mrz428 The Sims 4 Review

If you want to play the Sims 4 (and enjoy it), prepare to splurge on countless packs that add many mechanics into the game, such as many romance (Lovestruck) and family (Growing Together) interactions that should've been in the base game already. Gameplay is repetitive, as the interactions seem shallow and similar. Even with traits, sims lack individuality. Romantic and platonic relationships lack the depth needed for players who enjoy serious storytelling. Many interactions feel repetitive because they are the same animation disguised in different titles. Complex relationships or interactions aren't really a thing anymore in the Sims 4. Many choices feel inconsequential. For example in the Sims 2, one choice could cause your Sim to immediately be fired or demoted, but in the Sims 4 a similar choice would cause you to lose just a little bit of job performance. However, If you want your sim to face a major consequence as the direct result of a choice, you will need the Get Famous pack, for example, to retire your sim for fame. A somewhat saving grace are sentiments which provide some repercussions for actions in the base game. A loving or a rude interaction can cause sentiments between sims that slightly add a sense of sincerity to Sims' personalities. The most enjoyable parts of this game are Create a Sim and build mode. CAS is much more lively with custom content, but if you aren't into mods then you’ll need a bunch of packs/kits for a larger variety of hairstyles and outfits. Still, they do occasionally update the base game with some new hairs/clothes. Plus, the graphics are much better compared to older entries in the franchise. Personally, I have played this game a lot and poured numerous hours into CAS making countless sims. That said, if storytelling is not really your style, you can still have fun by creating sims, building unique lots, attempting sims challenges (100 babies, rags to riches, legacy, etc.) or creating specific scenarios like removing the ladder from the pool and adding a wall around it ;) Nevertheless, I give this game 2.5 stars as I believe the core elements like storytelling, individuality between sims, and having a large variety of impactful interactions between Sims, are extremely lacking in this installment compared to previous games.