Summary

• The Sims 4 has faced criticism for lack of depth and repetitive gameplay. When comparing it to Sims 3, there's a lot to be desired.
• The abundance of expensive DLC has been a major issue for fans, pushing the game's storage limits and frustrating players.
• Comparisons to The Sims 3 highlight the shortcomings of The Sims 4, with the older game praised for its spontaneity and depth in gameplay.

The lowest-rated and most divisive mainline Sims game, The Sims 4, has been a constant thorn in the side of many a fan since it first released a decade ago in 2014, but it wasn't until I picked up its predecessor, The Sims 3, that I truly understood the fandom's many, many issues with the newer game. Now they're my issues too.

My Sims journey began back in 2000 with the release of the original The Sims. 2004 saw the release of Sims 2, which evolved from the first game with new life stages, improved graphics, better social interactions, and pretty much everything else that makes the series what it's known as today. From there, The Sims franchise slipped past me until 2018 when I picked up The Sims 4. In 2024 I own most of the DLC and have nearly 700 hours in-game. While I missed out on Sims 3, it's safe to say I'm definitely a fan of Sims 4. Or was.

What's Everyone's Issue With The Sims 4?

Why Is It The Most Controversial Sims Game?

If you're like me and skipped a Sims release (or have never played it before), you might be pleasantly surprised with The Sims 4. There are a lot of things to love, including the graphics and the fact the base game is free-to-play, which makes it approachable for newcomers. However, the Sims community has been extremely vocal when it comes to their general dislike of 4, with arguably the biggest being a lack of depth and meaningful gameplay.

It's true that a lot of features of The Sims 4 require a little more imagination than others. Rabbit holes - when a Sim isn't shown interacting with an event or item but instead disappears off-screen - for example, continue to disappoint players. Sims themselves are also arguably too easy to take care of, relationships too easy to form, and money too easy to make. They're also a little predictable in their emotions and wishes, which can make playthroughs feel repetitive. This is a recurring issue as even the game's random events feel scripted and inconsequential.

...even the game's random events feel scripted and inconsequential.

One of the community's biggest issues with The Sims 4 is, of course, the abundance of DLC. In 2024, purchasing every Sims expansion and piece of content will run you over $1,000 USD which is a staggering sum for a video game. What's perhaps more frustrating is that the additional content adds a lot of gameplay that should arguably be base-game, like different seasons of the year, or some of the more basic elements of the Parenting pack.

Another issue with DLC is that, not only are you spending more, but you also end up pushing your PC (or console) to its limits. EA recently announced a new team has been created to specifically target issues with Sims 4 and its storage needs, but there are already plenty of players who have been pushed out of the game due to its growing storage demands. The Sims 4 is too big for its boots, while simultaneously not being enough to please its millions of fans.

What Sims 3 Taught Me About Sims 4

Is Sims 3 Really The Better Game?

One recurring message I've gleaned from The Sims community over the years is that "The Sims 3 is better than Sims 4." As mentioned, I completely skipped over The Sims 3 so I always took this sentiment with a grain of salt. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and every time I personally looked at a Sims 3 screenshot or watched a YouTube video, I found the game unforgiveably ugly. I really couldn't see the appeal.

That said, I have had Sims 3 and its expansions installed on my PC since 2022 thanks to a very good Steam deal. I stuck my toes in for a week or so at the time but got fully overwhelmed by the sheer level of content. I noped out and headed back to the safety and predictability of The Sims 4 until this month when I wanted to find out the answer to my burning questions: "Is everyone right about The Sims 4?" and "Is The Sims 3 truly superior?"

The answers? Yes. Playing The Sims 3 properly for the first time in 2024 has proven to me just how shallow The Sims 4 is. By comparison, its gameplay feels scripted, the mechanics lack depth, and the world is largely empty. Perhaps most glaringly obvious is what the series lost in the move from 3 to 4: the relatable feelings of spontaneity and general weirdness the series has had from the beginning. Playing Sims 3 (with expansions) feels like anything is possible, whether that's zombies on your doorstep or time-travelling to visit your descendants.

In The Sims 4, my teenage Sim might be having a mood swing that impacts very little. In The Sims 3, my teenage Sim wants to break curfew, egg the neighbors, and skip school. The Sims 3 feels alive where The Sims 4 feels like it might get better if I buy just one more Pack. Now my eyes have been opened, it's going to be hard to go back to Sims 4.

What EA Can Learn For Sims 5

The Next Sims Can't Be Another Step Back

Unfortunately for EA, the first 10 years of The Sims 4 have been a rollercoaster of highs and lows for Simmers, with even those peak highs failing to meet those of its predecessor. Sims 4 clearly leaves a lot to be desired, so where does that put Sims 5? Sims 5, currently known as Project Renee, has been confirmed to be in development at EA. The game will have a focus on realism and multiplayer, which seems to have some fans interested and others already turning away.

After pivoting from Sims 4 to 3, I can safely say that what Sims 5 really needs is to embrace the fun of the earlier Sims games. Bring back the fairies, jet packs, and the egging of houses, Generations, and the myriad of travel options from The Sims 3. Bring some nostalgia back from previous iterations of The Sims: burglaries, more mature themes from the original game, and the lore we saw so much of in Sims 2. Making Sims feel like real people with real lives is a trick The Sims 4 sorely missed - hopefully The Sims 5 can make it right.