3gacies
    Sep 20, 2014
    0
    A devolution of The Sims, and the worst base game of The Sims since its debut 14 years ago. Lacking integral base game features, which we can count on EA only selling back to us later at an even higher premium. Blatant greed. Instead of improving existing features, EA just cut them. Lazy. Not acceptable for an informed consumer like myself.
  60. anubisdream
    Sep 20, 2014
    0
    I am a long time Sims fan who has played since the launch of Sims 1. I can not bring myself to support EA any longer. They have come to believe that it is okay to put out products without core player interests just to make money on DLCs. For this reason I will not be buying this game ever. I have lost all taste for EA games in general. They have disappointed me and insulted ourI am a long time Sims fan who has played since the launch of Sims 1. I can not bring myself to support EA any longer. They have come to believe that it is okay to put out products without core player interests just to make money on DLCs. For this reason I will not be buying this game ever. I have lost all taste for EA games in general. They have disappointed me and insulted our intelligence with their excuses for their behavior too many times.… Expand
  61. MetacriticWeeee
    Sep 20, 2014
    0
    I felt compelled to create an account and rate this game as low as possible. Now I'll carefully explain why.

    Every Sims release (until now) has been strides ahead of the previous version. DLCs aside, it was very easy to tell that Sims 3 was far ahead of Sims 2. The open world offered a level of exploration and customization that was absolutely unprecedented. Create a Style allowed you    I felt compelled to create an account and rate this game as low as possible. Now I'll carefully explain why.

    Every Sims release (until now) has been strides ahead of the previous version. DLCs aside, it was very easy to tell that Sims 3 was far ahead of Sims 2. The open world offered a level of exploration and customization that was absolutely unprecedented. Create a Style allowed you to make anything fit in exactly how you chose. There was no debate about whether the base game was an improvement over Sims 2.

    Now, to Sims 4. Gone is the open world, rather we are stuck with a district consisting of a handful of houses. It is a small handful at that. Want to visit a neighbor's house in the same district? Loading screen. Want to visit some random place on the map? Nope. All the while, other sims are free to roam past your lot, which seems to have more foot traffic than a park in London. Toddlers and pools are gone, which I was actually okay with, it's the other features, included in the base game of Sims 3, that put me a bit off. Create a Style is gone, revert back to the Sims 2 style of presets. Ponds and water are gone. Want to go fishing in the comfort of your backyard? Nope, you've been reduced to fishing and signposts. Along with ponds, changes in elevation are gone. The elevation tools allowed you to create massive castles, towering over the town, surveying all those beneath you. Basements are also nowhere to be found. Entire houses could be create under the earth in a seemingly empty lot. It seems the days of real creativity in designing your home are lost.

    Now to the performance. It is pretty clear that Sims 4 does run smoother than Sims 3, but is the cost really worth it? Below are a few factors that most certainly contribute to it running better:
    - No open world
    - Smaller lots
    - No Create a Style
    - No elevations
    Do the loss of these basic features for the gain of a bit of performance really make it a better game?

    Now for why I gave it a 0 instead of 3 or something... Too many reviews on this site (from those rating the game favorable to a point that is worthy of ridicule) make accusations against those who've rated it poorly. Rating it against Sims 3 w/ DLCs, don't like change, never actually purchased it, these are all things I've read in positive reviews. As a fan of The Sims since the original release, I am disappointed with this most recent installment.    … Expand
  62. bigtprime
    Sep 20, 2014
    10
    10 is not reflecting the quality of the game, but since everyone put stupid score for the game, my score is here for balance.
    Igive my opinion concerning the base games (no extensions) and since I never bought any extension for the sims3, it will be easy.
    As it's mentionned be everyone, the sims4 did have some cut fonctionnalit compared to the sims3, but these are not stepback only but    10 is not reflecting the quality of the game, but since everyone put stupid score for the game, my score is here for balance.
    Igive my opinion concerning the base games (no extensions) and since I never bought any extension for the sims3, it will be easy.
    As it's mentionned be everyone, the sims4 did have some cut fonctionnalit compared to the sims3, but these are not stepback only but the openworld. The sims game is based around simulating life, the core of the game is to have sims with personnality, capable of taking action from their own. That's were the Sims4 is a great improvement compared to the previous game.
    Personnaliy, the sims in the previous game bored me, just puppet just capable of random actions, here you got ones with caractère, not only traits to restrain them, but traits to give them preference in their actions or conversations. It's not perfect but it's a lot better.

    We can argue than when MAXIS give us a new iteration, it could come with much features regarding what they already developped in past extensions, that it is to few for such a long developpement. But here, i'm juging what's in this game, and the content and the improvements of the game toward it's predecessor (the basic game), and it's good.    … Expand
  63. Spezz
    Sep 20, 2014
    9
    The Game is really different from the last chapter (Sims 3), but it's not bad. Not more Open World, not pool and toddler. Also there is not any item or npc (like police, robbers, etc). But there is emotion. There is customization, and there is a lot of interaction and strange situation. It's a game you have to play for a while for like it. If you are a Sims 3 lover, you may not like this.The Game is really different from the last chapter (Sims 3), but it's not bad. Not more Open World, not pool and toddler. Also there is not any item or npc (like police, robbers, etc). But there is emotion. There is customization, and there is a lot of interaction and strange situation. It's a game you have to play for a while for like it. If you are a Sims 3 lover, you may not like this. If you are a Sims 1 or 2 lover, you may love this :) try it! It's fun :D
    In any case, also the base game of ALL the Sims have any gap, the future expansion will fill it :)    … Expand
  64. azeitona
    Sep 19, 2014
    7
    There is a common saying in my country, that is "this isn't all this Coke". And that means "this is good, really good, but not really awesome". And this can really apply to The Sims 4.

    I guess you are tired of hearing what has been said like 8000 times now, so I'll try to keep it simple. The gameplay is slightly improved from previous iterations, and really to a good point. I've been    There is a common saying in my country, that is "this isn't all this Coke". And that means "this is good, really good, but not really awesome". And this can really apply to The Sims 4.

    I guess you are tired of hearing what has been said like 8000 times now, so I'll try to keep it simple.

    The gameplay is slightly improved from previous iterations, and really to a good point. I've been playing The Sims 4 rather frequently, and I'm enjoying the experience since day one.

    The graphics are amazing, and the game runs so much smoother than The Sims 3, that ran like crap after, like, 2 or 3 expansions. Of course, let's hope The Sims 4 will stay that way.

    The music is awesome, and some older tracks from previous games make a return on a "retro" radio station, and that is fantastic.

    Of course, the removed features hurt the score, a lot. But I will be quite sincere here. I don't really miss create-a-style (never used it so much) and the toddlers (that were so damn boring). The open world kind of bugs me, but I don't think the loading screens are that bad. In fact, they are quite fast. And many of the lots that we lost were rabbit holes anyway, so nothing has really changed at some points.

    Yeah, yeah, there will be space for DLC, but c'mon guys. By liking a game that is from a series that I love since I was a child doesn't mean that "HUUURR YOUR STUPID GIVIN MONYE TO EA DURR DURR DURR". Not at all. The money is mine, and I have the brains to spend it the way I want, and I will surely not buy the crappy expansion packs.

    After all, I think I summarized everything at the start of the review. The Sims 4 is rather good. It's not for everyone, and yeah, yeah, maybe it isn't worth its full price, but is by no means a bad game, and it doesn't deserve all this rage.    … Expand
  65. Autash92
    Sep 19, 2014
    2
    Well I'm not gonna take the game back. But I also do miss the color wheel, pools and toddlers. I remember when I first bought the Sims 3 I didn't like it very much. Although I kept playing it off and on until cool new expansion packs came out then I liked it more. But with the Sims 4 I don't really play it much at all cause a lot of stuff has been taken away and feels like I'm playing theWell I'm not gonna take the game back. But I also do miss the color wheel, pools and toddlers. I remember when I first bought the Sims 3 I didn't like it very much. Although I kept playing it off and on until cool new expansion packs came out then I liked it more. But with the Sims 4 I don't really play it much at all cause a lot of stuff has been taken away and feels like I'm playing the Sims 2 again.And also it sucks seeing s baby go from that to a child. Toddlers need to come back to the game. So make a expansion pack for pools and toddlers please! COLOR WHEEL SHOULD BE ADDED! :)… Expand
  66. jpoz3
    Sep 19, 2014
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. BIGGEST WASTE OF MONEY EVER!! You might as well buy sims 1 since all of the exciting aspects have been taken away. Only reason I gave a 1 was the graphics (on ultra mode) are improved. However, NO pools, NO toddlers, NO MORE FREE ROAMING AROUND THE TOWN!! You can not follow them to work anymore. Every place you go you have to sit through a loading screen. Even walking across the street to the neighbors house you have to wait 3-4 minutes which may not seem like a lot but since they were previously able to roam freely with no loading screen it makes a BIG difference! Create a sim had nice features but it doesn't make up for ZERO GAME PLAY! The new interactions with sims are LAME! Tell joke about monkeys? Joke about mimes? Come on EA, we've seen you do better!! Thoroughly disappointed by this game. Do not listen to the critic rating, listen to the users! Step back to make progress my A**! There's NOTHING to do anymore! Going back to sims 3 and forgetting this game even exists. I suggest you do the same!… Expand
  67. SEBeeGAMING
    Sep 19, 2014
    10
    Bought the game.... Loved it. People say that the game is not so good. But, people the graphics, emotions, are better.. That is why you should buy it. It is worth it.
  68. ColeNubson
    Sep 19, 2014
    9
    The Sims 4, very similar to the previous Sims games, is a step forward. Although it takes more than 20 minutes to get used to all the changes, it's as much of a blast as the last games. If you really are a Sims fan, you won't mind having to do without some features likes cars or pools. I found that characters progressed more smoothly and realistically, in relationships and careers. IThe Sims 4, very similar to the previous Sims games, is a step forward. Although it takes more than 20 minutes to get used to all the changes, it's as much of a blast as the last games. If you really are a Sims fan, you won't mind having to do without some features likes cars or pools. I found that characters progressed more smoothly and realistically, in relationships and careers. I hardly found a single glitch while playing the game. The house customization was amazing and I love all the additional options I have when the game is in build mode. Anyone who is complaining about how bad this game is must not be giving it a chance, because once you get used to it, the options are unlimited.… Expand
  69. VirtualTate
    Sep 19, 2014
    4
    The sims 4 offers nothing new. In fact it offers a considerable amount less than it's predecessor sims 3. The main notable difference is the lack of an open neighbourhood populated with sims who lived their own lives. The idea behind this is that people don't have to sit through a long loading screen to play the game but instead give us one every time we want to visit any other location.The sims 4 offers nothing new. In fact it offers a considerable amount less than it's predecessor sims 3. The main notable difference is the lack of an open neighbourhood populated with sims who lived their own lives. The idea behind this is that people don't have to sit through a long loading screen to play the game but instead give us one every time we want to visit any other location. This isn't a very good compromise, I would happily sit through one long loading screen, getting myself a drink and maybe a snack and come back to a then seamless game than have to sit through a loading screen for every excursion from my street. It's just quite bland, I'm not a fan of EA and their methods but Sims have always been one of their strongest points. For me this is a let-down and I don't think I will be sinking any more money into expansions when the base game itself is lacking much needed content. The reason I give it a 4 is because it still does what the sims is suppose to do. It provides a reality simulator in which you can raise a family but honestly aside from the addition of new Sim moods, and addition so small it would be a better suited to an expansion this game offers nothing new and I would urge most people to stick with sims 3. If you are a hardcore sims fan then additional content may eventually make this a game worth playing but for everyone, I'd stick with sims 3 for now.… Expand
  70. COMThing
    Sep 18, 2014
    7
    Apart from the lack of story progression, the Sims 4 is a far better base game than the Sims 3, even with all its patches.

    - The towns actually feel populated, although they should definitely have made them bigger. - The sims are much less boring with the emotions upgrade. - The lack of lag is great, it is just unfortunate that one of the best features of the Sims 3 is what caused    Apart from the lack of story progression, the Sims 4 is a far better base game than the Sims 3, even with all its patches.

    - The towns actually feel populated, although they should definitely have made them bigger.

    - The sims are much less boring with the emotions upgrade.

    - The lack of lag is great, it is just unfortunate that one of the best features of the Sims 3 is what caused it to begin with (colour wheel and textures meant that the game had to generate more image files and save them, which clogged up the RAM).

    Overall I'm happy with this game, primarily since it doesn't lag on high-end machines like the Sims 3. The only real downside I've found so far (35hrs in game) is that the tutorial pop-ups can't be turned off.    … Expand
  71. puchjd
    Sep 18, 2014
    3
    I felt just the same way when i bought the "new" SimCity, all cool options and addictive gameplay were gone. The same happened with TS4. This game is booooooooooring compared to the Sims3. Maybe it's a good option if you have not played anohter sims game ever, but as a fan of the series, you will be very disappointed. The gameplay just sucks, loading screens? come'on!, the "city" where youI felt just the same way when i bought the "new" SimCity, all cool options and addictive gameplay were gone. The same happened with TS4. This game is booooooooooring compared to the Sims3. Maybe it's a good option if you have not played anohter sims game ever, but as a fan of the series, you will be very disappointed. The gameplay just sucks, loading screens? come'on!, the "city" where you are living is just dead, there are no longer interesting stories going around, the lack of customization, fewer life dreams, and a long etc.. Now i have graded this with a 3 for the following: nice create a sim, improved social interactions (more "realistic")... and i think that's it.… Expand
  72. Babyloft
    Sep 18, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So before I purchased this game I had read numerous reviews about how horrible it was and how there was only few positives to the game. After doing some reading around, I came across the Sims 4 walk through on youtube and that made me decide to buy it despite all of it's negative comments, and it was worth it. I have never in all of my sims playing from the first to the third had so much fun socializing with other sims. This is the first time you actually get reactions based on what was said or done. Every sims game is different, and if you really liked the way the sims 3 was set up then play the sims 3, or if you liked the first sims (which I still play) then buy it and play it because it's still available to buy. I choose which to play depending on my mood. This base game already has so many features, i'm beyond excited to see what they do with the expansion packs, especially pets! Your also able to talk to the bartenders and other people sims that were just there before, you can sing in the shower, talk while you dance, eat, etc, and you can even choose your walk! This is just a few new positives out of a whole bunch I haven't discovered yet. This is an upgrade, they just let go of little things that took up space. If you liked decorating based on color the Sims 3 is ideal for you. Of course there are some glitches at the moments and some bumps here and there that i'm sure will be fixed with time, but this is a huge upgrade to me. I haven't hardly decorated because there is so more to do besides make your house, and I don't spend so much time customizing my sims i'm done playing the game by the time i'm out of create a sim like the sims 3. I quit the game just so I could go online and write a positive review about it. I'm glad they are finally upgrading it in a way it needed to be upgraded in. Don't compare this base game to 10 expansion packs in the Sims 3, it will never be as good.… Expand
  73. AdamF
    Sep 18, 2014
    9
    I want to start off by asking the question, how is this game getting such a bad rep?
    I'm an old school sims player, I've been playing since TSO. The sims 2 happened to be my favorite for the PC and I wasn't really into the whole neighborhood view at all when the sims 3 came out.
    This version of the sims is an awesome updated version of the sims. You can travel between different towns    I want to start off by asking the question, how is this game getting such a bad rep?
    I'm an old school sims player, I've been playing since TSO. The sims 2 happened to be my favorite for the PC and I wasn't really into the whole neighborhood view at all when the sims 3 came out.
    This version of the sims is an awesome updated version of the sims. You can travel between different towns with a loading screen of 5 seconds (Depending on your computer processor). Also you live on a lot, and on that lot you can travel between several different houses without loading screens, and so many people walk by your house and around the lot that you never miss traffic.
    What I do happen do dislike is there is NO dishwashers, nor pools. I'm sure it will come out on an expansion, but as for now that kind of upset me.
    I created an account just to let you know that you aren't wasting your money if you can enjoy a new era of The Sims. people don't understand where the Sims came from to be rating them such low points. The Sims 3 wasn't a step up in some peoples eyes (like mine), however The Sims 4 is really a great change in The Sims series. I Love the emotions, the worlds, the people and how they act, the multitasking, building, and so many more great feature this game has to offer. 9/10 because of no dishwashers or pools.    … Expand
  74. VoxPaladin
    Sep 18, 2014
    0
    Wow, let me buy a skimped version of The Sims by paying more money for less content in favor of future DLC that will supposedly restore all the missing features and improvements because it's the fourth installment, therefore it should be better. Said no one ever.
  75. Caiokv
    Sep 18, 2014
    0
    Not worth the time nor the money. Like MANY have already said, the UI is terrible, edge scrolling is the worse so far, and that emtion thing keeps ruining even more the gameplay. Couldn't play it for over an hour and had to quit the game and install sims 3 again.
  76. MRxYuri
    Sep 18, 2014
    6
    It's a good game but at the same time its bad too but first of all the game offers alot of new features like building, sim creating, multi-tasking and so on but ofcourse they took away some of the nice features too like can't visit ohter houses without exiting your own lot and no cars to drive it feels like the Sims 2 but Advanced and nicer looking maybe this is what EA wanted I have noIt's a good game but at the same time its bad too but first of all the game offers alot of new features like building, sim creating, multi-tasking and so on but ofcourse they took away some of the nice features too like can't visit ohter houses without exiting your own lot and no cars to drive it feels like the Sims 2 but Advanced and nicer looking maybe this is what EA wanted I have no idea but Im gonna have a feeling that theres gonna be lots of DLCs to add the features… Expand
  77. Tbo128
    Sep 18, 2014
    6
    After playing this game for a few days I've decided that it is the best one in the series. Without going into specifics I've found that the look, feel, and playability of the game is excellent and far superior to anything that came before it. Yes it's different but every new TS is. Yes I miss the open world of TS3 but I think they've reached an adequate compromise between game play andAfter playing this game for a few days I've decided that it is the best one in the series. Without going into specifics I've found that the look, feel, and playability of the game is excellent and far superior to anything that came before it. Yes it's different but every new TS is. Yes I miss the open world of TS3 but I think they've reached an adequate compromise between game play and performance. Where EA has missed the mark is the price point. I'd give the game a solid 9 but value only gets a 3. This is by far the most stripped down base game yet. I think EA is going for the jugular this time. If this amount of content goes for $60 the what will a dishwasher cost? TS3 was bad enough, this game will be an even bigger money pit.… Expand
  78. KarenAnneGast
    Sep 17, 2014
    2
    I have played The Sims franchise my ENTIRE life. I am a hardcore fan. I am sorry to say this, but this game has been one of the LARGEST disappointments in my entire life. I wrote on my calendar about the release, and was extremely excited after I pre-ordered it and had tried out the Create-A-Sim demo. I had noticed that the color wheel was gone, along with toddlers, swimsuits, and a lot ofI have played The Sims franchise my ENTIRE life. I am a hardcore fan. I am sorry to say this, but this game has been one of the LARGEST disappointments in my entire life. I wrote on my calendar about the release, and was extremely excited after I pre-ordered it and had tried out the Create-A-Sim demo. I had noticed that the color wheel was gone, along with toddlers, swimsuits, and a lot of the more creative aspects of the game. Although I figured the actual gameplay would be at least the same as TS3 was. I was very wrong. I completely understand how some people might like TS4. It is just like TS1 with nicer graphics. The problem with that though, is that I had become used to the new way of the sims. A few of the things I miss are Height distribution among age groups, going to an actual building for work, more than 10 choices for job opportunities, maternity leave, letting a fire spread through my house to kill my husbands(they made it auto extinguish), being able to jog to the park(they removed open world), story progression WAS SO AMAZING - it made me feel less alone, and now we're alone in this world by ourself, story sharing on the website which IS SO MISLEADING. Their website explains weirder stories? Okay well whats the use of making these stories if I can't share them with the world? They want us to connect our TS4 accounts with Facebook, but I live in a different world on the sims. They removed the family tree, pools are missing, there are barely any available housing lots. I am very upset with Electronic Arts for ruining the game which honestly helped me become who I am today. They molded TS4 into a game against us, by building a world where we fall in love with the sims, and are forced into paying money to give them bigger neighborhoods and better objects around them, Its sad. I will never forgive Electronic Arts.… Expand
  79. dgbug
    Sep 17, 2014
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. For realz? This game is so bad in comparison. Yes while the sims 3 had issues with compatibility, it seems like they had a new crew and decided to completely restart the image?

    A new boss who thought he knew everything? Common I was so excited for the sims 4. I've already bought a lot of the other versions of the sims 3.

    The game feels like the sims 1 with major improvements from the other games. They've improved the stylization of sims how to customize them their looks, and anything about them. MAXIS changed the personalities really well, I felt like the game STARTS like it will look out great. While they improved a lot of the issues that you spend a lot of time on the game itself removes the silly reasons why you play. Like you have 20 half sibling families and the structures get hectic and then you have to suddenly get 200 sims through college some are abducted and then some die and you end up with like 100 of them throughout the game you might end up with 50 and then the extended families of cousins eventually merge like 2nd cousins. It's weird, but it's mostly social experiments. It also shows you why in real society things are best kept as is->. Sometimes it's just the Katie Perry Music.

    Now The sims 4 has basically the sims 1 esque loading screen less wait times. (I had 20 minute loading screens.) Yes that was annoying but when the game was working in sims 3 it was fun. Now in Sims 4 it's something like huh? Ok they're talking. I might put it down and go talk to some people like a normal non-creepy human. It's 3 no 4 steps forward 20 steps back. There's no swimming pools no swimwear, no reason for your sims to get buff.

    Jobs are out. Who needs jobs?

    THEY EVEN TOOK OUT Mac versions. Macs are way better in the sims because the game was based around Mac type games that's where Maxis' roots are Max/Mac Get it? Now EA stripped the title of everything. I feel the sims 5 will come out soon. No joke. The game should have the basic gameplay of sims 3. I now have to bootcamp to play the game. Not only did you basically make one fan base mad the modding community which is huge, you also took out anyone who had a MAC which is two strikes….

    What the sims 4 did fix is the customization of some irritations of the fans that made it easier to create. However also in doing so defeated some of the challenges of creating homes and now it feels like a dollhouse game more then a social experiment. My brother became a architect because of the sims 1 and 2. And now it's just a click of a button. I feel that's the future of architecture anyway but this game seriously took out a lot of the issues while at the same time knocking out the purpose of learning how things are semi-built.
    There's limited selection on colors, and they took out the user made creations because people would 'mod' the sims. There's hundreds of websites non-sim related because the sims series was so involved around creation. Without that they lost their fan-base. Buying sims downloads and options feels like a Facebook game. Like my friend Admiral Akbar would say "IT's a trap!"

    I typically would try and remotely give this a nice score but they probably expected fans would like the new features at the expense of loosing 'some minor content' is a blatant lie almost false advertising. (but it's not because they said they would remove some things.) And the fact some of the city life structure and chaos of so many sims running around looses a lot of the entertainment value. It looses some of the hard parts of the game. These metacritics are being nice giving it a 70.    … Expand
  80. BohoBeans
    Sep 17, 2014
    4
    I have been a dedicated fan since the beginning. When the news of a new Sims base game released, I was so excited I think I peed. Sims 4 was advertised as a step forward and a new outlook on the way we play RPG games in its entirety. The day I downloaded it I sat down at my computer with a bag of Starbursts ready not to see sunlight for the next three days. After 10 hours of game play andI have been a dedicated fan since the beginning. When the news of a new Sims base game released, I was so excited I think I peed. Sims 4 was advertised as a step forward and a new outlook on the way we play RPG games in its entirety. The day I downloaded it I sat down at my computer with a bag of Starbursts ready not to see sunlight for the next three days. After 10 hours of game play and counting, I can confidently say that I am not impressed. Creating my Sim was very basic. It was not what it was all cracked up to be. The facial sliders were amazing and being able to click on your Sim is unique. Although the creativity was ultimately stripped from my fingers. With no creative tools and horrendous eye lashes my Sim looked like a slight twin of Iggy Azalea. Managing the highlights of your hair, length of your eyelashes and even the personalization of your eye shadow has been taken out and left true style completely basic. With only three traits, a feminine walk, and a Wealthy Ambition, I decided to make my house. As I started editing my starter home I noticed right off the bat it was extremely hard to navigate and get a diagonal view into the house, it was only a vertical or horizontal view, no in-between. Again I have noticed there as no create a design tool. There is only standard selections to choose from, which isn't all that bad because I have really noticed the modernity of the designs. I feel like EA stepped up and made their interior designs not so 90's. The game played smooth an after i designed my tiny modern home I began to play. I thought that the Sim emotions are incredible! One of the best add-ons I have ever seen on an RPG game. The emotions really make a difference in playing and I honestly think it's what keeps me playing. Being able to take an angry poop when clicking on the toilet is comedy you can't get enough of. I also love being able to paint emotional art pieces and writing emotional books. It makes the game play a lot more spontaneous and exciting.

    In its entirety I do believe Sims needs more improvements as a game. I can live without toddlers and pools, but who can ever live with those ungodly eyelashes and not being able to personalize our clothes into a zebra jumpsuit. If EA is planning on making an update I do recommend them listening to their forever true customers and correct their wrongs. The whole aspect of the Sims culture to us is to create a world we want to live in. I don't want to live in a basic world.    … Expand
  81. peaches5983
    Sep 17, 2014
    1
    Big waste of money....know where near as good as 2 or 3 ! Create a Sim very little clothes and hair styles. They made this one for people with lower end computers or so Ive read I have to laugh at that. I had to buy a new graphics card to play the Sims 4 but could play the Sims 3 just fine with what I had. Not only did I waste the $80.00 on the game but $98.00 on a new graphic card forBig waste of money....know where near as good as 2 or 3 ! Create a Sim very little clothes and hair styles. They made this one for people with lower end computers or so Ive read I have to laugh at that. I had to buy a new graphics card to play the Sims 4 but could play the Sims 3 just fine with what I had. Not only did I waste the $80.00 on the game but $98.00 on a new graphic card for what ? I wont be playing it again...:( if refunds were an option id be the first in line. Zero pools zero toddlers zero create a style. Very very small towns in which there is only two ,With three to four small lots. Highly disappointed with this game after playing the others I was expecting great things. In my opinion the price should be cut in half as well since it is missing so many key features compared to the other sim games. Ahhhhh EA what were you thinking ????… Expand
  82. Keoki
    Sep 17, 2014
    2
    When I started playing this game it didn't look bad at all, even if I didn't liked the graphics at first, but after a couple of days playing it, you start to realize how low budget and low quality this game is.
    Some of the new features are so good, like body modification, the gallery, wall heights, event planner, spandrels and friezes, decoration items for walls, and multitasking.
    The    When I started playing this game it didn't look bad at all, even if I didn't liked the graphics at first, but after a couple of days playing it, you start to realize how low budget and low quality this game is.
    Some of the new features are so good, like body modification, the gallery, wall heights, event planner, spandrels and friezes, decoration items for walls, and multitasking.

    The problem comes when the list of bad features quadruples the list of good features.

    One of the main problems of this game is that Create a Style has been removed, making it impossible to match the majority of objects, clothes, floors and walls together, limiting the options of hair, eyes and makeup colors.
    Among other problems are in the game, no pools, no toddlers, teenagers sims have the same height as an adult sim, no body hair, the foundation can only be placed in ALL the rooms or none, no basements, no vehicles, the height is the same for all rooms on the same floor, no half walls, no modification terraforming, no open world, and the list goes on ...

    On creating Sims, it's faster but is missing many points of modification, eg. it is impossible to do a double chin, and making certain modifications can be a nightmare.

    In the graphics part, there are certain items that will look great while others are incredibly poor modeled as the collectibles or spherical elements that look very polygonal. The lighting is fantastic when it works well, but is not always like that, in Oasis Springs natural light makes things do not have their actual color.

    The community lots are boring, and poorly executed. The speakers at the pubs, each one have a different song, The Sims that visits the lot treat objects as if they were at their home, objects gets dirty and no one clean them. Don't have enough NPC running the lots, and all sims are usually stacked in the same spot, leaving empty the entire lot, just to mention a few things. It makes you feel that in the original Sims, 14 years ago, the simulation outside home was 1000 times better.

    Also, I must say that the game provides very little to long term fans of the franchise, who have been playing the previous Sims games with all expansions and stuff packs, leaving us with a feeling that the game can not be enjoyed until they release a couple of expansions.

    That said, this is a game that would have potential to be great if they had not taken away so many loved features that were basic for the fans on the franchise. Possibly if they add them back again the missing features and especially the Create a Style one, the game would be much different, and the opinion of the fans will change.

    This franchise has gotten out of EA's hands, despite having been for more than a decade, the best-selling PC game in history, they haven't cared, had not ambition and have not wanted to do it in the right way. I hope they learn something from all of this and fix the game soon, not resulting in a hit and run.    … Expand
  83. Panoptical
    Sep 17, 2014
    3
    The biggest problem with this game is that there is no reason to buy it instead of The Sims 3 with it's expansions. It's stripped down and a dreadful step in game making. I long for the day where some indie or other developer creates something based on The Sims that will surpass this to the moon and back.
  84. maiteplummer
    Sep 17, 2014
    0
    Horrible! I'm SO disappointed. Instead of a step forward, its really a step back. I cannot believe there are no family trees or any sense of story progression! That was my favourite part of the game, I loved the feeling that the family I was building was a story.

    Additionally, EA says they decided to focus on sim-sim interactions with this game - UM... Sims can actively    Horrible! I'm SO disappointed. Instead of a step forward, its really a step back. I cannot believe there are no family trees or any sense of story progression! That was my favourite part of the game, I loved the feeling that the family I was building was a story.

    Additionally, EA says they decided to focus on sim-sim interactions with this game - UM... Sims can actively woohoo/kiss/flirt with one partner (i.e. a second girlfriend) in front of their wife/girlfriend/whatever, and there is no reaction from the other sim. Not even a decrease in relationship points like in the sims 1!!!! Thats BEYOND perplexing and confusing for me and ruined the game for me.

    Build mode is very nice but thats about it, for us players who prefer to focus on the live section/part of the game, it sucks...    … Expand
  85. MaikePAX
    Sep 17, 2014
    10
    Por mais que seja comum nos jogos bases da franquia virem faltando trocentas coisas, The Sims 4 mostra potencial principalmente nas ferramentas de criação e nas emoções dos Sims.
  86. Bluemagick
    Sep 17, 2014
    2
    So I was really excited for Sims 4 and at this point in time I am unable to purchase this game and I believe I dodged a bullet. My brother unfortunately did purchase it and is stuck with it. The game was an utter disappointment with the extremely almost cramped world space. The world space is so so so much smaller than the previous spaces from Sims 3, that you do not have the option ofSo I was really excited for Sims 4 and at this point in time I am unable to purchase this game and I believe I dodged a bullet. My brother unfortunately did purchase it and is stuck with it. The game was an utter disappointment with the extremely almost cramped world space. The world space is so so so much smaller than the previous spaces from Sims 3, that you do not have the option of living at the outskirts of town at the very edge of the map. I am disappointed with the amount of space given to us to work with and make our own space. I hope that they will release DLCs to make the worlds bigger or give us a bigger world but I highly doubt it.… Expand
  87. cicimbus
    Sep 16, 2014
    0
    They might have to be kidding. Everything, everything is trimmed. Graphics ... classic, again with rubber dolls. Sims who do not play are not improving, just simply doing the bushes etc ... golden sims 2 or 3
  88. drclawixp
    Sep 16, 2014
    8
    It seems to me that most people are comparing The Sims 4 Base Game to The Sims 3 plus all the expansions, and that doesn't seem very fair. In comparison to the base game of The Sims 3 (or Sims 2 for that matter), this game holds its own. With the additions of a much improved Create-A-Sim and Build Mode, I think that once Sims 4 gets a few expansions under it's belt, it will start to feelIt seems to me that most people are comparing The Sims 4 Base Game to The Sims 3 plus all the expansions, and that doesn't seem very fair. In comparison to the base game of The Sims 3 (or Sims 2 for that matter), this game holds its own. With the additions of a much improved Create-A-Sim and Build Mode, I think that once Sims 4 gets a few expansions under it's belt, it will start to feel like a much better game.

    And given that I can run this game with absolutely no system lag, it gets a major plus over The Sims 3 in my book.    … Expand
  89. C88kee
    Sep 15, 2014
    1
    I'm bored and it hasn't even been a month yet. I've been playing since the game came out hoping my feelings would change. And I still feel the same. This game is missing so many elements I feel made the Sims addictive and enjoyable. The loading time is shorter but it's stupid to have to sit through a loading screen just to go next door. IMO Sims 3 base game wasn't even THIS boring. II'm bored and it hasn't even been a month yet. I've been playing since the game came out hoping my feelings would change. And I still feel the same. This game is missing so many elements I feel made the Sims addictive and enjoyable. The loading time is shorter but it's stupid to have to sit through a loading screen just to go next door. IMO Sims 3 base game wasn't even THIS boring. I would say I want my money back but I got my copy as a gift. I feel sorry for anyone who paid for this game. It's high priced for nothing. I've already gone back to playing Sims 3.… Expand
  90. kirshan
    Sep 15, 2014
    0
    This game is so terrible!
    I bought this game with an expectation that it was going to be a liberating experience, but all I've seen is limits and loading screens, let me live a little! the only two things that they did improve is the multitasking and building, which really could have been added to the Sims 3 in a patch, they're not that complex to make. and emotions.... what's the point    This game is so terrible!
    I bought this game with an expectation that it was going to be a liberating experience, but all I've seen is limits and loading screens, let me live a little! the only two things that they did improve is the multitasking and building, which really could have been added to the Sims 3 in a patch, they're not that complex to make. and emotions.... what's the point of that!

    not worth the money, and I'm not talking Simoleons    … Expand
  91. Bananadog
    Sep 15, 2014
    3
    First off: I'm a huge "The Sims" fan, but Sims 4 disappointed me.
    Sims 4 improved the creation of a Sim and a House alot - But thats about it.
    The game itself is not really bad, but if you compare it to "The Sims 3" it's just garbage. They've cut major features like toddlers and pools. Also the world got smaller and you have to view the loading screen if you want to visit someone elses    First off: I'm a huge "The Sims" fan, but Sims 4 disappointed me.
    Sims 4 improved the creation of a Sim and a House alot - But thats about it.
    The game itself is not really bad, but if you compare it to "The Sims 3" it's just garbage. They've cut major features like toddlers and pools. Also the world got smaller and you have to view the loading screen if you want to visit someone elses house.
    And the worse thing out of all is that most of the cut features are probably gonna come back as DLC's.
    It is a waste of money if you own "The Sims 3"    … Expand
  92. JinxednHexed
    Sep 15, 2014
    7
    The game feels like two steps forward and a step back at the same time. I love how much improvement has been done on the game. For instance, emotions are a lot of fun. For the first time I'm finding myself getting attached to my sims and actually caring about their needs, wants, and desires. My sims feel very much more alive than they did in the past.

    The interface has also seen an    The game feels like two steps forward and a step back at the same time. I love how much improvement has been done on the game. For instance, emotions are a lot of fun. For the first time I'm finding myself getting attached to my sims and actually caring about their needs, wants, and desires. My sims feel very much more alive than they did in the past.

    The interface has also seen an overwhelming update and while it took a little bit for it to grow on me, I do like it quite a bit now. As a veteran of all previous Sims games, I have to say that I very much like how they've done neighborhoods this time around. Loading screens are short, and there is a nice amount of places to visit. Not to mention that both neighborhoods included in the original game are quite stylish and aesthetically pleasing. I do wish, however, that we as players had the ability to edit neighborhoods outside of just the houses.

    There are a few things that I do not like about the game, however, and I feel its missing a lot of key features from past games. I do agree with the usual grumble of no toddlers, but I really don't mind that pools are missing from the game. What I am severely missing, however, is trash compactors and dishwashers. What gives? I do also miss the random chance of burglars and burglar alarms. It would be nice to see more services available for hire, like a repair man instead of being forced to fix or completely replace an item ourselves.

    All in all, the Sims 4 is just as fun as any of the previous games... however lacking quite a bit of content. Currently I don't feel like its worth its buying price, and provided they do reap our wallets with expansions, I doubt the game will much improve.

    I like it... but it seems to be a typical EA eats your wallet title.    … Expand
  93. SylaxSYN
    Sep 15, 2014
    9
    I was hesitant on getting Sims 4 after all the negative reviews, but being a fan of the series since the original I had to try it. Compared to the other core Sims releases, Sims 4 stands out as the best so far. While Sims 3 decided to go big with massive content, it ended up hurting itself in the long run with horrible performance issues and a drain on computing power. Sims 4 isI was hesitant on getting Sims 4 after all the negative reviews, but being a fan of the series since the original I had to try it. Compared to the other core Sims releases, Sims 4 stands out as the best so far. While Sims 3 decided to go big with massive content, it ended up hurting itself in the long run with horrible performance issues and a drain on computing power. Sims 4 is completely refined down to it's main elements and the improvements to the Sims themselves are mind blowing. Sims 4 has excellent graphics and the game as a whole runs smoother and performs better than any game I've ever played on a PC. Running on high settings and it's less than a strain on my computer than Sims 3 on low settings.

    The lack of some features from previous games definitely hurts it, but ultimately what they did add balances it all out. The new Sim emotions, AI and multitasking are absolutely phenomenal. This is the first game in the series where I've left free will on, because this is the first time it's actually worked properly and intelligently. Multitasking is very interesting and can be very comical at times. But the new emotions is what really cemented this game as the best for me. It adds an all new depth to the game. And the more I discover about the emotions, the more depth I find. Each emotion has mood modifiers and balancing them out can sometimes feel RPG-esque. Certain objects have emotional mood modifier auras, almost every action you make in the game will affect these modifiers. And this becomes important to balance because the emotions limit or open activities, choices and dialog options.

    This game blew my expectations out of the water, the extremely smooth and fast game play has me awestruck and the game is just plain fun. Sims 4 definitely needed another year or so in development to actually add the stuff that was cut (it was mostly cut due to time constraints). But there's still a chance it'll be implemented in with future patches and expansions.    … Expand
  94. Azural
    Sep 14, 2014
    0
    I would love to leave a review about how wonderful or horrible the game is. However, I can not as I could never get the game to load. No matter what I did, installing/uninstalling Origin and the Sims 4, running registry cleaners, etc... I couldn't get the game to load past the "Unable to start: Initialization error at start up.
    [135dec40:984cba38:00000077]"
  95. shaunas803
    Sep 14, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Despite some of the pretty bad reviews this had gotten, I still couldn't resist getting this game. I've been a Sims lover since Sims 1, which then carried on to Sims 2 and 3. First of all, I really did enjoy how much detail they put into creating Sims. You can detail everything - their cheek bones, nose, legs, stomach, every thing. I thought the clothes they had added into the game were nicer than the previous Sims games (more "fashionable", along with the hair.

    In live mode, the Sims emotions and the new interactions are awesome! This I really liked - they can multi-task and do tons more with other Sims than they ever have before. They can have conversations with more than one Sim, they can make food and talk to Sims at the same time. They get embarrassed, they get flirty, happy, playful, sad, angry, etc. This was a huge plus.

    What I wasn't pleased with, was that they took out patterns. You can't customize the looks of clothes and furniture, and the colors that they give you to choose from aren't that much. There also is not an open world to roam around, so you do indeed go back to a loading screen, but I think they did that due to Sims 3 crashing on so many computers. It was just a lot to handle for some. The careers are not very in depth either. When you go to work, your Sim is gone and does not come back until after work. They don't give you very many places to roam around in your town. There's a bar, a gym, and a library (I think that's all?).

    It does seem like they had rushed the Sims 4, and although they did take a few steps back in some areas, in others they did succeed. Sadly, the game seems boring as of right now, just because it is the base game. It was 70 dollars, so I'm interested to see what kind of expansions they come out with to spice it up.    … Expand
  96. broflmao
    Sep 14, 2014
    5
    I feel the game deserves a solid 5. I just don't understand why they would shrink the world, throw load screen all over the place, and cut beloved features in a sequel for a game that was doing things right. Sims 3 was not a perfect game, but it was a lot of fun. I guess they are planning DLC to improve a lot of the complaints, but I have to rate the game at launch and it's aI feel the game deserves a solid 5. I just don't understand why they would shrink the world, throw load screen all over the place, and cut beloved features in a sequel for a game that was doing things right. Sims 3 was not a perfect game, but it was a lot of fun. I guess they are planning DLC to improve a lot of the complaints, but I have to rate the game at launch and it's a disappointment. You will have fun playing if you are new to the series, but to veterans of the franchise, there isn't enough to warrant purchase.… Expand
  97. kiwi_tea
    Sep 14, 2014
    2
    I considered giving the game higher, a three, but the ridiculous price versus the skimpy content convinced me to go lower. The game has charms, but everything - absolutely everything - is drastically undercooked. It is nice to have multitasking - that much works very well - but it doesn't compensate for the generally emaciated package. Very much like paying full price for a hollowI considered giving the game higher, a three, but the ridiculous price versus the skimpy content convinced me to go lower. The game has charms, but everything - absolutely everything - is drastically undercooked. It is nice to have multitasking - that much works very well - but it doesn't compensate for the generally emaciated package. Very much like paying full price for a hollow free-to-pay platform. I can't recommend this game in its current form.… Expand
  98. NightWolf88
    Sep 14, 2014
    4
    The worst game of the Sims franchise, after a couple of hour playing you will start feeling that you are playing in a prison world. Is inconceivable that with today’s technology they didn’t developed a open world. Not recommended if you actually like The Sims.
  99. ComicBookGuy
    Sep 14, 2014
    1
    Another corpse on the EA path of misery.

    The game feels so totally shallow with none of the charm of its early predeceors, the lack of content (which is sure to be sold back to us piece by piece) is another disappointing feature. The game looks like it was meant to be an 'always online, mmo sim-city esc' game, but after getting spooked by the debacle that was Sim City they went back to    Another corpse on the EA path of misery.

    The game feels so totally shallow with none of the charm of its early predeceors, the lack of content (which is sure to be sold back to us piece by piece) is another disappointing feature. The game looks like it was meant to be an 'always online, mmo sim-city esc' game, but after getting spooked by the debacle that was Sim City they went back to their roots, albeit money grubbing the whole way.

    The game gets a single point for allowing me to repopulate the entire city with my own Sim's seed with little-to-no negative repercussions.    … Expand
  100. nilsy
    Sep 14, 2014
    3
    I'm probably the unusual customer who tried sim3 and didnt like it at all and yet decided to try sim4 and see if it was better. It might be as good as a clean no DLC sim3 but if you didnt like sim3 id say there is no almost no chance you will like sims4 its basically the same game.
    It does have the youth potion in it that lets you extend a sims lifespan so it can achieve the hard to reach    I'm probably the unusual customer who tried sim3 and didnt like it at all and yet decided to try sim4 and see if it was better. It might be as good as a clean no DLC sim3 but if you didnt like sim3 id say there is no almost no chance you will like sims4 its basically the same game.
    It does have the youth potion in it that lets you extend a sims lifespan so it can achieve the hard to reach goal you set for it before it dies. used to have that in sims3 that my sims died before i reached my goal but unlocking the youth potions is a very time consuming minigame that takes you out of immersion.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014
7
#7 Most Shared PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 75 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 42 out of 75
  3. Negative: 2 out of 75
  1. Cubed3
    Jul 23, 2020
    60
    While an enjoyable title that has been polished up and seems generally very modern, it cannot be expected that The Sims 4 is not going to be compared to The Sims 3. In this respect, it seems that while the game took a few steps forwards, it also took a few steps backwards by abandoning features that were very helpful and appreciated in the previous versions. It does have new features that people have been waiting for, such as emotions and more personality for the Sims. As for now, for some players it may not quite be worth to abandon The Sims 3 for it, but for new players looking for a first experience with the franchise, they may have an easier time navigating than former The Sims 3 players. People that have previously enjoyed the latter may be disappointed by the menus (Sim creation, building, or navigating town), as they have been so massively oversimplified that they are now actually confusing.
    Read full review
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 25, 2014
    80
    The Sims 4 is once again a new beginning. Needs more content and soon, please. [Oct 2014]
  3. CD-Action
    Oct 24, 2014
    40
    The Sims 4 is just a foundation of a game. How would you react if you bought a new Elder Scrolls game and realized that half of the cities are unavailable (because TES6: World Adventures is around the corner), there are only 4 weapons (TES6: Accessories), you can’t ride horses (TES6: Pets), there are only 12 quests (TES6: Careers), 2 guilds (TES6: Friends) and 3 spells (TES6: Supernatural)? [Nov 2014, p.50]
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