Life by You's Quest System Holds the World on its Shoulders

Paradox Interactive

By Cameron Lucas

Published May 25, 2024

The upcoming life simulation game from Paradox Interactive Life by You is set to focus on several fresh concepts in a genre which has long been dominated by The Sims, but the execution of one of its most original is going to be especially vital. In a situation that is less than ideal for a title competing against other aspiring outings within the same space, the Early Access release of Life by You is now an uncertain amount of time away as it has faced yet another delay. While this has given the game more time to be completed and polished, the passage of time within a growing market leaves the game's success more contingent on the elements that set it apart.

Through showcases of the work-in-progress shown off by the developer, Life by You has been established as a title that is largely based around its robust set of Creator Tools. It's important to note the inclusion of other relatively novel features such as third-person movement while controlling characters, but the game's main focus seems to be within its approach to customization on all levels. The likes of Paralives and inZOI have built up their own hype through vastly different styles, but one major aspect that separates Life by You from The Sims is the game's Quest system.

Why Life by You's Lack of Loading Screens Could Be a Game-Changer

Life By You has the potential to shake up a genre of games that has remained stagnant for a very long time by opening its world to players.

Quests Have the Potential to Break the Life Simulation Mold in Life by You

Tailored Tasks and Meaningful Progression

As part of the Creator Tools available to the player, Quests can be created with detailed criteria for specific controllable characters, called Humans, to fulfill. These can fill a similar role to goals and how they interact with traits in The Sims 4, but there's far more customization in how Life by You handles this kind of gameplay. Players are able to set up a list of objectives that must be completed and the rewards for doing so, down to the amount of experience granted.

With an outwardly supportive stance on modding present through built-in tools, it makes sense that Life by You has an ambitious feature centered around crafting interesting scenarios which can be played out by others. The open-ended nature of the possibilities provided by the title's Quest structure combined with its variety of options in terms of Human and environment alike could allow for a lasting sense of novelty, but this is also going to be a sensitive balance to properly navigate.

Life by You Doesn't Seem to Be Able to Afford to Get Quests Wrong

Lackluster Quest Mechanics Might Make for a Detriment

It's going to be an undeniably unique accomplishment if Life by You nails its Quest system, but they are only going to be as engaging as the content they're connected to. Connecting a series of tasks within a world that isn't properly refined could end up being tedious and distract from the core formula, from both a creator and player perspective. Some fans have expressed excitement regarding the chance to play out what are essentially RPG mechanics, but it needs to be integrated in a way that feels more like a complement than a detour.

Staying in the Life Simulation Lane

There's been pre-determined career paths and light narratives that can play out in expansions within The Sims titles for years, but these have always existed as somewhat emergent systems in line with the spontaneous quality of games within the genre. Life by You's Quests could provide a new sense of direction, but they could also stray too far towards linearity in a game that is seemingly built around the opposite of that sentiment. With an unknown amount of time until Early Access ahead, only time will tell how Paradox manages to deliver on what has the chance to be Life by You's most distinct feature.