Let's be honest, the fourth installment of the Sims franchise has been a disappointment, to say the least. Though the Create A Sim experience was greatly improved by the ability to mold a Sim as if they were made of clay and to customize which outfit category each item of clothing is available for, the improvements are slim to none beyond that. Toddlers, though far more animated and engaging, are actually more of a nuisance than a challenge due to the rate at which their needs deplete and the sheer amount of non-stop care that they require (the same is true with pets.) The shortcomings of this game has sent many fans flocking back to previous installments and noting the severe difference between them. This article will go through the major differences between the third and fourth installments to highlight just how many beloved features were cut in order to understand why the Sims 4, 5 years after its release, still feels incomplete.
8 8. The Colour Wheel And Open Worlds
These features will never be brought forward to the fourth installment to the series as it would require an entire overhaul to the internal mechanics for each game and expansion. However, the limited colour selection available in Create A Sim, the clay hair, and the constant loading screens has upset many fans. Being able to customize one's creations with the aid of the colour wheel made truly unique and personalized Sims that just are not possible in the Sims 4.
And nothing is more disruptive to one's gaming sessions then having to wait 1-5 minutes each and every time a Sim wants to go to another location. No longer can you send a child to a friends house, send a parent to work, and leave the rest at home while being able to quickly check in on all of them. These features were game changes when added to the Sims 3 and leaving them out of future installments has caused many fans to stick with earlier versions of the series.
7 7. Laptop Friendly Pets (Also, Pets)
The Cats and Dogs expansion pack was an utter disappointment. The animals were appealing and adorable, however the inability to control them directly to see their needs, their constant need depletion, the ease at which adventurous pets can become pregnant, their near-constant illnesses, and the fact that the majority of the Pets included in the version of the pack which was released for the Sims 3 upset many fans. Smaller pets can be purchased in an additional pack but this fact enraged dedicated fans even more. It is important to note that several previously free additions to the game have become paid packs in for their Sims 4 release (other examples include bowling and laundry.) Also, large dogs are not laptop friendly (the graphics card simply is not strong enough) so for many players, half of the pack is off limits as a result. These issues did not occur in the version of Pets released for The Sims 3.
6 6. Fully Developed Personalities
No fully grown adult can be summarized in three words. Three traits is not enough. The lack of skill, negative, or personality shaping traits available in the Sims 4 has also frustrated long time players. In the third installment of the series, countless traits were available to players and each adult Sim was allowed five unique traits.
Five traits allows players to create more nuanced and multi-faceted personalities. A Sim could be shy, brooding, and grumpy; but also nurturing and an animal lover. Many mods and cheats have been released by fans that attempt to circumvent these limits but the extra traits are little more than superficial and these limits, amongst others, have sent many dedicated players (including this writer) back to previous (and more user friendly) versions of the game.
5 5. Cars, Strollers, Bicycles, and Motorbikes
One of the best aspects of the Generations expansion pack (besides the "pranking" and "grounding" interactions- which added a beloved dose of realism to the lives of our Sim families) was the addition of strollers. Being able to take toddlers off the home lot and let them explore the world (regardless of glitches) was embraced and loved by the fandom. Many fans have created custom statues that resemble cars in order to create more realistic homes in the Sims 4 as the lack of transportation has caused the life simulation to feel more artificial than previous installments. Even the Sims 2, which was filled with loading screens and had a firmly closed world, had transportation available. Many fans assume that, like laundry and bowling, cars will be later released as a pricey expansion.
4 4. Ghost Hunters, Firefighters, Life Guards, And More
Upon initial release, the Sims 4 had very few careers available to Sims. Careers such as doctor, police man, and scientist (which were base game staples in previous installments) were released as a pricey game pack at a later date. This action offended many fans (and the trend has become a staple of the fourth installment of the series.)
The Sims 3, by the end of production, had literal dozens of careers to choose from. Some fan favourites include Rock Star, Firefighter, and Ghost Hunter. These careers allowed players to ensure that each new game was a unique experience. The only limit in previous installments was one's imaginations.
3 3. Swimmable Bodies of Water
Make ponds in your own yard in order to fish in during the summer and skate on during the winter, swim in the ocean where the temperatures rise (or drop, depending on what kind of player one is,) go scuba diving, boat around, search for mermaids, wet oneself when a shark swims by... the possibilities were endless. In the Sims 4, players can fish at designated fishing spots and stare at the water for hours on end. That is it. Once again, fans expect that swimming will be released as a pricey game pack which will include three new swim suits, the ability to swim in the ocean, and the ability for toddlers to play in the sand.
2 2. Expanded Worlds
In the third installment of the Sims, each neighbourhood felt like its own world. There were enough lot slots to fill the world with everything one could ever need. Movie theatres, beaches, restuarants, grocery stores, city hall, parks, hospitals, libraries, stadiums, everything... And there was no need to ever leave one's home lot.
But that is not the case in the Sims 4. Limited slots force players to choose between creating diverse venues and neighbourhoods. The average neighbourhood only comes with five public lot slots and six home lots and that, truly, is just not enough.
1 1. Supernatural Creatures, University, Diverse Vacation Spots, And More
Beloved Sims 3 expansions such as Pets, World Adventures, and Late Night have "made their way" into the Sims 4, and fans are not happy. Only two of the previous six available pets made their way into the fourth installment. World Adventures, which added three worlds to the Sims 3, was broken up into two separate packs for the fourth installment of the series, each only bringing one new world to the game. And Late Night, which is a Sims 3 "fan favourite" has had its features divied up and was split into three separate packs. The actress career was turned into its own pack, the city itself was another pack, and the ability to be and create vampires was also turned into its own pack. One can only imagine what will happen to University when released for the Sims 4. An expansion for each class and/or major seems likely.