Highlights
- Modding communities play a vital role in improving the quality of games like The Sims 4, and their contributions should leave a mark on Project Rene, which many have already been referring to as The Sims 5.
- Mods like Slice of Life, MeaningfulStories, and Wonderful Whims add depth and realism to The Sims 4's gameplay, and their ideas should be included in The Sims 5.
- The Height Slider and MC Command Center mods address the limitations of character creation and relationships in The Sims 4 and should be improved upon in The Sims 5.
Regardless of the level of polish in a game, modding communities usually have an integral role in building a higher-quality experience for fans. A brief look at some of the most popular RPGs in modern history, such as Skyrim and Fallout 4, highlights the importance of individual modders. Similarly, The Sims has benefitted from mods since the early days of The Sims 2's InTeen. The Sims 4 contains an ever-expanding plethora of custom content, and given the far-reaching usage levels in the player base, it stands to reason that some of the title's most realistic enhancements should be the focus of Project Rene, a game that is already being dubbed The Sims 5 by many.
With The Sims 5 seemingly in the early stages of its development under the Project Rene codename, discussions are rife about the areas Electronic Arts and Maxis need to improve upon the most in the upcoming title. Although the life simulator franchise is plenty realistic in The Sims 4, its depictions could get significantly better, from furniture crafting to character creation. While fans expect a flurry of changes to grace The Sims 5's gameplay, Project Rene could draw on some of the most impactful mods to improve the series.
The Sims 5's Free to Download Approach Puts It Between a Rock and a Hard Place
The Sims 5 will reportedly be free-to-download at launch, but the strategy poses a few questions about EA's plan for content packs.
Mods Have Revolutionary Potential for The Sims 5
Compiling a list of the best Sims 4 mods can be a tall order, since many immensely improve the title's gameplay. However, judging from their popularity and elements of realism, the following custom content would be best implemented in The Sims 5.
- Slice of Life
- Height Slider
- MeaningfulStories
- Wonderful Whims
- MC Command Center
Slice of Life and MeaningfulStories' Personality Offerings Add Depth to Sims
Created by KawaiiStacie, Slice of Life is one of the go-to mods to add flavor to The Sims 4. Detail is crucial in gaming, and while The Sims 4's expansion packs give life to the base game, they pale compared to Slice of Life. The mod sports a wide range of improvements, like a Menstrual System for female Sims and a memory system for Sims to discuss past events. The 16 personality types on offer influence hobby and career choice. Slice of Life gave The Sims 4 a realistic feel that would be sorely missed in The Sims 5's base game, and players will be hoping the developer delivers another high-quality content pack in The Sims 5.
Similarly, MeaningfulStories by RoBurky and Turbodriver's Wonderful Whims have the potential to grant The Sims 5 some much-needed depth. Moods and emotions play an instrumental role in a Sim's life, influencing a wide range of actions; from crying in front of the mirror while sad to doing push-ups on the floor in a burst of energy. MeaningfulStories expands on The Sims 4's emotion mechanics by allowing reactions to notable events to dictate a Sim's mood more than smaller ones.
On the other hand, Wonderful Whims is the safe-for-work version of the infamous Wicked Whims, featuring much of the same romantic dynamics. Sims' gender preferences can be randomized, and traits like polyamorism can create intriguing storylines in The Sims 4. The character specialization options from Wonderful Whims and MeaningfulStories are too good to miss out on The Sims 5 and need to feature in Project Rene's fan content as early as possible.
The Sims 5's Character Creation Could Get a Rework Through Height Slider and MC Command Center
Default character creation options are hardly ever enough for simulator players, and modders are best equipped to address some of the most lacking areas in this regard. The Height Slider mod by Luumia, although simple in design, addresses this problem expertly. In the base game, every Sim in the same age range, from Infant to Elder, stands at the same height. Height Slider fixes this subtle issue, but since it wasn't part of the base game, some interactions like hugging can appear wonky. With some under-the-hood physics tweaking to accommodate every height, fans could look forward to increased character variety through the mod's systems in The Sims 5.
Likewise, although not as visually stark as the Height Slider, the MC Command Center is often considered a must-have for The Sims faithful. One of The Sims 4's knocks is that Sims' relationships largely stay the same. The MC Command Center spices things up a little by tweaking probabilities of divorce, random marriages, adoption, and pregnancy rates, to name only a few. Although The Sims 5 has no official development timeline as yet, the upcoming installment should bring a host of changes to breathe new life into the franchise, and an improved MC Command Center could be an even bigger hit for the new game.
