The Sims 4 – What No One Tells You

If you are a fan of life simulation games, then you will most likely know The Sims a series developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. The franchise began with The Sims, which was released in 2000, followed by The Sims 2 released in 2004, The Sims 3 released in 2009, and The Sims 4 which was released in 2014.

For The Sims 4 so far have been released 17 expansion packs, 12 game packs, several stuff packs, and some various kit packs which are mini packs of content with a very specific theme. Sounds amazing to have access to so much content right? Let me give you a more detailed point of view though.

Create a Sim

First things first. To play the game you need to create a Sim, so you will have to choose a pre-made one or create one of your own, right? Right!

Creating a Sim from scratch is something I enjoy doing so much and of course millions of other Simmers. You have plenty of options starting from the basics such as adjusting the height, weight, hair, eyes, face, etc using the detail edit mode which allows players to get certain parts of their Sims’ bodies exactly as they want.

You can also choose traits and aspirations but these are limited so far. Pick your name, your voice, your walking style even your pronouns, and your age group. Clothing is another part of creating a Sim and gives you plenty of options from clothing sets, to accessories even costumes. Trust me you will really enjoy spending time creating your Sim in CAS Mode (Create a Sim Mode).

Build mode

Ok, our Sim has been created and now we need a house to start his journey. In The Sims 4, you can choose one of the available pre-build houses or empty lots where you can build your own house or maybe even a castle.

Build mode is very easy to use and the only part I found a bit challenging was using the roof tool. I mean, common, these roofs need an architect’s degree to make them work. Other than that, you have plenty of options when it comes to building and decorating your house, beautiful tiles, wallpapers, amazing windows and doors, many many decorative items, and pool and lake options too. Curtains and Kitchen options on the other hand are L I M I T E D in the base game and you will definitely need to get a few (or not) DLC to gain access to more content.

Work and Skills

Working is going to be needed to earn Simoleons and build the life you dream. Full-time or part-time job whatever you choose to get, here’s the list of job options the base game offers you, that will help you decide what’s best for your Sim:

Choosing a career path will get you started from the bottom of the career ladder and you will have to make your way up by getting promotions through some daily tasks. Choosing not to do what’s needed will result in low work performance and your progress will be slower.

With every promotion you unlock items that you can use and show everyone how successful you are. In case you don’t like your job, you can always quit and find a new one or become self-employed and start writing books or selling your paintings. Getting some DLC will again unlock more work options.

Life skills are also an important aspect of the game. They will help you improve in certain areas and that can also be important to any career you choose to have. Here are the life skills offered on the base game:

For adults:

• Charisma
• Comedy
• Cooking
• Fishing
• Fitness
• Gardening
• Gourmet cooking
• Guitar
• Handiness
• Logic
• Mischief
• Mixology
• Painting
• Piano
• Photography
• Programming
• Rocket science
• Video gaming
• Violin
• Writing

For toddlers:

• Communication
• Imagination
• Movement
• Potty
• Thinking

For children:

• Creativity
• Mental
• Motor
• Social

Worlds

The Sims 4 base game has 3 worlds Willow Creek, Oasis Springs, and Newcrest. Some DLC give you access to new worlds to explore and enjoy. So far there are 26 worlds in total listed below:

• Henford-on-Bagley
• Willow Creek
• Oasis Springs
• Newcrest
• Granite Falls
• Magnolia Promenade
• Forgotten Hollow
• Brindleton Bay
• Selvadorada
• Windenburg
• San Myshuno
• Glimmerbrook
• Britechester
• Evergreen Harbor
• Mt. Komorebi
• Del Sol Valley
• StrangerVille
• Sulani
• Batuu
• Tartosa
• Moonwood Mill
• Copperdale
• San Sequoia
• Chestnut Ridge
• Tomarang
• Ciudad Enamorada

The game offers great visuals so every world looks amazing and offers different exploration options and things to do.

There are some downsides though, one of them is that worlds are small and not customizable as they used to be in the previous series of the game and the other one is loading screens which are truly annoying since they pop up every time you want to travel or even go for a walk across the street.

Other than that every world in The Sims 4 offers a different theme and has hidden secrets available for you to explore them.

PC Requirements

Conclusion

The Sims 4 is a game that you will enjoy even as a base game, soon enough though, you will realize that you will need to get some access to DLC since the options are limited and you can get bored soon. In some cases, you will need access to cheat codes to make your life a bit easier. The good news is that the game is now Free to Play and available on Steam so you can give it a try and enjoy playing.