(photo credit: The Sims 4. Screenshot by me. The look my Sim gives me after he is inspired to make the most difficult drink he knows how to make.) xbox live: QuantumPunk89
The Sims has a wonderful legacy, and I’ve always been a fan. It is the ultimate casual game and easy to sink time into. It isn’t too stressful, although conflict certainly arises. I have been playing since the original and what a phenomenon the Sims have become. I recently picked up the latest, Sims 4, on sale, and Electronic Arts has really delivered a stellar product.
I bought the game for my Xbox, a huge risk as this game was designed for PC. I have played old Sims games on console and it has historically been a nightmare. Hard to make selections, hard to micromanage anything, and the build mode is a travesty. They’ve corrected most of the previous problems by making smooth controls that make it easy to adjust the time scale in-game. And Sim AI is actually fairly decent. Build mode is still a disaster, however. Which is a shame because building is possibly my favorite part of the Sims. It doesn’t respond well, the controls are clunky and unnatural, and getting the builder to do what you want is aggravatingly difficult. Nigh impossible.
Sims in this game have very dynamic moods. These are partially driven by personality traits. For example, if your Sim is a foodie, they will be happy when they eat high quality food. Or a neat Sim will be uncomfortable in a messy place. Unique moods create unique opportunities. For example, if you have an inspired Sim paint a picture, it will be worth more, and make them happier for doing so, it if it is skill-related they level up faster.
On top of their core aspirations, Sims have smaller goals that change over time and with moods. Completing these small objectives give your Sim a mood boost. They are also mostly determined by moods and aspirations. So, my foodie Sim may have an objective to prepare a meal for someone.
There are a lot of expansions and content packs available on PC and console. Many of them are very attractive. Especially, to me, City Living, in which you can live in an urban environment and rent an apartment. Cats and Dogs is an expansion that gives you an easy way to meet loner Sims’ social needs. Another very enticing expansion allows you to follow your Sim to work instead of them just disappearing from the house. And just announced, since I first wrote this article, is “Discover University” and I am here for it.
HereticDerek 