Kaye's Days

Here’s a topic I swore to never discuss again, but I think it’s evident by now I’m bad at keeping my promises to myself.

Sadly, the problems I had with Sims 4 years ago still exist today for me. While I haven’t rejoined the fandom, I’m aware it’s currently divided over those who are ready for Sims 5 and those who Sims 4 to continue. I’m in the camp of “the series needs to end”. Prior to Sims 4, the same complaints happened when Sims 3 was nearing its end. I’m not convinced Sims 5 will cure the issues so many players have with Sims 4, nor do I understand the expectation another iteration will prove better if it’s made by the same team. In my opinion, it seems it’ll be an endless cycle.

For me, the biggest problem with Sims 4 is no matter how much content is added to the game, the characters themselves still have less depth than a one-foot pool of water. After six years (9/2/2014), it’s clear that’s an issue that isn’t fixable.

In spite of all of the above, I can’t say I haven’t gotten some enjoyment out of Sims 4, despite Sims 3 is still my top played games of the series. The most recent pack, one themed around Star Wars, is the first I have no intention of buying. Seven years ago, I made a “best to worst” list for Sims 3, so I figured maybe I can do the same for Sims 4. And I’m really, really bored right now.

However, no pictures this time. In total, Sims 4 has thirty-five packs. Minus the stuff ones, that leaves eighteen. No.

Game packs

• Realm of Magic: Magic, spellcasters, useful and sometimes powerful spells, and a magical world. Fork it over! Supernatural is my favorite pack for Sims 3, so this is not a shock. I’m disappointed there are still no fairies in the game, but they did a great job with spellcasters, in my opinion. Supposedly, this pack is loosely based off  Harry Potter. Never read that series a day in my life and I still love this pack, so I guess they did good.
• Vampires: I was surprised I like this one so much because, while I love fantasy, vampires aren’t my first choice for supernaturals. But I like how they made the vampires this time around. That said, I like them in TS2 and TS3 too. Forgotten Hollow is too gloomy for my tastes, but it is an environment suited for a vampire. Oh, and I have way too much fun draining sims’ motives.
• Spa Day: Considering I’ve never been to a spa, I didn’t to care much for this one at all. I turned out to like it a lot, and for a while, I would build small spas into my sims’ homes or renovate some lots to be spas. That phase has long passed, but I’m still glad to have this pack, particularly since it brought yoga to the game.
• Parenthood: This would be lower on the list if I didn’t have issues with the packs that will follow it. However, I do like this pack for what it is. I don’t play with children or teens except outside of challenges, but I think the idea of guiding young sims toward certain traits and helping them makes choices through their parents is cool. Of course, since sims in 4 are shallow, it ultimately has no real effect on a child’s upbringing, but it’s fun as a concept. I also like the clothing and items that came along.
• Jungle Adventure: I like adventuring. I don’t like repetitive adventuring. I initially enjoyed this pack, but I found myself having trouble opening locked areas. Supposedly, the way to pass through them was to come back on another trip, but after multiple trips and trying different paths, I never succeeded and I grew exhausted of trying.
• Dine Out: I like this pack a lot, but the reason it’s not higher is it no longer works! At least, not for me. My sims will not eat at all, and sometimes, don’t get a chance to order. I’m not putting it at the bottom because it’s still not the pack I dislike most. But I’d love to see it fixed someday.
• Outdoor Retreat: This was the first game pack for TS4. I was indifferent then and I remain indifferent for the sole reason I don’t like camping. It’s not a bad pack. Just one I have little to say about because it’s not my taste.
• Strangerville: I bought this pack for the military career, laptops, and the new town. Enough said. I like role-playing, not in my simulation games. I played through the story once, and used spoilers to do it (never been someone who cared about spoilers).
• Journey to Batuu: The Star Wars pack. I don’t care about Star Wars. The end. Yes, the lack of a link is on purpose.

Expansion packs

First, let me say most of the expansion packs did not excite me. The ones I expected to like turned out to annoy me or I didn’t care for them in the end.

• Island Living: I think this is the one pack I can sincerely say I like and that’s attributed solely to mermaids (which I really think are better than TS3 ones) and the island of Sulani. A big disappointment for me with this pack was diving is a rabbit hole, compared to how it was semi-open in TS3. I loved diving, so that was a letdown. After I had my fun with mermaids and the island, I paid no more attention to this pack.
• Seasons: It’s not that I don’t enjoy seasons. It’s that I never minded the lack of them to begin with. On top of that, the weather itself and related clothing for it may be the only features I used. The holidays irritate me and I end them as soon as they start because I’m not interested. The worst is the gnomes. They are hard to get rid of, if you can get rid of them.
• Get to Work: I was very excited about this pack because it brought three new careers and was the first pack to allow you to follow your sims to work. Turns out that loses its charm quickly. The necessary tasks are very repetitive and, at higher levels, it’s a struggle to get the tasks you need to succeed. Eventually, I let my sims go to work without me following them because I would be bored either way.
• City Living: The apartments themselves were a disappointment when it turned out they were less customizable than Sims 2! The reason I’m rating this pack at #4 instead of further down is, at one point, I used San Myshuno a lot, often for a change of scenery, and I like the different districts each offering something.
• Cats & Dogs: This would be rated higher if not for the big focus specifically on cats and dogs, and the stuff pack, My First Pet Stuff, made specifically for it. However, it brought back the color wheel, and though it’s only for pets, I am glad to have it at all. So, my feelings about this one are ultimately mixed, but I can say cats and dogs are what I like it least for.
• Get Famous: I’ve never cared for the celebrity lifestyle, but I do like this particular system. Also, I found the acting career to be fun, if a bit silly, and I was able to enjoy it longer before it got repetitive. I suppose the silly scenes sims act out help. I like watching my sims onstage.
• Discover University: I think three of these packs now prove what I already knew: I don’t care about school in the game. None of the systems in any iteration make me like this pack. But it’s still not the worst for me.
• Eco Living: This one falls under “I don’t care about it, but it’s still not the worst”.
• Get Together: This pack is the one I deem the worst. Why? For me, it’s utterly boring. All of the above expansion packs have a few things I like about them, but this one has nothing for me. I used the clubs for less than a week. I forget I have this pack at all. I don’t even use the clothes or items much, if at all. I can’t remember. Apparently, this is one of the most popular packs. I’ve yet to find the appeal, so I chalk it up to “whatever”.