Highlights
- ReShade is a program that enhances the graphics of The Sims 4, allowing players to create immersive and realistic environments.
- Fans have created their own presets using ReShade, such as Dove 2.0, Athena, and Softee, which offer soft lighting, pastel vibes, and inclusive features, respectively.
- Other presets like Strawberry Milk Tea and Sunset Skies add vibrancy and subtle brightness, while Rosemary creates a magical and ethereal atmosphere in the game.
When it comes to making an immersive game, having the right lighting and aesthetics is key. While TheSims 4 does have some brilliant graphics, it falls short when it comes to realism. Luckily, there is a brilliant program called ReShade which will significantly enhance the graphics of the game. It's genuinely amazing how different the game becomes with just a few changes. After the release of ReShade, fans have been creating and sharing their own presets that others can use to make their worlds look better.
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For players who don't have ReShade installed already, it can be downloaded from here. There is also a brilliant in-depth tutorial by MissLollypopSims on YouTube, which explains how to set it up properly.
Once set up, feel free to download the desired preset from the list below. When it's downloaded, grab the file and drop it into the Sims 4 game folder. ReShade should automatically pick it up. Upon a relaunch of the game, it can be found in the drop-down menu at the very top of the in-game UI.
Unfortunately, ReShade does not work on macOS.
1 Dove 2.0 - KindleSpice
Reason: Soft Lighting
This is a highly popular preset by KindleSpice, bringing some gorgeous lighting to the game. The colors of this preset have pink and purple tones, creating a soft pastel effect within the environment. This is a fantastic mod for players who enjoy a soft and subtle change to the game. It's not incredibly obvious, but it makes a huge difference when compared to unshaded gameplay.
The creator of this preset recently released an updated version, fixing a few issues and adding hotkeys to toggle ambient light.
2 Athena - NetworkSims
Reason: Pastel Vibes
Athena is yet another soft, pastel preset but is arguably more vivid than others. The purple tint adds a gorgeous dreamy atmosphere to the game, enhancing the sunsets and sunrises to make them even more ethereal. There is a certain fantasy feeling to this preset, making it impressive despite it being one of the simpler presets.
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This preset is ideal for fans who are looking to create a romantic tone in their world, catering to those who enjoy telling stories through their saves.
3 Softee - Lustrousims
Reason: Inclusive
This preset by Lustrousims adds a beautiful soft haze to the game, softening the features of the characters and creating a slight blur in the background. The green, cyan, and yellow tones are also softened, and most of the other colors become less saturated. This makes the environment very easy on the eyes and enjoyable to look at.
What's so great about this preset is that it softens the tone of black sims without completely whitewashing them. This is a common issue within Sims 4 presets, so it's great to see creators becoming more aware of this.
4 Strawberry Milk Tea - Malixacc
Reason: Adds Vibrancy
This preset by Malixacc is a lovely brightener that adds a certain liveliness to the game. This subtle shift in lighting brings out the features of the characters, which gives them a new sense of personality. For players who are all about the aesthetics of their families and worlds, this is a great preset to use.
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Keep in mind that this preset also uses a few other shaders and textures, which are listed on the download page! These will help to make the preset look smooth and gorgeous as intended.
5 Citrus Drops - Simdle
Reason: Super Saturated
This preset by Simdle is stunningly saturated and perfect for fans who want a more vivid aesthetic rather than a softer one. The brightness is enhanced, bringing life into the world and creating a dramatic change from the base game atmosphere.
This preset also includes a toggle for the background blur, making it useful for players who aren't too fond of the common blur feature.
6 Sunset Skies - Qwerty
Reason: Subtle Brightness
This preset by Qwerty adjusts the brightness of the game to provide a beautiful summer vibe. Something that sets this apart from other brightening presets is the fact that it doesn't increase the saturation, creating a cozy, warm atmosphere for players to enjoy.
Even this subtle lighting change creates a stunningly unique environment, making it great for screenshots and videos.
7 Rosemary - Aillian
Reason: Ethereal
This preset by Aillian is perfect for players looking to give their game a magical atmosphere. The blend of soft lighting and blur creates a truly gorgeous environment, blurring the background only slightly and keeping the important things in focus. The color palette contains some pretty pastel tones, giving a cozy and ethereal feeling to the game.
It's perfect for gameplay and screenshots, making it ideal for fans who like to create content surrounding their Sims 4 worlds.
