Rate the Sims 4

[Lisa46]

I honestly didn't mind most of the stuff, but the new emotions system is kind of bothersome to me. I really miss the open world as well, that was half the fun of sims for me. And I still miss toddlers.

[Saltypaws]

I posted a review on Amazon and it said it helped one person in their experience with Amazon.  Not sure what that meant, as far as the sims4 goes, but, Carl's right, there are a lot of negative reviews on the game.

[Sandra]

I really like The Sims 4 because it's nearer to Sims 1 and I loved that game, I didn't at all like the Sims 3, too overwhelming for my liking, I wasn't too keen on Sims 2 either, I like to build and make Sims and this game lets me do that with ease, also moving Sims about from house/hood to house/hood is also very easy, like the Sims 1.... but with much better graphics, lovely...

[RunAmokSims]

I posted a review on Amazon and it said it helped one person in their experience with Amazon.  Not sure what that meant, as far as the sims4 goes, but, Carl's right, there are a lot of negative reviews on the game.

After you post a review on Amazon there are two buttons at the bottom of the review.  When people read what you have posted they can click one of the buttons to let you know if what you wrote was helpful or not to them when deciding to buy something.

[Kosto1]

Carl.  Thank you for your fine article on negative reviews.  I gave the game a 4.  Obviously, there are going to be issues with a new release, but I think that a lot of the negative reviews are truly unwarranted.  User reviews can be a great way to get a general idea of how people are reacting to a new product.  However, it's always prudent to read between the lines.  It's usually pretty clear which reviews are relatively objective and the ones that are motivated by sour grapes.  I've been using Yelp for years and have become pretty good at telling one from the other.  I agree that unverified reviews should not be given any weight by distributors like Amazon.

I also agree with you about the negative effects of these ratings and I think it would be a shame to lose a storied franchise like The Sims due to unwarranted negative reviews.  If they can't sell the base game there is no way there will be expansion packs let alone The Sims 5.  Hopefully, word of mouth will overcome these initial reviews. 

I have had the game for about a week and although there are a few things I miss from The Sims 3, there are enough very cool new features to make me very hopeful.  I do miss the open world but I'm loving how fast it loads up.  I'm having a great deal of fun with the new build mode and CAS.  Some of the other posts on this thread have mentioned that when they put aside their love of Sims 3 and objectively compare the Sims 4 base game to the Sims 3 base game they come away with a very different, more positive opinion of this new product.

I, for one, would be very sorry to see the Sims ride off into the simulated sunset.  I'm hopeful that things will turn around once more people play the game and share their experiences with their friends.  After all, there was very little marketing for the original Sims game.  I heard about it from a friend as did most of my friends.

Thanks, again for this wonderful site!

[Carl]

I've done the math again, and with 393 votes, the game still holds its score of 4.1

Thank you, Kosto. I have to say that we shouldn't have anything to worry about as far as Expansions. EA has described Sims 4 sales as strong through their affiliate program that I participate in. It is already clear to me that this one is outdoing The Sims Medieval, as traffic is much better for the game. That game got an Expansion, so I do not expect any issues and think the studio must be hard at work on patching this up and likely developing the first Expansion. Obviously, if it's selling 'strong' now, the holidays will really amp it up

Our site growth with The Sims 3 reflected the sales of the game. We saw a big bump in visitors around the Holidays of '09, and bigger bumps with World Adventures and the following Summer.

Traffic right now makes me feel like this is at least competitive with Sims 3 sales. I am thankful for that, as Forum traffic is down a bit due to this being a sort of between-times for the franchise. Not to worry though, as a lot of people will get the game as January approaches, and an Expansion will draw a lot of interest for those still on the fence.

[fantum]

I gave the game 4 stars.

A few days ago, I went in search of reviews to help me decide whether or not to purchase the game. I too ran across the horrible game reviews on amazon. I have been playing Sims since the original game and I've loved every new game. So I was very surprised. My wise husband suggested, I watch some let's plays on YouTube. I found one that looked good and after only a few minutes I wanted to get the game in spite of the missing features that had been listed by other posters.

I've been playing for a few days now and I can definitely see some of the negative aspects. I don't have a major issue with any one thing. I just find myself being frustrated with the gameplay. I don't feel like I can do what I want and more than once I've sat staring at the screen and saying "now what should I do...?". I just don't remember feeling this way with other base games.

In the past when I got the new game, I didn't look back. All I wanted to do was play the new one because it just seemed so much better. Since I bought Sims 4, I have been giving equal time to Sims 3. I'm not ready to move on.

I rated the first three stars because it is a pretty good game and I don't have major complaints. Even the changes I don't like make some sense. Some changes I didn't know I wanted but I love (like the timer on food so you know if it will be spoiled by the time your Sim makes his little way over to grab a plate). The fourth star is because I just love the Sims franchise so much and I really do think each expansion will improve upon the base game.

I'm sorry it's not the out-of-this-world experience I was hoping for. But I still feel like I'm getting my money's worth.

[MsSyko]

I really tried to like it.  I thought I had an open mind, I KNOW it's a whole new game and not to be compared with TS3.  I was bored with TS3 and really wanted this new game.  But I am having a very difficult time with this game, and find it a chore to play.  I just got the game three days ago, but normally I'd have been playing it 15 hours a day.  I haven't even loaded it since noon day before yesterday, because I simply do not want to play it.

I do like the multitasking.  But I don't like the neighborhoods, the loading screens, the flatness, and the extreme moodiness.  My sim pees too much.  He doesn't seem to be very good at making friends, although I have him flag down everyone that walks past, and then invite them over or call them every day.  His social is always low, because he won't stay on the phone with anyone long enough to get it up.  The navigation is very difficult to me, even though I have it set for the TS3 version.  I think CAS is terrible, the sims turn out ugly no matter what I do with them.  I miss the Create-a-Style, I love decorating the sims' houses, and don't seem able to do that any more.  I also don't find the building to be much better.  The alphabetized catalog with a search is an improvement, though.  I haven't had children yet (heaven knows, I can barely keep one sim's motives up, I don't know how I'd handle a multi-sim household) but it's going to be very disconcerting to watch an 8 year old leap out of the bassinet.  I don't find the available careers interesting, and they're hard to promote in.

I'm going to keep on trying to play it.   I didn't like TS3 at first, either (although I liked it better than I like this game).  But the whole thing seems to be like something the developers just cobbled together and rushed to get out onto store shelves, it's not well planned or well executed.

[Raventiger]

Well I rated it a four, because personally I'm having a lot of fun with the game.  Sure there are some areas that need improvement, but improvement will happen in time. Besides, was it my imagination, or did we have the same 'Drama' back when Sims 3 was released?

[Joria]

At the moment I'm over my initial hatred of the game but I'm finding it boring.  I will often choose to play something else, even spider solitaire often has more appeal to me than Sims4.  However, I've finally gotten my head wrapped around the fact that this is just the base game, and base games often aren't at their best at first, (although I did not find that true with Sims3 which was fabulous for me from the get go).  I stopped comparing Sims4 with S3 and that helped a lot to change my mind from "man, I wasted my money!", to "ok, let's give this a fair shot".  There are a lot of things in Sims4 I like, some things I struggle with, and some things I strongly dislike, and I'm not talking about the many, many bugs.  My mindset is, "oh, that's a bug, ok", and move on.  Bugs don't bug me.  I just find a way around or ignore the items or situations that cause them.  I do think S4 is buggier than S3 was initially but there are so many different mechanics that needed to be addressed it really is no wonder there are a lot of bugs.  I'm pretty technology challenged so I want a game that I can just go into and have fun and not have to "work" at.  Right now I am having to work at Sims4 rather than play Sims4 so it only got a 2 from me at the moment.  I'm perfectly willing to have my mind and vote changed on this and am hopeful I'll be able to change it as I play more and learn more.

[MarcelaCosta]

I ranked it as a five star game because I am loving it. I know there are a lot to be fixed and I do miss toddlers, but, to me, it was worth the multitasking and new interactions. I have been playing the sims franchise since the begining and I hated TS3. To the point that I stoped playing and buying expansions after the first two. I also loved TS2 and one of the things that made me decide to give TS4 a chance was the many reviews that said it had a TS2 feeling. I agree with them in the sense that it is much more apealing to the way I play than TS3. I am a control freak and hated (hated) the story progression on TS3. The way it happens in TS4 (and it does) is way better.
I have a lot of wishes, though, not only for new features as for old characters. I loved the Brokes and the Pleasants and would like to see them again. I do like the Goths in TS4.

[Mirrrr]

Hi i registered to vote. I want to explain my rating (even though it's 4 stars so no bad ratings at all)
The game shouldn't get 4 stars yet imo. The main reason I give the extra one is cause reading the main sims forum and seeing the ''Guru's'' really listen to players I have a feeling the annoying things (that are for me a minimum btw) will be solved.

I understand people miss todlers and pools but i hate the fase that i had to learn them walk and talk so for me it was the best cut out ever. And pools I mainly made to look at them in the garden.

What for me really made the Sims 4 is that I now can build my own cool houses. In Sims 3 they always looked like big boxes with a stupid roof cause I couldn't make them as cool as the community. Now my houses look like how I want them. Still nothing compared to the rest but for me it's okay. Saves me a lot of downloads.
Multitasking. The fact they take a book to the toilet or phone there makes me laugh so much.
I have a much better feeling about the Sims 4 then I had about the Sims 3.

Sorry for the long story but I saw that the Sims 4 needed some honest opinions so here it is.

[silversim2]

I rated 4 stars because so far I am absolutely loving the game. I think all the animations are really good and always make me laugh, also there is still a lot to do. I really like the gallery because it is so easy to download my favorite houses and sims. I also really like CAS and think that its really easy to make nice sims, also i love, love, love build mode. I thought I would miss toddlers, but honestly I find it's easier especially when having multiples because you don't have to teach them to walk and talk. I really love the look of the game and so far it is running smoothly but occasionally there are a few glitches but nothing that cant be easily fixed with exiting and re-entering the game. I know a lot of people are disappointed with this but I am not one of them, and I cant wait for the expansions to come.

[Beezy]

It's better then I expected, but I still gave it three stars, the gameplay and the CAS are excellent, but I miss the CASt, toddlers, pools, and other cut features. It's gonna be a long wait for the expansion packs but it'll be worth it! I really hit me hard when there were no cars, but I see potential in this game.

[justme2]

I gave it a solid 4 stars; I'm enjoying it quite a bit.

Reasons why it's not a 5-star game:

1. Achievements are save based rather than player based; if I want to start a new save to try something new I'll have to earn all the same badges all over again.
2. Unlockables are Sim based rather than save based or family based, meaning that when my chef Sim dies those counters she got will disappear and her kids won't be able to buy new ones unless they too go through the steps for the Chef career. That's going to feel pretty repetitive; if I get too frustrated with that I might just go ahead and install one of the mods that automatically unlocks everything, but I'll probably wait a few generations first.
3. Bugs are making game frustrating in some cases and unplayable in others.
4. I'm not a rotational player by habit; I'd rather concentrate on one family, maybe two or three at the most...but in order to get my Sim's children (now at three) to advance in their skills and careers I'm forced to play rotationally. A basic Story Progression that would allow Sims to advance their skills and career/aspiration progress on their own, but not necessarily match them up with anyone else (and a way to turn off aspects of SP for those who reallly don't want it) would be an awesome addition.


I'm looking forward to new towns/worlds and new venues -- I'm hoping for a dance club of some sort as well as an open restaurant. I really like the expanded interactions that Sims have with each other -- sometimes it feels like Sims 3 was more about the worlds than about the Sims, and with Sims 4 the emphasis is back where it belongs.