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Today I’m sharing my inner tech-geek side. Yes, I totally have one! Growing up computers were not as significant as they are today. My parents didn’t even own one! So how did both my brother and I become such tech lovers, I have no idea?! One of the first computer games I ever played was Sim City, and I was immediately hooked. I loved the interaction and control involved in building your own town, so when #CollectiveBias reached out to me about doing a review of The Sims™ 4, I was all over it.
The Sims™ 4 released literally days ago, Sept 2nd to be exact. I headed to Walmart with my little guy in tow and picked up a Limited Edition version of the game. It was pretty easy to locate, I just stopped over at the PC Gaming section to purchase it. By the way, you can also grab a free pack of Sour Patch Kids by Stride with your purchase!
Getting Started with The Sims™ 4:
Wow…the latest PC game has really changed from the original version! I immediately noticed how advanced the graphics have become. What’s different about The Sims™ 4 is how emotionally-aware the characters are. The Sims™ 4 has completely rebuilt its creative tools to be intuitive, powerful, tactile and lots of fun.
When Creating a SIM I noticed there were a ton of customization options, including body type. Using the tools you can really customize your character to be one-of-a-kind. Everyone meet my SIM, Girl Nextdoor. I tried to make her look as closely to myself as I could. It was funny to see my SIMS reaction to trying on different clothing, hairstyles, and accessories. You can even select your SIMS “walk.” The only option I saw missing was the ability to create hair highlights.
See those items off to the left of my SIM? Those are aspirations I picked for her. I selected her main focus to be on family, have a love for the outdoors and have an outgoing personality. There are different pros and cons to the aspirations you select, so choose wisely. 🙂
Next I purchased a property in Oasis Springs and began crafting my home in Build Mode. This was A LOT of fun. It’s easier and faster for you to create exactly the Sims and the homes you’ve always wanted in The Sims™ 4. I noticed there was a learning curve to the building process, but I was off and running fairly quickly. You have options from the foundation, to the wall locations, paint color, flooring, and much more.
One thing I want to point out is that your SIM will not be able to enter the home without steps if you have any sort of home foundation. Girl Nextdoor showed those emotions I mentioned earlier when she was frustrated because she couldn’t enter her own home. After a quick Google search I learned that I needed stairs and quickly added one, then voila she was able to open the door and go inside.
Something else I noticed is that SIMS can multitask for the first time ever. They can chat on the phone or search the web while cooking, which my character likes to do. I also chose a career for her because my Sims money quickly depleted once I built my home.
Once you’ve created your SIM and built a home, you’re ready to go into Play Mode. Immediately my character was inspired to cook something. Since you have to build on your skills I had a few options for food choices and selected grilled cheese. It was pretty cool to watch her open the fridge and actually prepare, cook, and eat the sandwich. Girl Nextdoor went off for a job next and I selected different characters during her run for her to interact with.
#TheSims4 is very realistic. The Sims themselves, are smarter, more relatable, and emotionally aware beings whose every action is affected by what they’re thinking and how they’re feeling. These Smarter SIMS have traits, skills, and aspirations that affect their behavior like never before. The SIMS can even react to the style of decor in your home.
Another aspect of the game that has been redesigned is how much easier it is to share creations, or bring the world’s creations into your game with a few simple clicks. With the new Gallery function, uploading and downloading creations is easier than ever before.
In honor of The Sims™ 4 Launch, they are holding a huge contest!
Have you ever played The Sims™ PC game before?
Rachel says
I love, love, love The Sims. The only problem is I get sucked in and play for hours.
Jennifer H says
I hear ya Rachel! 🙂
Anne says
This is such fun, I just had to kick my son off the computer because he was playing Sims for over an hour. I was playing yesterday when I should have been making dinner.
strangedazeindeed says
I haven’t played The Sims myself but I’ve heard it’s very addictive and fun!
Richard Hicks says
Its been a while since playing an older version. Will have to check out the latest.