TS4: Best To Worst

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.

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Top Six Cutest: Galar Pokemon

I’m just going to say it. I think the most of generation eight’s pokemon are hideous! This is the first game I didn’t use any of the region’s new pokemon because I simply hated the majority. I created a team in Pokemon Sun and waited until Pokemon Home released so I could transfer it into Pokemon Shield to play. I didn’t even use my starter, and I don’t think the starters are awful (they’ve grown on me a little, but not enough that I want to use them). And no, not all of my favorite pokemon are cute nor do I think all pokemon should be. Heck, the team I transferred had some pokemon I wouldn’t consider cute (like Trapinch and its evolution line) and I put Absol, who I don’t consider cute (but cool), on a previous list. So, cute is merely one preference.

Still, Galar was difficult. Like with my Alola list, I couldn’t pick out ten cute Galar pokemon, although I did manage to make it a little longer than that one. So, here we go! The cutest Galar pokemon.

I’m thinking I find Scorbunny cute because I adore bunnies in general, though I think it’d look better without that bandaid-looking mark between its eyes. Its evolution line is also probably the least bad-looking of the starters, although I don’t understand why so many fire starters grow to look like fighting-type pokemon (although Scorbunny keeps its pure fire typing throughout its evolution).

Wooloo is one of the few Galar pokemon I found cute from the start, and its evolution, Dubwool, looks cool too. I think it could’ve had a better name, but I guess it fits because of “wool” being part of it. I admit playing the game is what really made this pokemon grow on me. I love that it rolls to move around. That is more adorable than it should be!

This one could probably be attributed to my love of flowers. I find Gossifleur and its evolution, Eldegoss, to be cute in a strange way. But weird cute is still cute.

Alcremie is another I found cute from the start, and is the cutest one to me. I would’ve used it if it weren’t so difficult to get! Alcremie’s pre-evolution, Milcery, is ridiculously hard to evolve! If I manage to trade for Alcremie, I’ll put it (and Wooloo) on my team if I get Sword. Not to mention it has nine different forms, and whichever form Alcremie evolves into can never be changed. Of course, they make the most appealing pokemon the hardest to attain. Of freaking course.

This one may have been a given, considering I like Kanto Ponyta. And it’s not any particular love of horses I have. I don’t. But Galarian Rapidash looks like a substitute Princess Celestia! Galarian Ponyta fits right in with My Little Pony! If I didn’t know it was from Pokemon, I’d assume it was from the 80s My Little Pony cartoon. It could fit in with the Care Bears too.

For me, Indeedee is similar to Espurr, although its picture isn’t as creepy-looking as Espurr’s game sprite. Its name is strange, but it’s not like I can think of a better one.

Top Four Cutest: Alola Pokemon

I’ve noticed my Pokemon posts are very popular, which is a shock to me since those posts are at least three years old. Nevertheless, I stopped at Kalos because Alola, the seventh generation of Pokemon, wasn’t released yet. Unfortunately, I couldn’t fill this list even halfway to ten. I guess I’m either too picky or Alola has a few less cute pokemon than previous generations. I’ll assume I’m picky.

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I Hate Origin

Self-explanatory title.

A few days ago, EA released a patch for The Sims 3. Since Sims 3’s run ended two years, I was surprised they’d make something for the game and didn’t think much of downloading it. I now very much regret. The update tied Sims 3 to Origin, so the only way to play is to log in. One of the reasons I liked Sims 3 over Sims 4 was not needing to sign in.

To say I was angry would be an understatement. I despise Origin and this stunt made my hatred for EA multiply by numbers I didn’t even know existed. I couldn’t figure out how to go back to previous update, so in the end, I uninstalled all of my Sims 3 games and am now sticking solely with Sims 2.

I’m still finding it hard to believe the company that started my Sims addiction is the same one that murdered it. I guess the upside is I regained about 30 GB of space on my computer.

And yes, I’m well aware many companies are switching solely to digital downloads. However, I do not trust them. I don’t like the idea of paying for something and being unable to have it. Why did I pay for it then?!

If I lose or damage one of my game discs, I can replace it. Having to game tied to Origin means I don’t have any control over that. If EA decides to shut down Origin, everybody loses their games. Same thing if – heaven forbid – their website ends up becoming hacked (Target, anyone?). Basically, it’s up to their discretion whether any person can play it or not. Regardless of the fact that person paid for it, the company (EA in this example) doesn’t have to permit them to play the game. And considering EA has won the title for being the worst company twice in a row, I wouldn’t put it past them to do something of the sort.

I have no idea if there will be a Sims 5, but if there is, it seems I won’t be a part of it, even if the game is amazing in my opinion. I would delete my Origin/EA account entirely, but there’s no way to do so without contacting support (they say it’s for “security purposes”; yeah, right) and I don’t want to talk to any of Origin’s staff, period!

I hope everyone who’s having fun with the games continues to have fun and enjoys being tied to Origin. As much as I love and miss Sims 3, I don’t like being tied and I refuse to be a part of that nuisance. If that’s going to eventually mean I’ll never be able to play PC games again (or new ones anyway), so be it. Thankfully, there are other platforms and other games that I can pay for and actually possess.

Goodbye, Sims 4

I talked about Sims 4 before on this blog, when I got some hate thrown at me for not being excited about the game. I can’t say I was wrong. To me, this game is a mess.

I did like it for a while, but it couldn’t hold my interest. Even when I did like it, I could only play it for 2-3 hours. Eventually, the time I could enjoy it lessened and it reached the point where this game was making me yawn within 5-10 minutes of playing. Creating sims, building, and moving things around were fun, but playing with them? No.

I’ve uninstalled it and I don’t miss it at all. I’m not interested in anything for it simply because no amount of new content can fix most of my problems with the game. Read the rest of this entry »