The Sims 4

The game plays better with a mouse but this is still the full Sims 4 experience. [Jan 2018, p.80]

If you can stick around after being thrown in at the deep end with the ‘robust’ DLC releases and, quite frankly, awful controls then The Sims 4 is definitely worth it.

The Sims 4 is a relatively solid console port that provides the tools for players to create pretty much any scenario of which they could think. It won't be for everyone, but those drawn to the idea will get hours upon hours of play for their money.

The Sims 4 on Xbox One is a good launch if you have not the oportunity to enjoy the game already on PC, or if you don't have a computer capable of moving it, despite its moderate requirements. The soundtrack is still fantastic and the personality of the sims is here, but the controls are very unintuitive.

The Sims 4 is a beefier and better game with its diverse expansion packs and added content since release, but without much of that being available on console just yet, this feels like a step back from the PC version. Nonetheless, this is essentially the same core experience as the base game on PC, and it’s worth checking out if you don’t already own the game. Although the console version features some dodgy controls, it largely delivers on its promise of bringing a faithful port to the console audience.

If you can get past all the issues that The Sims 4 has on consoles, it’s a ton of fun. That’s a pretty big 'if' though!

Old school warmth for a game which feels from another era.

The Sims 4 is a compelling game with tonnes of customisable options. Sadly, poor attention to the functionality of playing with a controller rather than keyboard and mouse, and a sparse tutorial make this version difficult to overly recommend.

The Sims 4 is not a bad game. In fact, I had a great time with the gameplay of watching my Sim learn, grow, and find love in all the goofiest ways I could imagine. It really felt both simple and deep at the same time, and either way you play it, you’ll find something to keep your attention. Unfortunately, the controls are going to be a chore to use more times than not,and even after getting the hang of them, you may still dislike them. I know I did. If only the controls were as good as the game, I would recommend it in a heartbeat to players looking for that simulation game with some goofiness, but with the controls the way they are, I would suggest sticking with the PC version if you can. If you do decide on getting the console version, be warned, you will need to get used to the controls and even when you get used to them, you will still find them difficult to use.

There’s no question about it: if you want to play The Sims 4, the PC is still the best way to play it – and given that its PC system requirements are fairly low that’s what we’d recommend. Get used to the console controls and it’s still a fascinating town-building game/life sim/virtual soap, but one with a few too many bugs for comfort. If EA cleans those up we’ll raise the score another notch, but right now The Sims 4 console versions could still use a little work.