The Sims™ 4 review

The Sims 4 is definitely a new-generation game. I've been testing this game for quite some time and I have a lot to say. Sit back and read my experience of creating and managing my sim Jess.

One of The Sims™ 4's major allurements is its detailed character customization. In earlier iterations, body shaping was limited, but the level of physical customization provided by Create-a-Sim is truly transformative. It gives twofold advantages: you can craft your Sim in such a way that encapsulates your ideal fantasy and, more importantly, represents a more diverse and empowering body-positive outlook. 

With Jess, her character customization was an illustrative process. I decided to break away from traditional stereotypical character designs and I gave Jess wide hips and thicker thighs. This brought forward an authentic body that represents a huge part of the real world population. The options are endless: want to give a Sim broader shoulders or a leaner upper body? All possible. Appreciating body positivity is about recognizing beauty in various forms and sizes, and The Sims™ 4 doesn't disappoint with the multitude of physical forms on offer.

Next came the personalization of her stride. A walk style might seem trivial, but in The Sims™ 4, it's a powerful expression of a character's persona. Choose from a ‘tough’ walk to a ‘feminine’ saunter, to imbue your Sims with unique personality traits right down to their smallest habits—just like real people. Jess, for instance, got a jovial stride that swings her wide hips that, in addition to her swishy style, adds a certain jovial charisma to her character.

There is a triumph in interactive design here: the process feels less like selecting from a prescribed list of body types or styles and more like carving out a human that is truly your creation. The Sims™ 4 has tapped into an understanding that uniqueness is an intrinsic part of human beauty - the same ethos that drives body positivity in our real-world societies. Through providing a safe, digital space to celebrate diversity, it allows players to make a statement about the acceptance of diverse body types and strut their creations, like Jess, with unabashed confidence. It's undeniable that this level of customization has made The Sims™ 4 a more personalized, immersive, and body-positive mode of gaming entertainment.

Assigning personality traits to your Sim is a vital part of the experience. Jess was programmed with four unique traits, bringing a layer of authenticity and emotional range to her character. These traits impact her day-to-day life, triggering a multitude of emotions. Jess, being a romantic, frequently felt flirtatious, opening up many amusing interaction options.

The emotional behaviours of characters touchingly reflect their traits and situations. The excitement of watching Jess mopping energetically or her husband sharing his dreams makes the game engaging. Notably, to enjoy these interactions fully, Sims need to socialize, manifesting the importance of stepping outside home boundaries.

However, The Sims™ 4 slightly falters by having a smaller world, unlike its predecessor. Trips to the next door or public places disrupt the fun with jarring loading screens. The small world and similar venues make the gaming encounter repetitious over time. Moreover, developing new social connections through work has oddly been exempt, making life in this universe feel a bit stifling.

Despite these setbacks, The Sims™ 4 builds an immersive social world. The new multi-tasking options let Sims work on various activities at once, making their lives seem immensely realistic. It feels organic to see Sims communicating while performing everyday tasks - the game excels in making these moments feel genuine.

Laced with minor imperfections, The Sims™ 4 offers a lively and realistic encounter in a virtual world. Its celebration of body positivity, emotion-driven characters, and revamped household building mode brings an engaging gaming experience. Nonetheless, a larger, more interactive world would have undoubtedly augmented the fun of playing The Sims™ 4.