The Sims 4

 Xbox One
User Score
3.8

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 73 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 73
  3. Negative: 40 out of 73
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  1. Xbox_Alive
    Jan 2, 2018
    8
    I’ve sunk a huge amount of hours into The Sims over the years and I still see it as one of the best creations to ever present itself to us gamers. When The Sims 4 was first announced for consoles I was very excited, and thankfully it lives up to my expectations quite a lot of the time. There are very few games out there that offer you as much customisation as a Sims game does, and I’m notI’ve sunk a huge amount of hours into The Sims over the years and I still see it as one of the best creations to ever present itself to us gamers. When The Sims 4 was first announced for consoles I was very excited, and thankfully it lives up to my expectations quite a lot of the time. There are very few games out there that offer you as much customisation as a Sims game does, and I’m not exaggerating when I say you can sink hundreds of hours by just chopping and changing things. The replay value overall is second to none and this is a game that you will be playing for year’s to come, which means you definitely get value for your money. I was a little dubious to how the game would run on my console, but thankfully I didn’t need to be dubious because it runs smoothly most of the time. It does however suffer with a few problems and the biggest problem for me is the controls. The controls are very awkward to grasp and without a doubt you can tell that the game was originally designed for PC. They do offer you a tutorial showing you how to work the awkward controls, but unfortunately I ended up becoming more confused because they are a little too complex for their own good. I will say though that they have put almost everything in from the PC experience and I appreciated the effort that has gone in here. The presentation side of the game is what you would expect from a Sims game and everything has been done really well, which is great. At the end of the day fans of The Sims will be very pleased to see that the series has finally made its way to console, and whilst it suffers with a few problems it still plays very well on the console. The thing that really makes The Sims stand out is the amount of replay value it gives you, and it’s very rewarding when playing for long periods so you will definitely get your money’s worth within a couple of weeks, and that’s the main reason why it gets a thumbs up from me.… Expand
  2. DavidG185
    Feb 24, 2020
    8
    Sul Sul! The Sims 4 is a really enjoyable game, even though I played it originally on the PC. The Xbox version is pretty decent too, even now with latest updates that includes cross-platform compatibility with the PC or PS4 versions for stuff uploaded to the Gallery. But playing the Xbox felt a little bit weird at first since the game was originally designed for PC but once you ignoreSul Sul! The Sims 4 is a really enjoyable game, even though I played it originally on the PC. The Xbox version is pretty decent too, even now with latest updates that includes cross-platform compatibility with the PC or PS4 versions for stuff uploaded to the Gallery. But playing the Xbox felt a little bit weird at first since the game was originally designed for PC but once you ignore those problems and you learnt the controls, it is actually pretty simple to get the most out of the game. The Base Game is pretty good, but when you add in DLC Packs, it spices the game up very well. it might seem slow at first but the more hours you get into the game, it is actually decently rewarding. Even now the console versions are actually caught up with the PC version when it comes to Pack releases. Even after 5 years of The Sims 4, they are still updating it and even rebranded it to celebrate it, so if you see the original white and the new blues and greens for cover arts, it is pretty obvious. The Sims Team are also pretty good at getting feedback these days compare to launch day, and there has been a couple of community Stuff Packs including Laundry Day and a potential knitting stuff pack. My Recommendation is to try this game out, even if there is bad reviews out there. Yeah, it can be buggy but if you let The Sims Team know they'll get onto it for an update. Other than that, enjoy The Sims 4. Dag dag.… Expand
  3. Whenitfalls
    Feb 28, 2019
    8
    As a lifelong Sims fan and one who has put hundreds of hours not only into the PC versions, but the PS2 and Xbox 360 ports as well, I can honestly say this is a solid port. I understand everyone's experience is different, but I've never encountered any game breaking bugs and glitches. In my experience, the save system works just fine especially if you use the manual save option on theAs a lifelong Sims fan and one who has put hundreds of hours not only into the PC versions, but the PS2 and Xbox 360 ports as well, I can honestly say this is a solid port. I understand everyone's experience is different, but I've never encountered any game breaking bugs and glitches. In my experience, the save system works just fine especially if you use the manual save option on the pause menu.

    If you've played any of the previous console ports then you should expect the controls and UI to be a little challenging at first, but again, I wouldn't say they make the game unplayable by any means. They're not "broken," just a little complicated. If you're patient and take time to read/learn the prompts, it will become second nature. In fact, where it took me a few days to get used to the controls and UI on the 360 port of the Sims 3, it only took me a few hours on this one.

    Yes, the open world feels a little disconnected and not as immersive with the load screens and all, but in my opinion that's never been a strong suit or major focus of the Sims franchise. If you're wanting a genuine open world experience then of course there are better options out there than a Sims game.

    As for the content in the base game, I think it's inaccurate to say it's been stripped at the expense of the DLC. If you compare the customization options for your Sim and lots in the base game to previous entries, it's absolutely a step up. I was worried when I read others' reviews about the lack of content in the base game, but in fact I was a little overwhelmed with the customization options. Of course the DLC is ridiculously overpriced, but I never felt like I was missing out on stuff in the base game- vampires or cool patio stuff weren't going to significantly enhance my experience either way. Even so, it's understandable that people who want to mix up their game play are upset at paying nearly full-price for DLC. Personally, I feel there are tons of customization options and lifestyle choices to keep you busy for hundreds of hours in the base game if you're creative enough.

    As with any PC port, it's not absolutely perfect and I did have a few gripes with it. For example, when in the different UI menus, you can't move the cursor so you have to back out of whatever menu you're in to keep playing. I would've loved an option where I could pin the needs menu to the screen and keep playing instead of having to scroll all the way to right corner every time to see what I needed to take care of next, and then have to exit out of that menu before I could use the cursor again. Another example would be if you wanted to use the sledgehammer to undo something, you have to continuously hit the back button from the different build menus to get to that option. The actual flow between the game play and menu interface feels very disconnected and can get annoying, especially if you have a lot going on at once. When trying to interact with different Sims, you're better off pausing live mode. Other Sims move way too fast on screen for you to move your cursor over and try to interact with them. I felt those interactions were also considerably brief compared to previous entries, so if you're trying to build a relationship with someone, again you're better off pausing the game and filling up the queue or else the interaction will be over before you can decide your next choice. By that point the other Sim might already be walking away or doing something else. I believe the same can be said for your own Sim's actions- to make it easier I never give my Sims full autonomy, but that's completely up to the individual player.

    All in all, if you're a Sims fan and know what to expect from the franchise and haven't picked this up on PC already, I would absolutely recommend the console port. I never experienced the technical issues others have complained about and as far as the amount of content in the game, I never felt like I was missing out and in fact appreciated the amount of customization options compared to previous entries. Of course everyone will have their opinion, but based on my experience with the franchise, I think it's inaccurate to say the majority of the game is locked behind the DLC. Despite the blatant greed that EA puts on display with over $300 worth of DLC, I can say that this is still a solid continuation of the franchise and worth picking up if you've been a Sims fan from the beginning. If you're looking for an incredibly OVERWHELMING amount of content and are unfamiliar with EA's approach to DLC ever since the first Sims expansion packs, an open world experience, or have never played a console port of the Sims (or any Sims game for that matter), I'd recommend some hands-on experience before actually making a decision to purchase. If you know what you're getting into with a console port of the Sims and are a lifelong fan like I am, absolutely go for it.    … Expand
  4. BenjiFish123
    Jul 18, 2023
    10
    I Love This Game! The Very Embarrassed And Mortified Are Always On My Head And Get Me

Awards & Rankings

48
#48 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2017
31
#31 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
66

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 19
  3. Negative: 2 out of 19
  1. Gaming Age
    Feb 6, 2018
    42
    What makes it really frustrating is that The Sims 4 has so much potential to be great with so many customization options. The game even throws people like me a bone, allowing you to give your Sim clear motivations and emotions, and it tailors the gameplay around that. But, cruelly, it makes doing all those things a massive chore, meaning that unless you really, really like moving your cursor slowly around the screen, you’re not going to get much out of it.
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  2. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Jan 5, 2018
    70
    The game plays better with a mouse but this is still the full Sims 4 experience. [Jan 2018, p.80]
  3. Game Over Online
    Dec 20, 2017
    75
    In short, The Sims 4 on consoles is designed to appeal to fans of the series that may not already have a copy on their PC or don’t have a new enough PC to run it. That leaves a limited audience for this game to those who are not hardcore enough to own it on PC, but interested enough to buy on consoles. Add in the fact that EA made very little effort toward making the execution of the game cater to the console audience (and left a considerable amount of bugs un-patched), one begins to wonder how many copies they actually plan on selling. If you can run this game on your PC, save yourself the headache and enjoy it there. If the console version is your only option and you can overlook the multitude of technical issues, the rest of the game does deliver the Sims goodness for which you laid out your precious simoleons.
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