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. Jesperlange1
    Sep 5, 2014
    0
    Normally you would expect a sequel to be better, but EA/Maxis has suprised us again.... We thought they had learned from the disaster of Simcity... But yet again EA/Maxis has just proven to us, that we should never pre purchase their games.

    If you are wondering whether to buy this game, DON'T! The new features aren't nearly enough to makeup the missing features from sims 3. This is    Normally you would expect a sequel to be better, but EA/Maxis has suprised us again.... We thought they had learned from the disaster of Simcity... But yet again EA/Maxis has just proven to us, that we should never pre purchase their games.

    If you are wondering whether to buy this game, DON'T! The new features aren't nearly enough to makeup the missing features from sims 3. This is definitely one of the biggest dissapointments of the year. And if you are wondering why it has so high critic reviews, they have been bribed!!!!!!!    … Expand
  2. Craphead
    Sep 7, 2014
    0
    Wow, for the price that EA asks this game has absolutely NOTHING. So little to do, so disappointing, and less freedom than in previous Sims games, I hope they release expansions quicker than they did with earlier parts because this game has like nothing in it.
  3. Todesfurcht
    Sep 7, 2014
    0
    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!
    This game went a step behind, instead of a step forward.
    Let it be said that I have been here since the very first Sims game was made. I've seen EA develop and learn many things over the years. This game is only more proof of what we feared, taking from the base game to add to expansion packs. Pros: 1. Beautiful game. A mixture of Sims 2 and Sims 3 graphics. It    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!
    This game went a step behind, instead of a step forward.
    Let it be said that I have been here since the very first Sims game was made. I've seen EA develop and learn many things over the years. This game is only more proof of what we feared, taking from the base game to add to expansion packs.

    Pros:
    1. Beautiful game. A mixture of Sims 2 and Sims 3 graphics. It was obviously trying to make everyone happy with the formula of realisim and cartoonism.
    2. Create-A-Sim has mindblowing mechanics. Being able to push and pull at any part of my Sim's body was heavily amusing.
    3. The Sims AI's have been tweaked. They can multi-task, hold multiple conversations at once, and show emotion.
    4. The new build system. It's quick, easy, and barely time consuming. Beautiful homes can be created with little stress.
    5. Gameplay is smooth and runs much better than the Sims 3.

    Cons:
    1. Again, weather fails to make an appearance in the base game. No rain, no snow, no hail, no anything of the sort.
    2. Toddlers were ripped from the game completely. Newborn babies suddenly turn into a child.
    3. Swimming pools were torn from us as well. No more drowning our hated Sims.
    4. Open world was completely removed. To get to a destination, you must use the travel option on your phone.
    5. No vehicles of any sort.
    6. Hospitals, work buildings, and schools are completely gone. The game is a giant rabbit hole, very much like the Sims 2.
    7. Loading this, loading that. Constant loading wherever you want to go. (I just keep my Sims in the house!)
    8. Base game is very small. There is a lack of activities, a lack of consequences for actions, and overall story development seems to be completely missing. The amount of clothing in the game is pathetic.
    9. Our customization has been dumbed down once again. There is no longer a create-a-style option. You're forced with EA's handpicked colors for furniture and walls. Even a color wheel would have been acceptable.
    10. The skills take ages to develop. You find yourself almost constantly having to worry about your Sim's needs. Especially in public. There is no time to reach their job requirements and their aspirations. Majority of the time spent playing will be spent messing with their moodlets. (Unless you get fed up and cheat, as I did.)
    11. Forced online game installation. You must have a high speed internet connection for the Origin program, or it will claim you're offline and refuse to install the game.
    12. You're forced to play in only two "worlds". Both of which are ridiculously tiny, very little room to create tons of families.
    13. Camera controls are glitchy and slow. Edge scrolling has never been more painful.
    14. There is nothing new or unique about this game. Multi-tasking is the only evolutionary thing this game has to offer.
    15. Sims die very easily. You can laugh to death, or cry to death. Go figure.
    16. A total of 12 hours worth of playtime. By then you have seen everything or done everything there is to do.
    17. Items we have always had in previous games are completely missing without any explanation. EA blames their "new game engine".
    18. The game will soon have to bare with however many glitchy expansion packs EA will decide to release in the near future.

    Within the first twelve hours of gameplay, I have already come upon a few bugs:
    1. The loading screen music is constantly playing in the background in all of my saves. Had to mute the game's music.
    2. I adopted a girl and it suddenly became my Sim's sister. (and my husband's daughter. Figure that one out.)
    3. THE SIMS REFUSE TO CLEAN UP THE DIRTY DISHES. They will pick up a plate and hold it for a few seconds before putting it right back down. (I have found that having the game on normal speed will correct the issue in some instances.)
    4. The sliders in CAS will sometimes bug, and completely alter something. (One time I was editing my Sim's eyebrows and their eyes got really wide. It acted like I was using both of the sliders. The undo button did not correct the issue.)
    The patches are not fast enough to compensate for the amount of issues. Simple things slipped right past EA's testing.

    In conclusion, stay with The Sims 3, 2 and 1 for now. We'll see what direction EA decides to go in after these reviews.    … Expand
  4. Vihazur
    Sep 8, 2014
    1
    Seriously, EA? How the hell do you manage to drop the ball even on this one? Do you even care about making fun games at all anymore, or is it all about advertising and cashing out on whatever IP you can trash in the process? Good game development aside, how is being that myopic even a good business model?
  5. IDeathstalkerI
    Sep 14, 2014
    4
    The game is an absolute disappointment, I'm not saying that the game is bad but it is very disappointing. I've been playing 'The Sims' since the first one, as a big fan of the series this is a big let down..
  6. Shelledfade
    Sep 8, 2014
    0
    EA strikes again. No one should be surprised at this point. They ruined dragon age 2, they messed up Crysis 2 where it didn't even release with dx11 and the plot had nothing to do with the first game/first games expansion pack. They royally destroyed Sim City. There still isn't even any game-of-the-year edition for any of the mass effects, you need to buy all the dlc individually which isEA strikes again. No one should be surprised at this point. They ruined dragon age 2, they messed up Crysis 2 where it didn't even release with dx11 and the plot had nothing to do with the first game/first games expansion pack. They royally destroyed Sim City. There still isn't even any game-of-the-year edition for any of the mass effects, you need to buy all the dlc individually which is idiotic this far down the road. Ruined dead space 3 with its horrible plot and warped it into a CoD space shooter instead of a horror/scare game. They absolutely killed battlefield franchise. 3 was a disaster with its horrible netcode and 4 was no different, then they come out with hardline which is basically 100% dlc content for bf4 turned into a 59.99 standalone game, absolutely F***ING ABSURD.

    EA are the worst, they might even be worse or as bad as ubisoft at this point. When EA isn't developing disasters like sim city and the sims 4 it does its part in destroying games as a publisher. How the F*** this company hasn't died off yet is a god damn universal mystery.    … Expand
  7. Ironflesh
    Sep 4, 2014
    3
    Only EA can make a sequel that is a lesser game than the previous version. I seriously think they have a policy to destroy franchises after a few iterations.

    This game is fun for 10 or so hours then you see how shallow it actually is. You can actually spot where they removed content to add later for dlc. Like certain elements don't make sense unless there was something specific to    Only EA can make a sequel that is a lesser game than the previous version. I seriously think they have a policy to destroy franchises after a few iterations.

    This game is fun for 10 or so hours then you see how shallow it actually is. You can actually spot where they removed content to add later for dlc. Like certain elements don't make sense unless there was something specific to follow but that "thing" is not there. Basically it is either unfinished or one of the worst cases of holding stuff back for DLC that I have ever seen.    … Expand
  8. Str-Sascha
    Sep 4, 2014
    2
    After the create a sim demo i was really pleased about the look of the game and i just thought that there was no customization due to the fact that it was a demo... But really after booting up i was shocked about everything! No create your own style, very small selection of clothes, then in the game no open world, loading screens between you and you neighbor,.. so many features wentAfter the create a sim demo i was really pleased about the look of the game and i just thought that there was no customization due to the fact that it was a demo... But really after booting up i was shocked about everything! No create your own style, very small selection of clothes, then in the game no open world, loading screens between you and you neighbor,.. so many features went missing in this version witch means that you have to pay extra money to get expansion packs soon...

    To recap. They did it again... They took a good game like simcity and made it **** and that's what happened to sims now... really disappointed    … Expand
  9. Maidenchina
    Sep 4, 2014
    3
    1. Who cares about pools and toddlers? Move past that already.
    2. Where are the design tools? Why can't I change the texture/color of my sofa to match my recliner?
    3. With the improved emotions system, Why doesn't my sim care that her husband cheated on her with another sim? 4. Where's the color wheel picker for hair, eyes, and clothing colors? Why am I limited to a few colors, and even    1. Who cares about pools and toddlers? Move past that already.
    2. Where are the design tools? Why can't I change the texture/color of my sofa to match my recliner?
    3. With the improved emotions system, Why doesn't my sim care that her husband cheated on her with another sim?
    4. Where's the color wheel picker for hair, eyes, and clothing colors? Why am I limited to a few colors, and even a single color on some items?
    5. wheres the mailman? the repo man? wheres the grocery store?
    6. Why can't I add lots to the neighborhood? why must I bulldoze a lot to create a new one? (I may be wrong about this one.. Just as of yet, Haven't found the way to do it so assuming it went the way of the swimming pool)
    I've only played for about 18 hours so far, and already I'm bummed about this game. There just aren't enough improvements to justify the roll backs. The price should not have been $60. A more fair price would have been $40. And if EA wants me to buy at least 10 expansions... They better hope they aren't more than $20 each.    … Expand
  10. 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
  11. Hestia23
    Sep 4, 2014
    2
    I'm very satisfied that the game engine has improved a lot in comparison to The Sims 3. Sim customization and build mode is excellent. However, the lack of style customization for objects and clothing irks me a lot. They didn't at least allow us to have a color wheel option, which really irritates me! Some of the color contrasts in the game get annoying.

    There are only two available    I'm very satisfied that the game engine has improved a lot in comparison to The Sims 3. Sim customization and build mode is excellent. However, the lack of style customization for objects and clothing irks me a lot. They didn't at least allow us to have a color wheel option, which really irritates me! Some of the color contrasts in the game get annoying.

    There are only two available services that you can call up and that's: The maid and pizza delivery. In the past Sims games, you're able to call up even more than that. You can't place empty lots in the world anymore (This goes all the way back to The Sims 1 - I was fine at that time) and you only have a very limited amount of public venues to visit. You are required to load into other neighborhood homes even though they are within the same small open world little block.

    In live mode, if you zoom out, you see several backdrops. Such as more houses, trains, trams and cars. These are actually only decor. There are only a select few houses in which you can visit and the rest are decorations. No one lives there, no one can live there and you can't visit.

    The game is rushed, bare boned and watered down. It's highly disappointing and definitely not worth $80US. I would at least wait for sales or content to be patched through. If it takes EA to sell DLCs to add in more content (Which would be unsurprising), then it's best to invest elsewhere.    … Expand
  12. ckaniphoenix
    Sep 4, 2014
    2
    Very, very stripped down game. Severe clipping issues. Lots of features were lost in this incarnation. The world itself looks like Sims standing in front of a Dora the explorer backdrop.
  13. Simerica
    Sep 4, 2014
    1
    I'm waiting to find out that the Sims fans have been punked. Seriously, this has to be a joke. This game is a complete joke, and an insult to Sims fans who have spent years and money investing in this series. Unless this game is reworked, the series has officially been put down. It makes me sad to say that. I will explain why I don't think this will improve with expansion packsI'm waiting to find out that the Sims fans have been punked. Seriously, this has to be a joke. This game is a complete joke, and an insult to Sims fans who have spent years and money investing in this series. Unless this game is reworked, the series has officially been put down. It makes me sad to say that. I will explain why I don't think this will improve with expansion packs later.

    I am a long time Sims fan. I have every expansion pack, game, stuff pack ever released since the Sims 1. I even have most of the overpriced store items. I really was looking forward to this, and pushed aside all of the doubts pregame.

    The good- Create a sim (CAS) has a lot if improvements. The clothes in the base game of The Sims 4 are much improved from earlier versions. When I played the demo, I was very excited in seeing cute and stylish clothes offered in CAS. I've never liked male clothes in this game, but this one has stylish and modern clothes for both sexes. The hair, glasses, and accessories are cute as well. The UI for CAS is easy to navigate, and I like that they categorize the types of clothing you can use. I also love the flexibility in modelling the faces. For the first time, I feel as if I can create strong ethnic features and distinctive faces.

    The bad: There are many problems with TS4, but I will only highlight the area that is lacking the most for me, and that's the incompleteness of the game. Practically everyone, even people who have given this "game" a good review have mentioned that this game is lacking of content. And don't be fooled into thinking that the game may be incomplete due to the fact that it's only the base game. As someone who has owned base games of the sims 1-3, I can absolutely say that this game has WAY LESS than the base games from previous entries in the franchise. And it's not even close.

    When I loaded the game, there were two empty lots. TWO. I thought, seriously??? That is IT? Apart from that, there are four community lots- a museum, a library, a gym, and a lounge. There was also a park I think, but that's it. The neighborhood is tiny. Then you, have to endure the fact that each lot has a loading screen. Even to go next door, there is a loading screen. So, when you have two sims, and you travel with one to another lot, you LOSE the control of the other. Not that there's many lots to visit. Isn't this what happened in the Sims 2?

    Don't be fooled by the things you read by EA claiming this is a much "improved" game. They brag about the "seamless" travel between the different neighborhoods. Sure you can travel between the two available neighborhoods. However, those two neighborhoods combined are maybe a third the size of a normal neighborhood in previous versions of the game. There are no restaurants, grocery stores, business centers, theaters.. there's practically nothing.

    EA said that with the advanced new system for emotions, moods, etc, they had to leave some things out. As someone very familiar with all the games, I have to say that the moods are cool, but that's it, just kind of interesting. The addition of the moods in no way make up for ridiculously incomplete neighborhood. They didn't leave some things out, they left everything out.

    EA said that this game would run so much better on your computer, that the lag would no problem anymore, etc. Two problems with that claim for me. First, yes, I agree, the game runs smoother with less lag (though I have a pretty decent computer so I never had a lot of lag). And I would hope it would, the neighborhood is so stripped down that there isn't nearly enough content to cause lag. Because as I've mentioned many times already, there's NOTHING THERE. Second, this unfortunately claim was also completely untrue for me as there were a lot of bugs when I played, such as actions being cancelled, Sims getting stuck...etc

    I don't think this game will get better because it's started so low. TS4 is so far below the other versions, I can't see expansions making up for what they failed to add when they are starting on such a low bar.

    I submitted a return request. I never thought I would do it for my favorite game in the world. I encourage others who bought this game on Origin and who dislike it to do the same. Do not reward EA with good first week sales for giving us crap. Within 24 hours of first launch of the game, you can submit your return request. The link is here. https://www.origin.com/en-us/great-game-guarantee

    My last thing to say is that I a really annoyed at EA for completely letting us down. What the hell were you doing for all these years??    … Expand
  14. HipsterFruit
    Sep 5, 2014
    3
    Big prize, **** content. Footage showed on E3 isn't what I expected after premiere. To many limitations due to The Sims 3 which destroys gameplay. If you are Sims-maniac and you want to pay for incomplete game, go for it!
  15. Grace-Logan
    Sep 5, 2014
    3
    I thought The Sims 3 was great. I usually play the games for the design features in characters and homes, not for going through multiple generations of sims.

    The Sims 4 fell short. The new sim creator is awesome and really useful for getting really unique sims. However, the only thing that's different about it, is body mods. The lack of diversity with the hair styles and clothes across    I thought The Sims 3 was great. I usually play the games for the design features in characters and homes, not for going through multiple generations of sims.

    The Sims 4 fell short. The new sim creator is awesome and really useful for getting really unique sims. However, the only thing that's different about it, is body mods. The lack of diversity with the hair styles and clothes across the ages teen, young adult and adult was a huge disappointment and for a game that's supposed to be focused more on the sims personalities, there's less traits than the starter for sims three. The Build/Buy mode is inconvenient, annoying and slow. It's hard to navigate and difficult to get a grasp of. Not a lot of designs to choose from and really plain.

    If they pulled the emotions and sim creator from Sims 4 and chucked it in Sims 3 the game would have a hell of a lot more to show for. As it stands, the worlds are small with barely anything to do in them, you have load screens to go to most lots, you have no control over what your sim is doing whilst at work or school. You can't have them slack off or work hard or sleep or suck up to their boss. Your sim just disappears from the game for however many minutes it takes to go to work or school.

    There's less social interactions to choose from and less ways to interact with your surroundings, you can't even lock the doors. The camera is a pain in the arse to deal with even with the Sims3 option ticked. The lots are smaller, there's not a lot of room in the worlds. The graphics are very cartoon like ad I could make a perfect replica of Gintoki fro Gintama, the hair styles are that carton like. In some cases it looks alright but the girls hair doesn't really suit the art style.

    It doesn't feel like completed game, feels like a trial for the new sim creator. Everything else kind of feels like it was an after thought, compared with the obvious effort put into making the sim creator.    … Expand
  16. Megadacity
    Sep 7, 2014
    3
    Having read various reviews and reflections, but being a massive fan of The Sims series I thought I'd still give the game a pop, but treat it less like a sequel of The Sims 3, and more as a standalone game in it's own right to stave off disappointment. Whilst there are many positive features of The Sims 4 (love the effect of emotions, the art, the depth of skills, highly-engaging newHaving read various reviews and reflections, but being a massive fan of The Sims series I thought I'd still give the game a pop, but treat it less like a sequel of The Sims 3, and more as a standalone game in it's own right to stave off disappointment. Whilst there are many positive features of The Sims 4 (love the effect of emotions, the art, the depth of skills, highly-engaging new objects, more morally lax Sims, having mixology bars in the base game) there are quite a few issues with it asides from the ones previously highlighted, i.e.:-

    - Just to move from lot to lot requires a refresh screen, and this gets dull quickly. As the neighbourhoods are divided into districts (with fixed places to put your lot, a departure from the Open Worlds of Sims 3 where you could bung a lot anywhere) I would expect the refresh screen to appear if I was travelling to a new district. That would be fine. However a refresh screen appears even if you visit a neighboring lot, or any of the lots within the district that your Sim resides. Very tedious.

    - I have a decent new laptop with a Nvidia Geforce GTX 860m graphics card. It's no beast but it's pretty good. I found that the game started to lag pretty badly if you tried to play it extensively. What is the point of having a close-world base game with a lag issue? It's the worst of both Sims 2 and Sims 3 worlds.

    - The controls are not intuitive. For example you have to jump through hoops to save an existing household, or move select members of your household elsewhere.

    - The lack of story progression is a pity. I like to see my Sim neighbourhood naturally evolve, and I don't particularly like to manage this.

    - Some features seem broken or lack interactions that are fundamental to game play. Anyone playing the Sims 4 knows what I mean. This makes it feel rather clunky and half-baked.

    - The game crashed a lot for me. For example if I tried to marry Sims it would crash. Maybe my sim was too commitment-phobic for her own good after all.

    - The lack of a creature is disappointing. I really like the fantasy element of the Sims.

    - You have to micromanage your Sims so much more. I.e. in The Sims 3 you could choose to have your Sim going fishing for an hour, or after they caught five fish. There were similar time limitations you could put on other interactions. Now this is removed, which means you have to closely guard your Sims and cancel interactions to get them to move onto the next task in the interaction queue.

    - I don't like the mouse only controls for Create-A-Sim. Each to their own but I sometimes found it difficult to mold a sim as I wanted them.

    - The Sims now seem stupider rather than more intelligent. A Sim just dozily watching their house burn down (especially as there are no firemen in the game) or choosing to eat on someone's bed rather than an empty dining room table is not a smart simmie. I know this is billed as the new and exciting 'weird' behaviour, but it just seems like there is something missing in the AI.

    - The teenagers look like adults. Both confusing and feels a bit lazy.

    Actually the first time I have been disappointed with a Sims base game so very early. Like many have said before, it is clearly half-finished and obviously the result of EA breathing down the neck of the developers to get the game to market earlier than it was clearly ready. An extra 6 months and I am sure the game could have been something polished. For me to like this game the bugs/lag need to be fixed, at least within districts it should be possible to openly navigate between lots, and some story progression would be good. Otherwise given that I no longer want to play the game and I only bought it Thursday, the series is over for me.    … Expand
  17. Auntee
    Sep 14, 2014
    1
    I was excited to download this newest version and have been looking forward to the release. After playing for a couple of hours I wondered if I had somehow received an incomplete copy of the game. The neighborhoods are small. If there is a way add more empty lots (there are only 2 or 3 total in each neighborhood) I couldn't find it. Cannot merge households as far as I can tell. Its aI was excited to download this newest version and have been looking forward to the release. After playing for a couple of hours I wondered if I had somehow received an incomplete copy of the game. The neighborhoods are small. If there is a way add more empty lots (there are only 2 or 3 total in each neighborhood) I couldn't find it. Cannot merge households as far as I can tell. Its a big bust and I have already requested a refund from Origin Game guarantee. It really isn't much better than Sims 2 except the sims are more realistic. I didn't really mind the travel function much...the loading time was not long...but there is no place you really want to go with your Sims. I'm just so disappointed.… Expand
  18. 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.
  19. 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
  20. crozakos
    Sep 8, 2014
    4
    This game is crap. The Sims 3 already had some features removed from The Sims 2, but that was acceptable. This game had 89 features REMOVED from the game. It has less than The Sims 3. Hell, even The ORIGINAL Sims had more features than this game. And Maxis actually DEFENDED the missing features by saying "We improved the character creator, added better A.I. and better graphics". TheThis game is crap. The Sims 3 already had some features removed from The Sims 2, but that was acceptable. This game had 89 features REMOVED from the game. It has less than The Sims 3. Hell, even The ORIGINAL Sims had more features than this game. And Maxis actually DEFENDED the missing features by saying "We improved the character creator, added better A.I. and better graphics". The graphics are the same as The Sims 3. Everything you see in the trailer is pre-rendered fifa/madden **** A.K.A. EA's hype generator. To give you an example of how unaceptable the game is, I'll tell you some of the missing features that were in previous games:

    - No toddlers*
    - No pools*
    - No public area editing*
    - No open world. Everything you see in the distance might as well have been a wall painted*
    - No sheds, garages ect. Instead you're limited to just a house.*
    - No diseases*
    - No public jobs*
    - No unlimited floors (max. 3 floors)
    - No party invitations
    - No private schools*
    - No garages/garage doors*
    - No swimming*
    - No pets*
    - No seasons*

    Also, if your computer has more than 4GBs of RAM, you're f*cked

    * Probably DLC    … Expand
  21. dehvious
    Sep 4, 2014
    2
    Pros:
    -The game is pretty
    -You can customize your sims to look just like you -The load times are short Cons: -No open worls -Demon babies -The game feels incomplete Basically if you want to make sims and build houses for $70, this is your dream game. But besides that the game is massive amounts of yawn. I would've given the game a higher score but then I realized everything    Pros:
    -The game is pretty
    -You can customize your sims to look just like you
    -The load times are short

    Cons:
    -No open worls
    -Demon babies
    -The game feels incomplete

    Basically if you want to make sims and build houses for $70, this is your dream game. But besides that the game is massive amounts of yawn. I would've given the game a higher score but then I realized everything that is missing (jobs, other lots, toddlers) will all be added later on for DLC that I will have to shove out $30-$50 for. I just paid $70 and tell me that you can't put something in a game that we both know will be made to pay for later on, is complete bull. EA has proven time and time again, that they do not care about their consumers. I wouldn't be surprised if they bought the positive reviews from critics.    … Expand
  22. furisodeshon
    Sep 4, 2014
    3
    Well, it's a shame that we have been waiting for so long for this. The Sims 4 is nothing but a 2.0 version of The Sims 2, or an PC version of The Sims FreePlay. When I first saw the trailer, I was impressed with how they improved the graphics, gameplay and I was getting anxious about this game that was looking very, but very promising. Create a Sim is good, the better CAS in the franchise,Well, it's a shame that we have been waiting for so long for this. The Sims 4 is nothing but a 2.0 version of The Sims 2, or an PC version of The Sims FreePlay. When I first saw the trailer, I was impressed with how they improved the graphics, gameplay and I was getting anxious about this game that was looking very, but very promising. Create a Sim is good, the better CAS in the franchise, except for the huge lack of "personality options". We don't have more than 10 aspirations to choose, the options to costumize your sim personality are pretty few. So, I created my sims and I was ready to start living. When you finish the creation, the game directs you to the map so you can choose your land, that's when I realized that the both cities are RIDICULOUS. It has some houses, which only 1/3 of them are occupied. Which city doesn't have more than a gym, a karaoke, a bar, a museum and a park.

    The sims on your town just keep running around the city, they don't have a life. They grow old, but they don't work, don't have child, don't do NOTHING but walk around the city like zombies and visit the same public places that you are visiting. I don't know why they took off EVERYTHING cool that they created on Sims 3 just to have a game with crowded public places and silly, useless and anoying emotions. As a TS fan, I was very disappointed. More than 80 stuff was taken off from the game. It is two steps forward on build mode and create a sim, and five back on gameplay. Maybe. MAYBE the game can get better with some expansions pack, but then I'll need to take off some more $200 bucks from my wallet just to have a "complete" game, and still I won't gonna have more fun that I could have with Sims 3, which one is far more cheap AND better. It's just not worth the money, even if you are an The Sims fan. Thank God I can refund this crap.    … Expand
  23. LindoWicker
    Sep 6, 2014
    3
    Just a shame, this is the second big release EA have had in recent times and on both occasions they seem to fall short. Sim City was pretty awful. The sims 4 follows this with a lack lustre version of Sims 3. The graphics are a minor improvement but the gameplay/content is severely gimped. Every incantation should bring something new to the series, to make it seem fresh. This bringsJust a shame, this is the second big release EA have had in recent times and on both occasions they seem to fall short. Sim City was pretty awful. The sims 4 follows this with a lack lustre version of Sims 3. The graphics are a minor improvement but the gameplay/content is severely gimped. Every incantation should bring something new to the series, to make it seem fresh. This brings nothing new, if I'm honest I felt like I was playing the android version. Its probably going to be DLC heavy to make this game work. So in essence be prepared to spend a lot of money on DLC to make this good.
    Sufficed to say I won't be buying anymore EA products.    … Expand
  24. ElDavo
    Sep 6, 2014
    0
    I have played all the sims games since the original and honestly this is the worst vanilla game they have made. The graphics are not a huge step up, the shrunken 'worlds' with loading screens feels like a huge step back from TS3. There are so many missing things and the game has so many bugs.
    I have repeatedly had to restart the game because my sims have had:
    Experience bars stuck above    I have played all the sims games since the original and honestly this is the worst vanilla game they have made. The graphics are not a huge step up, the shrunken 'worlds' with loading screens feels like a huge step back from TS3. There are so many missing things and the game has so many bugs.
    I have repeatedly had to restart the game because my sims have had:
    Experience bars stuck above their heads
    phones stuck in hands
    forks stuck in hands
    conversation box that doesnt leave even though the person you were talking to left 2 days ago!

    I just finished making a house which took ages after being frustrated with the lack of floors and inability to create different colours, moved my sims in and then the game crashed...

    Want my money back!    … Expand
  25. Edeyz
    Sep 7, 2014
    0
    Normally games about double their content/graphics/AI ect. after about 2 years, not half it for every 1.
    It is extremely unlikely I will ever buy a new sims game, and after the mess that was Simcity, nor will I even look at another EA game.
  26. kyarijames
    Sep 7, 2014
    0
    I'm not happy this game is a failure thus far. In fact, I'm HEARTBROKEN. But, yes, that's how bad it is. I understand that some people like the game. I don't know why, but thats fine. Regardless, I feel like that is part of the problem. This game reflects the attitude of "You'll buy it anyway" and i cant stand that. This has such a huge following and is such a cash flow for EA that theyI'm not happy this game is a failure thus far. In fact, I'm HEARTBROKEN. But, yes, that's how bad it is. I understand that some people like the game. I don't know why, but thats fine. Regardless, I feel like that is part of the problem. This game reflects the attitude of "You'll buy it anyway" and i cant stand that. This has such a huge following and is such a cash flow for EA that they don't even have to try. Here is a vastly inferior base game that will end up costing you hundreds more if you want to *really experience* and have fun with it. I say enough is enough. For $70, I expect something worth my time from the BEGINNING… Expand
  27. ItSucksIB_tch
    Sep 7, 2014
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. EA, What Are You Doing!?

    I'll start off by summing my grievances up really quick: the best features of The Sims 4 could have simply been patched into The Sims 3. Better controls in Create-A-Sim, the new Build Mode, the Multi-tasking, the Emotions are interesting and desirable features. Upgrades and patches at best. Not worth the years of hype and excitement and certainly not worth $60-$80 users have been paying for a bare bones letdown. (All of these scores of 10-8 I've been seeing? I'll generously assume that you're unfamiliar with The Sims games 1-3 or you're just being Sweethearts. Just a sweet heart doesn't get the truth out to EA. Call me Crucial, but a 3 is way too high a score.)

    Why does Origin have so much control over product I worked and paid for? Why do I HAVE to be on-line to play a game I used to play off-line!? I want the option to do either. On days with really bad weather, sometimes I played The Sims because I couldn't get online. Sometimes when I would travel, I would whip out my notebook to pass some time because there was No Internet Access. I spent $80+ so you can tell me when I can and can't play? Are you Serious? If that's not supposed to be the case then my game has a serious bug.

    I can't explore the World because there is no "World". Just lots that are so limited and small, the game is empty. There is no challenge to get to the "cool jobs" so the cool jobs aren' t cool, just cheesy. The game is so kiddie now. (Mommy, that's what I want to do when I grow up! Make a Mess, just like EA!) Jobs like Astronaut and Secret Agent should be over-the-top rewards for progressing, right? Something rare that not everyone chooses to reach for, so its special.

    HMMM.... What Else Is Missing?
    The Styling Tool everyone is addicted to! Where's the creative freedom?!
    No Toddlers? I really LIKED the Toddlers so don't get me started. Doesn't seem like you can create an actual lineage. (Even if you could, where would you put them?) I even wasted money on the Official Game Guide. Get this Readers: you don't catch the carpool to work, you transport and sit bored until your Sim returns. You can't even look at their needs. I don't even see cars and bikes for individual families. Another Stuff Pack. Anyway, you don't have to go to any stores for recipes, food, books or music. (I don't want my Sim to have THAT much convenience! I Want to get them out of the house for that. At least make my loners shop online! They're Sims, as in "simulation" of humans, right? Charge them S&H like us! No, I take that part back...) Anyway, no more classes for skills, no movies, no concerts, no ball games, no swimming in pools, beaches,or oceans; no diners and restaurants, no variety in night life or work life. Even the Repo Man and Burglars are out of the picture. (I LIKED sending my Sim to have a night on the town and running in to relatives accidentally. I enjoyed hubby beating up the burglar and getting extra WooHoo. Letting Snobbish former-rich Sims feel the pain of poverty as the Repo Man dawns their doorstep is funny. I think if you don't pay your bills in the game, the power should shut off like in The Sims 4. If you wait too long you Still should face the Repo Man.) The game is totally stripped. Just change the name so The Sims franchise can save face.

    If I wanted to play a sucky version of The Sims 2, I wouldn't have bought The Sims 3 AND the down-loadable content (dlc) AND the expansion packs AND the stuff packs. The Sims 2 had more features starting off than this sorry excuse for entertainment anyway.

    Obviously, this lack of content and piss poor game play is a ploy to grossly exploit consumers as EA milks our pockets by charging big bucks for expansion packs, stuff packs, and dlc. It's business, I get it. At least make the game so intriguing and fun that we can't wait for the next package and download instead of frustrating so many people. I agree with CypherDivine:

    "Used to be "EA games, challenge everything" now it's "EA games, charge everything" "

    I have enjoyed The Sims 1-3 since I was a kid. A preteen, actually. Now as I try to climb a career to increase my meager income to something I consider to be "gainful", I don't enjoy wasting my money. If I get something, its because I think it will be good and I'll enjoy it for a while.

    Again Readers, The Game Is Not Worth $60-$80! In comparison to it's predecessors, its worthless. So before charging us consumers for endless "packs" and downloads, I wish EA would do something about it. Unlikely, huh? I want to tell EA, what are you doing? Even though I doubt EA will ever see this, I hope someone will take note. I never heard of MetaCritic until I felt like searching to see if others felt like I did. I made this account just to let anyone who can do anything know how dissatisfied and disgusted I am. I'm actually more insulted than anything. At this moment EA and The Sims 4 has really put a bad taste in my mouth.    … Expand
  28. Supermeja
    Sep 7, 2014
    0
    If this game came out AFTER Sims 2, then it would be worthwhile. Seriously, HOW do you make a SEQUEL WORSE? How do you improve 1 or 2 things, and remove/destroy everything else? EA-- that's how. The controls are a nightmare. The camera is wonky. The game loads for EVERYTHING. The graphics look like something from the Nintendo GameCube. It looks like a high end Facebook App. It should'veIf this game came out AFTER Sims 2, then it would be worthwhile. Seriously, HOW do you make a SEQUEL WORSE? How do you improve 1 or 2 things, and remove/destroy everything else? EA-- that's how. The controls are a nightmare. The camera is wonky. The game loads for EVERYTHING. The graphics look like something from the Nintendo GameCube. It looks like a high end Facebook App. It should've been called The Sims 2 HD Remix.. The game was SO bad I got a full refund on an opened copy--- and an apology from the store.… Expand
  29. Reagh
    Sep 8, 2014
    3
    I'm not usually disappointed enough in a game to take the time to write a bad review, but I have to make an exception for this one because I was very excited about its release and I should have seen the red flags before forking out $70 for it. This felt nothing at all like any of the previous sim games. the days went by way too fast, it shouldn't take 9 sim hours to water your plants. II'm not usually disappointed enough in a game to take the time to write a bad review, but I have to make an exception for this one because I was very excited about its release and I should have seen the red flags before forking out $70 for it. This felt nothing at all like any of the previous sim games. the days went by way too fast, it shouldn't take 9 sim hours to water your plants. I don't need dramatic music and huge drops in moods just cause my sim has to pee or wants a bagel. I didn't feel like I was seeing any "weird" stories occurring unless it was mine of the obsessive lady who spends all day watering 6 plants and walks funny. If I had time out of watering my plants to even be slightly social, I was always cranky because some dramatic music would play and Id have to eat or use the washroom. It felt more like a time management game I would play for free on any free gaming website with a little better graphics. I'm really not feelin' this one EA, and this is coming from someone who has previously purchased nearly every expansion for sims, sims 2 and 3. Not likely I'll put any more money into this one.… Expand
  30. 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
  31. 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
  32. luckykay
    Dec 12, 2014
    3
    The first day I played this game I was impressed with the actions of the Sims themselves. After playing a few more times, however, I came to the realization that I was Bored! I missed the open neighborhood which I assumed would be better than in the Sims 3 (never assume anything.) One of my favorite aspects of playing the game is building lots. Although the producers advertised thatThe first day I played this game I was impressed with the actions of the Sims themselves. After playing a few more times, however, I came to the realization that I was Bored! I missed the open neighborhood which I assumed would be better than in the Sims 3 (never assume anything.) One of my favorite aspects of playing the game is building lots. Although the producers advertised that building would be even better in the Sims 4, I find that the opposite is true. I finally gave up on the game entirely and uninstalled it. In my opinion, the game is a giant step backwards and definitely not worth the money--no matter what the selling price might be.… Expand
  33. SimmerS
    Dec 27, 2014
    3
    The game promises a lot but it turns out to be boring, empty, buggy and lacks the fun and enjoyment that one would expect from a Sims game.
    The Sims 4 feels like playing some facebook free game and that might work for someone who's new to the sims franchise, but for the players who are used to the large amount of content of the previous sims games this is just disappointing.
    The Sims 2    The game promises a lot but it turns out to be boring, empty, buggy and lacks the fun and enjoyment that one would expect from a Sims game.
    The Sims 4 feels like playing some facebook free game and that might work for someone who's new to the sims franchise, but for the players who are used to the large amount of content of the previous sims games this is just disappointing.
    The Sims 2 and Sims 3 base games have a lot more to offer and not even mentioning The Sims 1 that for the time when it came out was an amazing, mind blowing game.
    As far as now I can't truly recommend the game, it might get better as time goes by but as far as now It just doesn't worth what it costs.    … Expand
  34. Kaneris
    Sep 8, 2017
    0
    This game is a uncomplete peace of ****
    Not even with 350€ in DLC's the game feels complete.
    The personalization sistem is horrible in a game that's all about that. Saint's Row 2 did it way better and that game is from 2008. (you can't even change the high of your Sims...) The vanilla game is so empty that your Sim can only visit 4 locations: A gym, a museum, a coffee and a park.    This game is a uncomplete peace of ****
    Not even with 350€ in DLC's the game feels complete.

    The personalization sistem is horrible in a game that's all about that. Saint's Row 2 did it way better and that game is from 2008. (you can't even change the high of your Sims...)

    The vanilla game is so empty that your Sim can only visit 4 locations: A gym, a museum, a coffee and a park. Two of the DLC's locations are good, the others are terrible. (40€ every single DLC)

    DON'T BUY THIS GAME: CRACK IT
    You will delete it after 5 hours of terrible, slow, bad configurated, bad pathfinder gameplay.    … Expand
  35. Olek
    Sep 5, 2014
    2
    The Sims 4 is a bare bones game, obviously with the intent of fleshing it out at a cost, the DLC whoring has got worse with each Sims title, this one no doubt will follow that trend.
    Save your money, buy it down the track at a reduced price, by about the 5th DLC you may then have a full game to play.
  36. Passi1904
    Sep 6, 2014
    0
    Sehr enttäuscht zum einen Wenig Auswahl in der weltumgebung 2. Wenig Auswahl an Möbel Gegenstände etc. 3. Ist wenig Möglichkeit mit dem sims was zu unternehmen ich mein 4 orte + 1 park ist das nicht traurig EA bzw Maxis? Sim city habt ihr genau so verhauen und bringt nun noch ein erfolgreiches spiel zum Abgrund keine richtige offene welt nur ein Stück und muss dein sim zur Arbeit kann manSehr enttäuscht zum einen Wenig Auswahl in der weltumgebung 2. Wenig Auswahl an Möbel Gegenstände etc. 3. Ist wenig Möglichkeit mit dem sims was zu unternehmen ich mein 4 orte + 1 park ist das nicht traurig EA bzw Maxis? Sim city habt ihr genau so verhauen und bringt nun noch ein erfolgreiches spiel zum Abgrund keine richtige offene welt nur ein Stück und muss dein sim zur Arbeit kann man dum rum gucken und nichts machen wenn man nicht 2 sims hat. Auswahl Möglichkeiten zum bauen bzw zum verreisen ist zu wenig für so ein Spiel klar kommen dlcs aber so wenig für ein hauptspiel ich bin enttäuscht sehr sogar!… Expand
  37. JCAquix
    Sep 5, 2014
    2
    While the game boasts some improvements to build mode and sim behavior they are far outweighed by the lack of content, gameplay, and any of the charm of previous releases. Each prior installment of the sims has improved on the prior in some way that made the hard-reboot worth it, The Sims 2 added aging and generations, The Sims 3 added an open world. Not only did Maxis fail to addWhile the game boasts some improvements to build mode and sim behavior they are far outweighed by the lack of content, gameplay, and any of the charm of previous releases. Each prior installment of the sims has improved on the prior in some way that made the hard-reboot worth it, The Sims 2 added aging and generations, The Sims 3 added an open world. Not only did Maxis fail to add anything of note to The Sims 4, but they affirmatively left out the improvements and features of other installments. The Sims 4 neighborhoods are small and as far from open as possible. Want to visit a friend or the gym? 2-3 minutes of loading on an SSD. Want to watch kids grow up? There are no toddlers, children's faces are all literally identical, and teens are only slightly shorter than adults, so sim kids go from indistinguishable from other children to a practically full grown adult in two steps.

    Some may miss the content added by prior expansion packs but I miss fundamental content and features of prior sims games. Ultimately, there is nothing "wrong" with the Sims 4 except that it's a step backwards. If you've never played The Sims 3 or The Sims 2 then chances are that you will enjoy it. But for long term Sims fans it's a slap in the face.    … Expand
  38. Alibrianae
    Sep 5, 2014
    0
    This game has better graphics and I like the updated options...I do not like the limited demographics, how the toddlers and babysitters are missing etc....I would rather play the Sims 3..The price is a major joke for this game it feels more like a scam...#angry
  39. Saavat
    Sep 7, 2014
    1
    Absolutely terrible, after playing for just 2 hours I have already noticed how much of a step back this is from Sims 3 (even Sims 2!). Unlike Sims 3, which had an open world-like feel for the whole town, this game has loading screens between each small neighbourhood, and those loading screens are pretty big! Another thing I noticed very quickly is that sims just walk right through eachAbsolutely terrible, after playing for just 2 hours I have already noticed how much of a step back this is from Sims 3 (even Sims 2!). Unlike Sims 3, which had an open world-like feel for the whole town, this game has loading screens between each small neighbourhood, and those loading screens are pretty big! Another thing I noticed very quickly is that sims just walk right through each other instead of a sim getting out of the way. Now I can kind of understand why they did this (In Sims 3 sims would often get stuck because they can't get out of the way) but would it be too hard to simply add an animation where the sim turns to the side instead of walking through them? Now instead of typing another 700 characters on how bad this is, I will list everything else that I hate about it.

    - No pools for no reason that I can figure out.
    - No colour wheel in create-a-sim
    - When your sim goes to work he just teleports instead of getting into a car
    - A strange lack of a lot of clothing options (DLC probably)
    - Camera barely works

    All in all there was only one thing I liked about this game: It's smoother than Sims 3.
    If you want to play a good Sims game then you should just play Sims 3, even if it isn't the smoothest game ever.    … Expand
  40. kovuification
    Sep 8, 2014
    1
    I'm so disappointed about this game...
    I've been playing sims for 12 years now and I loved everything about it! I am a huge fan of Sims, Sims2 and Sims3 and never had anything to complain about.
    But Sims4 really kinda sucks. You dont have an open world anymore, you have to travel to get to any community lot!! I mean you have to use your phone to do this and you get a loading screen for    I'm so disappointed about this game...
    I've been playing sims for 12 years now and I loved everything about it! I am a huge fan of Sims, Sims2 and Sims3 and never had anything to complain about.
    But Sims4 really kinda sucks.
    You dont have an open world anymore, you have to travel to get to any community lot!! I mean you have to use your phone to do this and you get a loading screen for visiting places!! This is just such a huge regression, it's a pain in the ass.
    There are many things I could list, like your sims dont have fun anymore while drawing and if you wanna sell some stuff from your inventory you have to sell EVERY SINGLE ONE, you cant just sell f.e. 20 strawberries at a stroke....Means if you wanna make money by selling your harvest it's gonna take hours.
    Besides that, the game is horribly buggy and crashes all the time...
    Why can't EA just FINISH a game before selling it???? That's just a bad habit!    … Expand
  41. CritalReviewer
    Sep 8, 2014
    0
    I really wanted to enjoy this game and for the price I deserved it. Unfortunately the game has an under developed feel with a very limited amount of furniture and even wallpapers. This game is very disappointing and is clearly setup to gain profits from people purchasing DLC at a later date.

    Putting it into context for those generation old Sims veterans... There are no cars, garages,    I really wanted to enjoy this game and for the price I deserved it. Unfortunately the game has an under developed feel with a very limited amount of furniture and even wallpapers. This game is very disappointing and is clearly setup to gain profits from people purchasing DLC at a later date.

    Putting it into context for those generation old Sims veterans... There are no cars, garages, trash compactors or even dishwashers. I was devoted to the creative elements of the previous series however, despite the fact Create a Sim has improved the actual items and textures available to decorate / furnish rooms is so limited it's almost impossible to get a truly unique look.

    The game has "improved" graphics however to me it looks like plastic.

    Under developed, missing features and rushed development makes this game terrible. I am taking full advantage of EA's money back refund policy and getting a refund for this terrible product.    … Expand
  42. 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
  43. Ricketta
    Jan 14, 2015
    1
    To me, the Sims 4 seems about 5 % better than the Sims 3 but 95% worse.
    The top two things in this list are what killed the game for me. These things made me stop playing and is why I have no plans to get any Sims 4 EPs.
    1. No open world. Compared to the Sims 3, the Sims 4 closed world to me means no spontaneity, an overall claustrophobic feel/atmosphere, gameplay lacking fun, no sense    To me, the Sims 4 seems about 5 % better than the Sims 3 but 95% worse.
    The top two things in this list are what killed the game for me. These things made me stop playing and is why I have no plans to get any Sims 4 EPs.
    1. No open world. Compared to the Sims 3, the Sims 4 closed world to me means no spontaneity, an overall claustrophobic feel/atmosphere, gameplay lacking fun, no sense of adventure, no control. Also, the Sims 4 boasts about multitasking, but the Sims 3 open world provided better multitasking for me as a player. For instance, I could send my sims out on different outings simultaneously. I would multi-task what my sims did, juggling all their activities at once, switching between them. It was challenging and very fun and satisfying. I would separate them, then bring them back together, all at different times. Very spontaneous. Compare this to the Sims 4 multitasking, of eating on the toilet or playing games on their phone while drinking juice. Yes, this is multitasking, but throwing away the open world and all the options that came with it was a horrible trade off. For instance, if one of your Sims wants to suddenly go fishing in the Sims 4, your other sims stop existing, unless they go with. Boring. In the end, I mostly stopped having my Sims 4 sims leave the house because I became so sick of not being to play all of them at once. Not really a life simulator but just playing a group of people in their homes. More of a personality simulator. This brings me to my next biggest problem with the Sims 4.

    2. No toddlers. For a game so centered on home life why would they not just remove an entire age group so central to family life but limit several other age groups as well? Personally, I enjoy playing families the most in the Sims 3 and toddlers are an essential part of that. Aside from that, infants are very limited. No ability to see their needs, and you can’t even carry them anywhere or click on their portraits. Teens look the same as adults. Same heights. Same bodies.

    3. No customization or color wheel. It’s like a phone company saying, 'designing mobile phones is just too hard for us. So sorry, were going to stop making them. You have to use traditional wall mounted phones from now on like what was around decades ago.'

    4. Socializing is boring. They “chat” for hours on end, no break in conversation, just rambling endlessly. It makes what they say have no real meaning and I can’t, as a player, empathize with them. I ended up trying to play antisocial sims just so they would stop rambling on and on, but it didn’t work. Which leads to the next problem.

    5. Stalker friends who visit 3 times a day. If it wasn’t bad enough that my sims were stuck at home most of the time, they couldn’t actually do anything at home or get anything done because “my pal” is back for the third visit today. Yes, lets spend another 5 hours with our friend just chatting non-stop about absolutely nothing. Maybe we can try to eat before bed, if we're lucky.

    6. The animation is a step back, not forward. It’s one thing to have the animations be stylized and unique (not overly realistic) but it’s another to have it drawn badly, with objects angular and jagged and overly cartoonish. The Sims 3 didn’t have perfect graphics, but it was better than this. And for a game that boasted about the “great new create a sim tools” I found it very hard to get my sims to look different from each other.

    7. You have to login to the EA site to play.

    8. No cars.

    9. No diners to eat out in. I send my sims out to eat all the time in the Sims 3. I missed that in the Sims 4.

    10. My sims 4 sims look like corpses. They look like they have some kind of horrible skin disease. The pale skin tones are the worst, which are actually blotchy and from some angles look bruised. Also, the one or two blond hair colors available (yes, that’s all you get to choose from) look awful, like some kind of cheap bleached dye job. In the Sims 3 I enjoy playing all different hair and skin colors. I really enjoy customizing different hair, skin and eye colors. It’s so much fun. And I’ve never had a problem with the quality of any of them. So different.

    11. Very small towns.

    12. Sims only get 3 traits. This means that children have 1 trait.

    13. No story progression.

    The things that I think are improved in the Sims 4 (over the Sims 3):
    1. The new mood types are interesting and can be entertaining. They are more in depth and complex than the Sims 3 moods. For instance, the new sad, flirty, playful moods, etc.

    2. Build mode is improved. For instance, you can move an entire room at once, with all the objects in it.

    3. Colors of certain objects like plants, furniture, clothing and water are better in the Sims 4. They are prettier and more vibrant.

    4. The game runs smoother in the Sims 4 and has less lag than the Sims 3.

    Overall, I think the Sims 4 is actually EA’s attempt to just recreate the Sims 2. IMO even the Sims 2 is better than Sims 4.    … Expand
  44. Toxsick
    Feb 3, 2017
    0
    A sequel of a sandbox game is supposed to be an upgrade. More features, more stuff, technically better...
    This game not. This game is a real downgrade in practically every aspect. The only improvements where made in the AI of the sims, as well as their ability to be multitasking. And those improvements are also not clean since they are followed by a new set of non-logical/natural    A sequel of a sandbox game is supposed to be an upgrade. More features, more stuff, technically better...
    This game not. This game is a real downgrade in practically every aspect. The only improvements where made in the AI of the sims, as well as their ability to be multitasking. And those improvements are also not clean since they are followed by a new set of non-logical/natural behaviors and bugs.
    There are just so many choices which i can't imagine were approved by a brain-equipped creature. The same like with sim city, they wanted a reboot but got destroyed by the concurrence (cities skyline) which was better in simply every single imaginable way. Shame on you Maxis, you are trying to make games for everyone but are forgetting about the people which fed you by buying your games!    … Expand
  45. Cassiegirl265
    Sep 27, 2015
    0
    I don't care what the rest of you say. This game is horrible and boring. So what is you can create people and play with them? I wanted a refund, but it was a 24 hour policy? Horrible system if you ask me. If you don't want to waste 40 dollars on things you can just do in real life, don't buy this game. I think it's way overrated.
  46. Mavic
    Sep 11, 2017
    0
    Disappointed.
    I was hyped about sims 4 CAS and new build mode options, but when the game actually came out, a lot of things were unnecessarily removed.
    First of all: Open world. I loved the fact we had open world in The Sims 3, it made the game more realistic (it is a life simulation game after all) and it was a huge step forward. And now with better graphics and all, we got back to,    Disappointed.
    I was hyped about sims 4 CAS and new build mode options, but when the game actually came out, a lot of things were unnecessarily removed.
    First of all: Open world. I loved the fact we had open world in The Sims 3, it made the game more realistic (it is a life simulation game after all) and it was a huge step forward. And now with better graphics and all, we got back to, what? The sims 1?
    Second of all: Freestyle modifications like Create a style tool in build and CAS mode were removed. After all these years it's impossible they didn't notice we like to create our own style and for example, be able to create L type stairs. If you don't want us to do this, AT LEAST import it in game and give us more options/designs to choose from. EA couldn't care less about their fans opinions and wishes.
    Third: Prices. Base game doesn't have cars, toddlers or anything and it is instead added in patches? Base game is basically like bread, and if u want a burger you are forced to buy all expansions (which are about the same price as the base game?). There is NO discount if you buy more expansions, so if you like the game and want to play it, you will end up spending at least $300 for all expansions.
    I don't know what the point of giving us a few upgraded things and removing all the awesome stuff was, but to me it seems terribly greedy, since I believe all of this will be added again in the sims 5 so people will think "oh, wow we have open world with great graphics and so many options i need this", which should've been there in the first place.
    Everyone hates EA for a reason(s). Extremely greedy and don't care about their fans wishes at all    … Expand
  47. kisa122
    Jan 26, 2018
    0
    No cars, no open worlds, just like the sims 2, colors coustomizing is worse than the sims 3 - EA, what the hell? A lot of usseles DLC's, like "The Laundry"!? Toodlers was added by force, because everybody was mad. It's very dissapoitment how EA was trying to make players stupid. Money Money Money....
  48. vomov
    Dec 25, 2020
    0
    Initially, EA made the Sims 1, which was a good base game. Later, they expanded on the game, for which people were happy to pay.
    When the Sims 1 got bloated, they went to Sims 2; new engine, graphics, possibilities, etc. And they added expansions later. People paid, EA wins.
    When the Sims 2 got bloated, they went to Sims 3. Again, new, better, etc., with the addition of some odd    Initially, EA made the Sims 1, which was a good base game. Later, they expanded on the game, for which people were happy to pay.
    When the Sims 1 got bloated, they went to Sims 2; new engine, graphics, possibilities, etc. And they added expansions later. People paid, EA wins.
    When the Sims 2 got bloated, they went to Sims 3. Again, new, better, etc., with the addition of some odd mechanics. However, it had less content, so it required some expansions to be fun. People complained, sales dropped

    Now, EA had a choice:
    1) Make a great game with new everything, and expand on it later. This would be the obvious, money-making choice.
    2) Continue with the Sims 3 idea, without enough content. This would be the bad choice.
    EA went for option 3: make the basic architecture of a game, but don't fill in anything. Then charge money for everything. The result is obvious; low sales, low reviews.

    It's not that we're spoiled after playing the other Sim games with all the expansions, it's that this new thing is practically unplayable; there's nothing to do. It is not fun. After seeing sales drop in Sims 3, I'm surprised they went this way.

    The answer to the current state of EA is simple; fire the managers, and let game designers make the choices again. Managers want money, now. They want Origin, because they don't want to pay Valve for putting games on Steam, but they also ignore the massive sales Steam brings. They want copy protection, and ignore that pirates will always find a way, while normal (non-pirating) people are the victims aggressive protection (also, note that Steam lowers piracy). They finally expect people to pay NOW for possible DLC LATER. Seriously, fire all of them, and start over making proper games.    … Expand
  49. SpazeGoat
    Jan 7, 2018
    2
    Bought this when it first came out, decided to give it another try recently. Just insanely gutted and completely bad. I can't believe this game still has bugs after all this time. They are charging $40/expansion pack now, which have also been gutted. They have 10 "stuff" packs, all are $10 each. Apparently, EA doesn't mark down prices. You get so little for your money, it'sBought this when it first came out, decided to give it another try recently. Just insanely gutted and completely bad. I can't believe this game still has bugs after all this time. They are charging $40/expansion pack now, which have also been gutted. They have 10 "stuff" packs, all are $10 each. Apparently, EA doesn't mark down prices. You get so little for your money, it's insulting. Still, judging by the amount of uploads to the community, people are shelling out hundreds for this game. For a company that nets over $1 BILLION every year; it's truly shameful.

    That's EA, they buy popular franchises. Strip them, chew them up, spit out a polished alpha version of the game, then nickel and dime their customers for every little bit of content. Rinse and repeat until people have had enough and stop buying. Then they retire the series and it's never heard from again.    … Expand
  50. theirrelephants
    Sep 6, 2016
    3
    The fixed the horrendous, purposefully bad (they do this to get you to buy the next Sims game) load times of the Sims 3!

    Unfortunately and completely predictably, they did so by ripping out over 90% of the content the previous game and its xpacs had.

    Just play sims 3 and put up with the loading times if you enjoy the sims.
  51. neldot
    Dec 25, 2016
    1
    This is definitely a step back from Sims 3. The only things that were improved are that they got rid of the lag and the slowness of Sims 3 and made a better UI. Sure, great things, but they were achieved stripping down all the things that made Sims 3 a great open world life simulator. There is no more open world, no exploration, cities are small, boring and empty, there are no restaurants,This is definitely a step back from Sims 3. The only things that were improved are that they got rid of the lag and the slowness of Sims 3 and made a better UI. Sure, great things, but they were achieved stripping down all the things that made Sims 3 a great open world life simulator. There is no more open world, no exploration, cities are small, boring and empty, there are no restaurants, no toddlers, no color customization at all.
    Besides, your sims feel plasticky barbie dolls in respect of the realistic ones that were possible in Sims 3.    … Expand
  52. steelsoldier
    Sep 7, 2014
    2
    I would not pay more than 10$ for this crap, there are early access games out there that are better polished than this game.

    Too many Loading screens for freaking everything, breaks immersion completely and almost no content, shame on you EA Games for forcing developers to make **** incomplete garbage games because of your retarded influence.
  53. Pvn
    Sep 13, 2014
    5
    Giving it a 5, may just be too nice.
    But the gameplay wasn't entertaining, it felt more forced on my part.
    I enjoyed going around in a car, sims 3 was where this shined. They just killed off too much of the fun things from the previous games. While there are some neat features, it's just not the same as it used to be. The fact that you have to buy all those DLC's again is just    Giving it a 5, may just be too nice.
    But the gameplay wasn't entertaining, it felt more forced on my part.
    I enjoyed going around in a car, sims 3 was where this shined.
    They just killed off too much of the fun things from the previous games.
    While there are some neat features, it's just not the same as it used to be. The fact that you have to buy all those DLC's again is just laughable. Just stick to The Sims 3, you'll probably be better off.    … Expand
  54. Stormshadow2k
    Sep 6, 2014
    3
    No skill diary or options to expand into skill achievments. WHY remove this!? No open world. WHY remove this? What made you deside to evolve the franchise BACKWARDS!? I really really regret spending money on this game. I could have stuck with Sims 3 - as its a BETTER GAME with more options. Epic fail EA. Epic, epic fail.
  55. guingirl
    Sep 6, 2014
    2
    I'm a longtime Sims player, so I preordered this game and downloaded it as soon as I could.

    At first, I liked it. I was shocked at the neighborhood layout and limited lot selection (if you can even really call it a selection at all), but decided I would try to keep an open mind. That was a mistake. There are so many features missing from this game. There is no create-a-style, no    I'm a longtime Sims player, so I preordered this game and downloaded it as soon as I could.

    At first, I liked it. I was shocked at the neighborhood layout and limited lot selection (if you can even really call it a selection at all), but decided I would try to keep an open mind. That was a mistake.

    There are so many features missing from this game. There is no create-a-style, no dishwashers, no open world whatsoever, no repair man, no pools, no toddlers, no cars. I could go on and on. It feels like they put all of their eggs into the emotions basket and left none for the rest of the gameplay. Even the emotions are buggy. I sent one of my sims to her friend's house and they sat and chatted. After my sim got up to leave and walked out the door, the friend continued to smile and laugh towards her empty chair.

    The tutorial system is the worst I have ever seen. Crap pops up all the time in a manner that makes no sense. Instead of popping up as a notification in the corner like it did in the Sims 3, the tips crop up all over the UI, often asking you to do things you do not want to do. Further, most of the tips are not helpful info at all, while instructions on, say, how to do homework are nowhere to be found.

    The art direction also leaves something to be desired. Everything feels flat. The lighting in the homes is dim and cold. The plants look cheap. The sims themselves are the only part of this game that actually looks improved.

    I spent a few hours playing this and simply lost interest. With the other Sims games, I've often played until dawn because I completely lost track of time. With this, the immersion simply isn't there.

    I got a refund. I'm so disappointed. I really wanted to love this game.    … Expand
  56. WhiskerStan
    Sep 6, 2014
    1
    For starters I am a long time sims fan and it has been a game I always buy and enjoy wasting my life away on. Well congrats EA you have ruined a tradition and a great franchise. After the glitches of sims 3 I'd assume this installment would be a bit better, nope. It's glitchy, and that would be forgive able if the game had all the items and things that makes the game....sims! I shruggedFor starters I am a long time sims fan and it has been a game I always buy and enjoy wasting my life away on. Well congrats EA you have ruined a tradition and a great franchise. After the glitches of sims 3 I'd assume this installment would be a bit better, nope. It's glitchy, and that would be forgive able if the game had all the items and things that makes the game....sims! I shrugged off no toddler stage, meh, even forgave no pools, whatever, but to backtrack to this awkward no open world? Unforgivable, honestly what is sims 4, it's in no way a sequel to sims 3, if anything it's an emotion filled body editor prequel from 2002???

    I was a huge fan of sims 3, it had its ups and downs but was overall enjoyable. Sims 4 gets boring in minutes, coming from me who spends and easy 6 hours just creating a house and another umpteen hours getting my sim promoted, and just doing random things it's sad to say sims 4 is a bore! In order to get this game on track a patch/expansion of epic proportions better be on the horizon and it better be cheap, bc I can I'll afford another $60 for an unfinished sloppy jaloppy as a sim would say! Just bad EA, just bad. Save your simoleans my friends and wait it out.

    And another gripe before I go, the graphics are an odd mixture of cartoon/realism and they are a step backward from sims 3. I understand the aiming at a larger market and those with less powerful computers but I feel like they dumbed it down to where even a computer running windows 98 could almost make this work. Just sayin.    … Expand
  57. zamfir70
    Sep 7, 2014
    1
    Tiny maps, load screens, lack of features, price gouging, lack of choice... This game has it all.

    I don't know who is running the once great EA, but they're driving it into the ground. They have pulled a Sim City 2013 with this product, and lost what little faith I still had for them. It's as though they just don't care.
  58. Skittlesour
    Sep 8, 2014
    1
    The sim's 4 ? More like The sim's 2.5 , what the hell were they thinking ? they added some new graphics and emotion and they threw the rest out the window ? no more jogging around in the park checking chicks out , no more swimming in the ocean/pool , no more waterholes , NO MORE SOUL !!!!
  59. TheFastBison
    Sep 8, 2014
    3
    Disappointed, is really my only thought about this game. Where is the free roam from Sims 3? You have to travel to all destinations and there are really not a lot to the cities (One park and 3 building seriously!?

    It's like they wanted so bad to remake the core mechanics that it just ended ruining a lot of the funny stuff from the old games (No pools and cars). It's still fun, its just    Disappointed, is really my only thought about this game. Where is the free roam from Sims 3? You have to travel to all destinations and there are really not a lot to the cities (One park and 3 building seriously!?

    It's like they wanted so bad to remake the core mechanics that it just ended ruining a lot of the funny stuff from the old games (No pools and cars). It's still fun, its just not an improvement from the older games.    … Expand
  60. beckysteele
    Sep 8, 2014
    6
    I'm very disappointed with The Sims 4. It looked very promising and I've waited a long time for it to be released only for it to be a let down!
    I'm getting extremely frustrated at the fact there is so many loading screens. My sim visited their neighbours house and it came up with a loading screen, unlike the sims 3 you could just walk to your neighbours, in fact you could walk anywhere.    I'm very disappointed with The Sims 4. It looked very promising and I've waited a long time for it to be released only for it to be a let down!
    I'm getting extremely frustrated at the fact there is so many loading screens. My sim visited their neighbours house and it came up with a loading screen, unlike the sims 3 you could just walk to your neighbours, in fact you could walk anywhere. The Sims 4 doesn't allow you to do that which doesn't give the game that sense of realism.
    Another let down is the lack of building in the worlds, it seems somewhat empty and hardly anything to do. It makes you feel bored even before the journey begins.. Even though you can travel from world to world it doesn't make up for the 'empty' feel and the lack of community buildings and plots.

    I'm very shocked to say that I would much prefer to play The Sims 3. Sims 4 is completely different to the rest of the sims generation but not in a positive way to say the least! I hope that they bring out patches sooner than later because all I've seen is bad review after bad review!    … Expand
  61. vault2wasteland
    Nov 24, 2017
    0
    This is not a terrible game by any means but it does smell like a cash grab. Features have been stripped down, you can't visit more than a tiny slice of land without a loading screen and objects like sprinklers are mysteriously missing. I was given this game by a friend who knew I loved sims 3 (bought the dlc heavily discounted and did not want to pay full price for a stripped down simsThis is not a terrible game by any means but it does smell like a cash grab. Features have been stripped down, you can't visit more than a tiny slice of land without a loading screen and objects like sprinklers are mysteriously missing. I was given this game by a friend who knew I loved sims 3 (bought the dlc heavily discounted and did not want to pay full price for a stripped down sims 4). I was very wary of this game and kept noticing things that were missing. I started playing because I had nothing else to play and then next thing I knew I had spent 40 hours on the game. Eventually I got a bit bored and eventually was gifted Get Together and Get to Work and that added to the game but definitely not worth the $50 asking price (Get to Work only has 3 careers) . I say this is a pretty good game to eat up some hours but definitely not worth full price. I do love the improved graphics and flow of the game. Sims can now talk while eating and they can walk through each other rather than getting stuck or insisting they can't get past. I think the get to work and get together dlc should have been included in the base game because $89 for sims 4 plus $50 for get to work plus $50 for get together is an absolute joke (just like the 'Australia tax' on games in general).

    Edit: (score dropped) EA should quit making games and go into the casino business. They know what they did. Loot boxes and micro transactions can go to hell, EA is destroying gaming. This is too far and it's time to make a stand.    … Expand
  62. RealisticCritic
    Feb 6, 2016
    4
    IMPORTANT:I am reviewing this game with the version it launched in 2014 any new things will still be negatives so let's get started

    The good:create a sim (+2),Better UI(+1.5),slightly better graphics (+0.5) The bad: there are many things missing such as...create a style,Pools,toddler stage,cars,basements, etc, no exploration so in the end the game falls short and in my opinion is    IMPORTANT:I am reviewing this game with the version it launched in 2014 any new things will still be negatives so let's get started

    The good:create a sim (+2),Better UI(+1.5),slightly better graphics (+0.5)

    The bad: there are many things missing such as...create a style,Pools,toddler stage,cars,basements, etc, no exploration

    so in the end the game falls short and in my opinion is the WORST MAIN sims game to date    … Expand
  63. GutiOut
    Jun 20, 2021
    0
    June 20, 2021. CLP$ 678.600. Reportable. They only need to add loot boxes or "packs".
  64. hvega
    Jun 12, 2016
    0
    Nearly two years later, my initial optimism and intrigue into TS4 has been quelled. The expansion and stuff packs have not helped.

    TS4 is visually beautiful but gameplay feels redundant and less progressive than previous games. TS4 was overly ambitious as it fails to build on former Sims games strengths.
  65. kakak
    Nov 23, 2016
    4
    Overall pretty disappointed with this game. It seems to me like a major downgrade from the Sims 3.
    Pros: Being able to build awesome community lots (bars, libraries, etc.), Create a Sim
    Cons: My biggest problem is that the Neighborhoods are so boring. The neighborhoods in Sims 3 were big and beautiful. The neighborhoods in Sims 4 are tiny, flat, and too simple. They also dropped create a    Overall pretty disappointed with this game. It seems to me like a major downgrade from the Sims 3.
    Pros: Being able to build awesome community lots (bars, libraries, etc.), Create a Sim
    Cons: My biggest problem is that the Neighborhoods are so boring. The neighborhoods in Sims 3 were big and beautiful. The neighborhoods in Sims 4 are tiny, flat, and too simple. They also dropped create a style feature from Sims 3 - one of the best features.

    I would invest in Sims 3 and some expansion packs. Sims 4 is simply not worth it    … Expand
  66. Kire_92
    Apr 24, 2018
    4
    The Sims games have been part of my life for a long time. I started playing the first one when it was released in 2000 and have played every new release after that. Every game in the series have made big improvements, compared to previous versions, and made it a more enjoyable game with new and exciting mechanics. Every game… except The Sims 4.

    The Sims 4 takes a few minor steps forward    The Sims games have been part of my life for a long time. I started playing the first one when it was released in 2000 and have played every new release after that. Every game in the series have made big improvements, compared to previous versions, and made it a more enjoyable game with new and exciting mechanics. Every game… except The Sims 4.

    The Sims 4 takes a few minor steps forward in some areas but takes giant leaps backwards in others. The positives are not many, tough they are worth mentioning. The best change is that it’s now easier and simpler to create a sim and you have greater control over the appearance. And when you play the game your Sims can now multitask, which is a nice change, but not a huge change and don’t make a big difference. Besides that the game runs much smoother than The Sims 3 and you don’t need a good computer to play the game. But that’s about it when it comes to the positives. Sure there are some other new changes like the graphics and the new mood system. But those are neither better nor worse than previous games. They are simply just different and don’t change the game in any meaningful way.

    The negatives on the other way are plentiful. Simply put there is less content in every area. There are less traits, less careers, less customizable settings (can’t for example customize how many days every age period should be), less furniture’s/stuff, no open world (which is a HUGE step back), can’t customize clothes, no cars/transportation and on it goes. There is simply less of everything.

    But my BIGGEST complaint about the game is the removal of story progression. In this game your neighbors don’t do anything with their life except grow old and die. They don’t get new jobs and promotions, they don’t marry and have kids, they don’t move out and new Sims move in, they don’t make new friends and live an active life. This makes the world feel bland and boring. The only thing that happens is that when a whole family is dead the game generates a new one and move them in. And the way the other Sims in the world act in public areas feels extremely fake and forced. When you go to a public location a lot of Sims spawn in and join in the activities, which is how the game should be. But if you choose to leave and go to another location the majority of the people in the previous location have now also decided to follow you and go to the same place. Which makes it feel like that the only reason other Sims are there is to fill up the background and that they are there for your amusement and not because they want to. Which makes the whole game feel fake and chatters the illusion of a life simulation with real individuals.

    This game is a huge disappointment and the only reason I could recommend someone to buy this over the Sims 3 is if their computer can’t handle the Sims 3. Overall it feels like the developers didn’t even try to make a new and exciting game. If they at least would have tried to make something new I could understand that it lacks content compared to previous titles. For example if they made it into an online game or changed the mechanics completely, then I at least could understand the reasoning. But there is no excuse for what has happened to this game and in the end it feels like a money grab without any vision or passion.    … Expand
  67. ireviewbadgames
    Aug 12, 2018
    0
    What a disaster- Electronic Arts continually displays a complete lack of **** for the consumer. When the game was released, people made an absolutely staggering lost of all the features and basic game-play elements that Sims 4 lost compared to previous iterations. . . and what a surprise, we see those features and basic game-play elements coming back as paid DLC. . . how interesting.What a disaster- Electronic Arts continually displays a complete lack of **** for the consumer. When the game was released, people made an absolutely staggering lost of all the features and basic game-play elements that Sims 4 lost compared to previous iterations. . . and what a surprise, we see those features and basic game-play elements coming back as paid DLC. . . how interesting.

    Stop supporting EA, stop buying their games and encouraging this behavior. Every time you do, the gaming industry takes one more step towards the edge and when it comes around for Sims 8 Deluxe, you're buying DLC just to build a house or put on a shirt. Remember Sim City.    … Expand
  68. 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
  69. 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.
  70. 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.
  71. 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
  72. koyukon
    May 22, 2019
    0
    I did't like it. I couldn't create myself in CAS. Easy in sims 2 and 3, impossible in 4. I feel like I only have negative things to say about it so i'll just move on.... Sims 5 needs to be innovative and different.
  73. abraham_b
    Apr 11, 2017
    0
    I can't say I'm too surprised to see the ratings of this game. I have played the Sims since the first game and with every new main entry (not expansion pack or spin-off) there's always been enough improvements to blow me away. I loved the open-world in the Sims 3 as well as being able to customise any item. In reality I would have preferred if the Sims 4 were just the Sims 3 but withI can't say I'm too surprised to see the ratings of this game. I have played the Sims since the first game and with every new main entry (not expansion pack or spin-off) there's always been enough improvements to blow me away. I loved the open-world in the Sims 3 as well as being able to customise any item. In reality I would have preferred if the Sims 4 were just the Sims 3 but with better graphics and less bugs.

    After nearly 3 years the Sims 3 is still my preferred Sims game. We have had a few expansions for the Sims 4, but even they're shallow. I.e. Get to Work does not have anywhere near as much content as Ambitions did for the Sims 3 and there is literally NO comparison between City Living for the Sims 4 and the fantastic Late Night for the Sims 3. This has now convinced me that the problem with Sims 4 is in its foundations and is inherent to the game itself and no amount of DLC will be able to make up for the inherent problems of no open world, no story progression (other families getting married, promoted, having kids etc), no Create a Style, where you could change the colour and textures of anything.

    Yes, we have toddlers, pools and ghosts now but those are minor details compared to the huge inherent aspects which were lost from the Sims 3. The Sims 4 still feels rushed and unfinished.

    In my opinion, overall, it is such a shame that the Sims 4 exists, especially in such a popular franchise. Maybe this has helped EA to come to their senses that they can't continue to scam us out of our money just because the Sims is so popular globally. The only people I find who love the Sims 4 are those who are playing it as their first Sims game. You know what I tell those people? Play Sims 3; it's much better.    … Expand
  74. TsukasaHiiragi
    May 23, 2016
    4
    I waited several years in order to accurate review Sims 4, because honestly - all the sims games started out buggy, or lacking any major features until expansions and DLC appeared and all simmers know that all the Sims games come with a crap-load of expansions....and unfortuntely those expansions are usually comes with patches that fixes alot of the bugs and glitches from previousI waited several years in order to accurate review Sims 4, because honestly - all the sims games started out buggy, or lacking any major features until expansions and DLC appeared and all simmers know that all the Sims games come with a crap-load of expansions....and unfortuntely those expansions are usually comes with patches that fixes alot of the bugs and glitches from previous expansions....heck, I don't think Sims 3 became 'stable' until a few of the last expansions appeared...but I disgress since this is about TS4...

    Nope, just can't give it a positive review - after several years, the game is STILL a mess with rampant bugs and glitches, some of which are still fairly game-breaking or review constant fixing/repairing in order to fix, sometimes the bugs just break the saves completely causing tons of game time to be lost.

    Still lacking tons of features and options from previous games, the neighborhoods are still WAY too small for builders, the 21 lot limit more or less makes each world feel so cramped and tiny that any legacy families have to be killed off just so you have room for newer generations - and lets face it, no one wants their prized sim to die especially after working on them for a long time, building relationships/families and stats...

    I could easily say that any simmer who hasn't purchased the game so far, really should just ignore this version and go back to Sims 3 and hopefully this hasn't ruined the chances for a Sims 5 at some point in the next 5 years...yeah...it'll take that long as EA drains Maxis for expansion after expansion which is usually around 10 - 12 expansions before they start the process over again.

    Sure the game has a few good things going for it, but its got so many issues and missing elements compared to the previous games that the good parts just never really shine bright enough and with the several years since its launch it still hasn't really progressed that much, some of the expansion packs haven't really been able to make the game that much better and I will say that, if the Sims 4 originally launched with all the current content back in 2014 then the game would have scored better but lets face it - so much content was cut its just not even funny - but again...its EA so its to be expected.    … Expand
  75. Mastodon
    Aug 11, 2015
    1
    So glad I pirated this game instead of bought it. EA won't be getting my money for this poor excuse of a title. Plus EA isn't releasing any relevant free content. All significant additions cost money, even stuff that should have been in the game to begin with. Now back to playing Sims 3.
  76. estabon0225
    Sep 5, 2014
    2
    I'm pretty sure many of these positive reviews are EA workers, their family and friends. No one in their right mine could give The Sims 2.5 anything higher than an 7 and I'm being generous. I won't be asking for a refund, but I won't be playing either. After 10 expansion packs, 20 stuff packs, 100 patches, and 5 years this will be a wonderful game. Just in time for the release of The SimsI'm pretty sure many of these positive reviews are EA workers, their family and friends. No one in their right mine could give The Sims 2.5 anything higher than an 7 and I'm being generous. I won't be asking for a refund, but I won't be playing either. After 10 expansion packs, 20 stuff packs, 100 patches, and 5 years this will be a wonderful game. Just in time for the release of The Sims 3: The Emotional Sequel… Expand
  77. jazz68
    Sep 6, 2014
    1
    Waited for months with my two kids - aged 11 and 14. This weekend they began playing. After few hours they left the PC very dissapointed. Theres no pools. Its more complex...Where is the first person view mode we thought would come with the new version. And so on. All in all very dissapointing...
  78. bummed
    Sep 6, 2014
    4
    I just purchased this game and I have to say, I am slightly disappointed. While the interactions are cool and the graphics are awesome, I am bummed at how little the world is. There are no restaurants, no movie theaters, no grocery stores, no pools, you can't see where they work, no hospitals, I mean the world is tiny!! I regret spending the $60! I will be playing my sims 3 much more thanI just purchased this game and I have to say, I am slightly disappointed. While the interactions are cool and the graphics are awesome, I am bummed at how little the world is. There are no restaurants, no movie theaters, no grocery stores, no pools, you can't see where they work, no hospitals, I mean the world is tiny!! I regret spending the $60! I will be playing my sims 3 much more than TS4 for sure. So few stories to play out as well. I love the supernatural expansion for TS3 and am disappointed to hear TS4 won't do this also. I purchased TS4 hoping to have a less laggy, nicer looking version of my S3 only to be bored an hour after playing. I do enjoy how much more involved I can be with my sim and how they can do multiple things at once. The ability to multi task is something I miss in my S3 so that's a plus. But overall, I'd say EA missed the mark with this one.… Expand
  79. gnugnu
    Sep 7, 2014
    2
    Positive:

    + better Build Mode
    + better Graphics
    + better Performance

    Mixed:

    +- Character Editor slightly better but without much color choices

    Negative:

    - Emotion system seems simple/dull
    - missing Features/Content (Pools, Toddlers, etc.)
    - Loading Screens everywhere
    - no real Neighborhood (this is a big step backwards...)
  80. UltraMatrixx
    Sep 8, 2014
    1
    Sims 2 has more features than this game enough said. The excuse EA will use though is no it doesnt have less features look you can get pools for just 5.99
  81. 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.
  82. 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
  83. 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
  84. 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
  85. 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.
  86. lealam
    Nov 8, 2014
    0
    DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SELL A USED COPY OF THE SIMS 4:

    I made a metacritic account just to talk about the horror story I just went through with this company. So I bought the Sims 4- I can't really expand on the problems with it beyond what everyone on this site has said. I didn't enjoy it, so I tried to sell it. I figured someone would like it. I certainly couldn't return it! EA doesn't care    DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SELL A USED COPY OF THE SIMS 4:

    I made a metacritic account just to talk about the horror story I just went through with this company. So I bought the Sims 4- I can't really expand on the problems with it beyond what everyone on this site has said. I didn't enjoy it, so I tried to sell it. I figured someone would like it. I certainly couldn't return it! EA doesn't care they sold you a terrible game and stole your money. I sold the game on ebay, I spent about $10 in fees selling and shipping it, but was relieved to make about $30- only half of what I paid for the game. Then complaints from my seller started coming through. They said that their activation code was invalid. It was the activation code sold with the game, so I didn't understand the problem. I sent them a few links to EA customer service and figured I could put this to rest. But then they demanded a refund, so I had to look into the issue myself. And guess what I find out! You can't even resell the game you hate! The game is tied to an Origin account, and can only be used by that Origin account from that point on! That's great news! Just terrific. Now I have to pay to have then ship the game back to me, and offer them a refund. This company has disgusting ethics.    … Expand
  87. JulieSims
    Dec 7, 2014
    0
    I have never complained about a game before in my life. I'm pretty forgiving. But this game is a scam, it's daylight robbery. Though it's meant to be a sequel to three other Sims games, it's a total downgrade in every aspect. Even if there hadn't been three previous versions to compare it to, I'd still feel robbed. They must have made it with 2 year-olds in mind, because the game play,I have never complained about a game before in my life. I'm pretty forgiving. But this game is a scam, it's daylight robbery. Though it's meant to be a sequel to three other Sims games, it's a total downgrade in every aspect. Even if there hadn't been three previous versions to compare it to, I'd still feel robbed. They must have made it with 2 year-olds in mind, because the game play, cartoon graphics, ridiculous Duplo style furniture and embarrassing amount of loading screens are just insulting. They shouldn't call it a life simulator, because it's not. It seems rushed, cheap, and it is full of software bugs. Technically it must have been programmed by apprentices. Saved games get lost, broken and bloated, so that the appalling amount of loading screens take longer and longer the more you play. Seriously, it's no more than a mobile app at best, not worth more than 1.99$. And it's dreadfully boring. Once you realize how limited it is, and how useless the NPCs are, and how flawed and game driven the emotional system is (forcing you to complete tasks all the time just to control your Sim's emotions) there is nothing fun about it. It has been stripped down to the bone. EA takes pride in having released 7 patches already. That is how broken and buggy and unplayable this game was on release, nothing to be proud of, however they seem to think it's very amusing. The people who are still playing have modified it to the point it hardly resembles what EA made at all.
    I can safely say this is the worst game I have ever played in my life, despite being a hardcore Sims player since 2000 and owning every single title and EP of the Sims franchise. At first I hoped an eventual Sims 5 would repair the damage it's left in it's wake, but I'm afraid it's so bad I'll never trust EA again. After SimCity and Sims 4, I believe the company just doesn't have what it takes to make games. Even if they did make a Sims 5, their vision would probably ruin that too, because they just don't know what they're doing. This game is a disaster and a rip off.    … Expand
  88. demiraygoldberg
    Jun 26, 2015
    0
    Not honorable to the sims franchise. Extremely lacking in content. Dissapointed, but not surprised. EA destroying yet another beloved franchise :( ...
  89. birgit
    Aug 25, 2015
    0
    Simis 4 - there is nothing much to say - it just sucks. it. just. sucks. period. bought it before checking it out. did not see that **** coming. like ever. wish i could give it back ...
  90. RCTFan
    Sep 5, 2015
    1
    Before I say anything, make sure that before you get a game, you wait a month for some reviews. I should have done the same.

    In the "new" game, I am bored. I bought an expansion pack but it gave me a handful of things. Not much was better. I liked it on Day 1. Day 2, I felt like my sims needed a little more to do. On Day 3, I felt bored. Not enough content is in this game to make me    Before I say anything, make sure that before you get a game, you wait a month for some reviews. I should have done the same.

    In the "new" game, I am bored. I bought an expansion pack but it gave me a handful of things. Not much was better. I liked it on Day 1. Day 2, I felt like my sims needed a little more to do. On Day 3, I felt bored. Not enough content is in this game to make me feel like it is a full game. The sim designs are okay, but that is about the only good thing about the game.

    Earlier last year, The Sims 2 along with all of the expansion packs and stuff packs were released to any Sims 2 owner who had the game in origin. If it weren't for that, EA would NOT be getting my money anytime soon.    … Expand
  91. oliverisamazing
    Nov 20, 2015
    2
    First of all EA, do not threaten to abolish The Sims series due to YOUR mistakes. You literally had one job. Fix the glitches in Sims 3, update graphics, and put large amounts of content so people can actually play the game without going insane! You took away so many features!!!!!!! The expansions packs come with content, but Cool Kitchen had a **** oven, fridge, shelf, chair, table and aFirst of all EA, do not threaten to abolish The Sims series due to YOUR mistakes. You literally had one job. Fix the glitches in Sims 3, update graphics, and put large amounts of content so people can actually play the game without going insane! You took away so many features!!!!!!! The expansions packs come with content, but Cool Kitchen had a **** oven, fridge, shelf, chair, table and a **** POSTER?????? Why would I ever waste $15 like that? Ugh. I loved the sims. I loved creating houses on hills, having a broad range of materials I could use to create houses, more sims features I could use to play the game. But you took all of that away from your customers? And left us with some basic piece of **** we had to deal with for 10 months!!!!!! No wonder your sales have plummeted. Please sell the sims franchise to a company that cares, and focus on the new Fifa Games that come out every year, to satisfy the gorilla kind who play your useless, ugly, stupid games. Do not get the Sims if you loved the Sims 3 so much. Deal with the graphics in the Sims 3, and you will have a cheaper, much more enjoyable time. That said, the graphics on this game are quite good, but I see a lack of realism. EA made the sims less realistic, less enjoyable and much more expensive. Great customer service!… Expand
  92. NaeNeko
    Jan 28, 2016
    1
    Expansion packs and DLCs are overpriced. Base game is empty, world is boring, tons of important BASIC things are missing. Such a disappointment. Congrats EA for showing us your true colors.

    So all in all, I do not recommend buying this game. Play with Sims 2 or 3, at least those are still awesome.
  93. Silverzapper
    Jan 31, 2016
    0
    This game has made me give up on the sims entirely. I spent the price of a full game for something that feels like a demo. Maybe after all the expansion packs are out it will feel more like an actual game. Of course since this is EA you will have to pay hundreds of dollars just to make it play like a 50-60 dollar game.
  94. zhuruidong
    Feb 12, 2016
    0
    It is 3 in the morning and my Sim goes into a SPA and then NPCs begin to pop up out of nowhere. This is unreal and really really weird!
    The team keep adding non-relevant and not so important gimmicks (ice cream machine, popcorn machine) instead of core features (open-world, town size, toddlers etc).
    As for the GPs and EPs, it seems to me that the team have lost direction. Get to work is    It is 3 in the morning and my Sim goes into a SPA and then NPCs begin to pop up out of nowhere. This is unreal and really really weird!
    The team keep adding non-relevant and not so important gimmicks (ice cream machine, popcorn machine) instead of core features (open-world, town size, toddlers etc).
    As for the GPs and EPs, it seems to me that the team have lost direction. Get to work is OK, but not as good as Ambitions in Sims 3. Get together is a farce with too few feature.
    The only good thing about Sims 4 is that is runs much smoother on my Mac compared to Sims 3. But that is because the irresponsible Sims 3 developers use cider wrapper instead of a native port.
    I've purchased every DLC and keeps getting disappointed and disappointed. Please stop developing this half-hearted Sims 4 and give us a real Sims game (Not Sims Freeplay on PC please).    … Expand
  95. Amcat
    Feb 22, 2018
    2
    Apogee of excuses, laziness and greed from developers and the publisher for the whole time of the franchise.
  96. blizpix
    Nov 14, 2017
    1
    Hoo boy. I created an account just to say how much I hated this game. I have steered clear for three years since this game came out, since I was very happy with sims3 and thought sims4 sounded like a disaster. But then sims3 has been causing my computer problems, and sims4 got some content added in, and I figured it was time to check it out. I'm glad I got this on sale, because SWEET BABYHoo boy. I created an account just to say how much I hated this game. I have steered clear for three years since this game came out, since I was very happy with sims3 and thought sims4 sounded like a disaster. But then sims3 has been causing my computer problems, and sims4 got some content added in, and I figured it was time to check it out. I'm glad I got this on sale, because SWEET BABY JESUS it is terrible.

    I won't go into all the nitpicky details of stupid design choices. The bottom line is: this is an extremely unfun game. Everything feels clunky and awkward, I'm not sure if that's due to the general empty vibe the game gives off, but there is very little flow to gameplay. It's hard to describe how the sims4 base game is inferior to the sims3 base game. It's not the lack of open world (though that is a feature I sorely miss), I think it's just the depth of gameplay and little fun details. The sims3 felt fun, light hearted, and playful, but very complex. The sims4 just feels very flat, there's very little depth to gameplay. I gave sims4 a chance and played about 10 hours, but I have already uninstalled the game and just wish I could get my money back.

    I am literally counting down the days until they make a REAL sims game, so here's to hoping sims5 will receive the time and care to properly produce it, to make it an improvement on the already established game concepts that work in sims2 and sims3. In the meantime, I'll be playing sims3, even if it causes my computer to kill itself.    … Expand
  97. chillbaron
    Jul 18, 2018
    4
    The worst entry of this legendary title. A lazy, shameless and greedy move by EA. Not only the game feels incomplete, but they also butchered the world mechanics that once made this title great in other entries. They expect me to pay for expansions? Hell no!
  98. femmefatal
    Apr 17, 2015
    1
    Have you noticed a lot of AAA titles are now just junk releases? Taking away what we love an enjoy and putting in crap like this with pretty pictures in it's place. Take games like Rome II and that new ELITE and Dangerous game and Beyond Earth by Firaxis and the X3 new game 4x in space.....just to name a FEW.

    It's these new indie games that are actually making headway because they are    Have you noticed a lot of AAA titles are now just junk releases? Taking away what we love an enjoy and putting in crap like this with pretty pictures in it's place. Take games like Rome II and that new ELITE and Dangerous game and Beyond Earth by Firaxis and the X3 new game 4x in space.....just to name a FEW.

    It's these new indie games that are actually making headway because they are probably hungry and starving not fat cats like EA and CA and DA and QA lol.

    Don't buy this piece of crap and wait for the reviews of ALL AAA titles before you buy them if you buy them as they are just producing milk money and donkey milking games and not worth the price of an out house.    … Expand
  99. 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
  100. Smellfire
    Nov 8, 2014
    2
    No more open world. Loading Screens for Everything. Tiny Neighbourhoods. Taken away the 10s of thousands of combinations for decorating your home and replaced them with a few hundred. Got rid of job lots, restaurants, schools, town hall, Beauty Salon, Cafe etc. No more colour wheels, no more hundreds of materials to choose from. Limited scope in create a Sim, though the models do lookNo more open world. Loading Screens for Everything. Tiny Neighbourhoods. Taken away the 10s of thousands of combinations for decorating your home and replaced them with a few hundred. Got rid of job lots, restaurants, schools, town hall, Beauty Salon, Cafe etc. No more colour wheels, no more hundreds of materials to choose from. Limited scope in create a Sim, though the models do look better.

    It has a load less features than the basic Sims 3, and after the expansions of Sims 3, its more like a demo.

    Added a few nice features, but not enough to balance the many its taken out. Shambles of a game. Don't buy it until at least two expansions are out and it might have improved.

    Oh, and Gameplay wise, it is very dull indeed to play at the moment. The actual UI looks good at first, but is clunkier than the old one.    … 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

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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.
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  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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