Now that the most highly requested expansion for The Sims 4 is finally out and we're just about done with all the content seen in past games, the question of a fifth installment in the series is more present than ever on the lips of Simmers. While everyone has their own idea of what the perfect Sims game should look like, there are a few features that almost everyone can unanimously agree upon. We're here to share five things we believe The Sims 5 needs to avoid from The Sims 4 and five iconic features from previous games it should totally bring back for good, and which we desperately miss in The Sims 4.
10 Avoid: Bland Child Friendliness
The Sims franchise has changed a lot since it was first created. The look of the game is much more cartoon-like and seems to cater to a younger audience. Granted, its earlier players have grown past the typical gaming age, but the majority of players remain teens and young adults rather than children. Because of this, many fans have felt like the game has become too tame and not as quirky and funny as it used to be back in the day. Can you believe The Sims had a vibrating bed? Or that The Sims 2 had cutscenes for romantic interactions? There's something to miss!
9 Bring Back: Color Wheel & Patterns
One of the things that made The Sims 3 incredibly unique and amazing was just how much customization the player could do. Just about any color and pattern was widely available for each player and you could customize most furniture, pieces of clothing and even hair and makeup to your liking.
The Sims 4 didn't bring back this feature, which understandably upset a lot of fans. Customization is what this game should be all about, which is why it needs to be brought back in The Sims 5. Alternatively, we could at least do with a lot more swatches.
8 Avoid: Content Trickle
When The Sims 4 was first released, it looked like a half-finished game. Many of the important features that make the game so good and fun to play were just plain absent. Pools, toddlers, ghosts and the like only made their appearance months after. Not to mention, many of its game packs, expansions and stuff packs provide very little content for the amount Simmers are paying for them, compared to past game expansions that were massive in size with tons of new things to do. With The Sims 5, we hope content will not trickle in and leave fans impatiently waiting for their favorite feature.
7 Bring Back: Sense Of Challenge
Over the years the whole game experience has definitely improved in the franchise. There are more things to do overall, and more variants at play. However, it has also become quite easy to play. It's simple to have your Sim lead a perfect life and quickly earn money to become rich. This wasn't always the case. Back in the day, The Sims was extremely challenging. While we certainly don't miss the days of spending most of your time appeasing your Sims' needs, we could definitely use a bit more challenge and random events to bring back the spice into the gameplay.
6 Avoid: Lack Of Personality
The Sims 4 allows you to select three traits for your Sim, which might seem like a lot. The amount of them looks significant, too, but this is actually an illusion and a step back. In The Sims 3, you could have five traits total, which made your Sims more interesting and the gameplay a lot more dynamic overall.
One of the biggest fixes Simmers have been asking is for more personality traits and options to choose from. With each expansion, it's been a big disappointment to see there are almost no traits. This is a huge oversight by EA, and should be one of the main fixes for the future.
5 Bring Back:Â Fears & Memories
Only true fans will remember just how awesome The Sims 2 was for these two reasons alone: fears and memories. The game would record major moments your Sim would go through in a memories tab, which made it feel like an actual real person. Not to mention, it was nice to reminisce in past events. Fears, on the other hand, provided your Sims with something akin to anti-whims, random events that could throw them off at a moment's notice and really challenge your gameplay. We absolutely need these to come back!
4 Avoid: Rabbit Holes
A simulation game based on life obviously thrives on letting us experience every part of our Sims' lives. However, in recent years, EA has taken a lot of liberties by cutting down experiences in favor of rabbit holes. Rabbit holes are basically dialogue boxes that pop up explaining what your Sim is doing rather than us actually seeing it or having real control over it. The best example is how adventuring in the tombs and jungles in The Sims 4 is mostly rabbit holes, while in The Sims 3 they were all detailed maps and levels created from top to bottom. Rabbit holes are damaging because they take away from immersion, which is why The Sims 5 needs to avoid them at all cost.
3 Bring Back: Daily Quests
Many Simmers have complained that The Sims 4 is ultimately pretty boring, unless you have mods installed to provide you with better immersion. With everything so repetitive and simple, it's hard to really get into the gameplay unless you spice it up yourself. However, you don't really need mods to change gameplay.
The Sims 3 solved this by providing your Sim with opportunities. These were basically mini-quests that could range from collecting items in the world to entering a rabbit hole for a set amount of time. They gave our Sims a purpose, something to do when there was nothing else to do. And we want them back.
2 Avoid: Small Worlds With No Customization
One of the greatest shortcomings of The Sims 4 is its lack of world editing tools. Each neighborhood is relatively small, with no customization or world editing tool. You can't place down empty lots where you want or add trees or other details. If anything, it looks like something out of a cheap mobile game. The worst offender in the series is Del Sol Valley, which has almost no lots at all. Although the gurus tried to explain this off by saying it was due to you being able to join your Sim into the studios, it just doesn't cut it for fans who know they've had better in the past.
1 Bring Back: World Create Mode
If there was one game in the series that really knew how to bring customization to the next level, it was The Sims 2. Not only could you make your own neighborhoods, you could also edit the maps to a large degree, place lots wherever you pleased and add small details to bring your neighborhood to live. There was nothing cooler than this when it first came out, and we'd be lying if we said we didn't spend hours creating our own perfect little neighborhood with our favorite families. If this doesn't return, we'll be severely disappointed.