Now that we have toddlers and upcoming pets, NOW is the Sims 4 worth buying? I (legally) have Sims 3 and I am having a lot of fun with it. I'm not sure whether to give EA my money. BTW I love to play families so will that be a problem?


EDIT: Apparently you guys hate pirates. I understand.

Oh? You don't want to pay for something you've used? Do you like to get paid when you go to work?

I was trying it to see if it was worth buying. Asking you guys if it's worth it now that it's been 3 years.

I think it's worth it if you buy it on sale and your computer can run it well.

Glad you edited your post. Be aware that we (staff) can still see your original post.

I find it impossible to answer that question since people play differently and have different expectations and desires for their game. I wonder if you can identify what it is you are hoping for or who thinks like you do who has tried Sims 4 with some of the expansions? My only recommendation is to watch Lazy Game Reviews for the various packs to see what they're about. You can also watch some let's plays, but I find those about as entertaining as drying paint.

I only started this thread because when I search for "Sims 3 VS Sims 4" all results are from either 2015 or 2016, before toddlers. I love to play families (though I can't particularly stick to one household for long.) Also one thing I hate about TS4 is that the bodies look kind of weird. I actually liked TS3's graphic style kind of better.

In my opinion NO. And it won't be worth spending a dime on until the fix some VERY broken CORE elements of the game:
- Emotions: Completely broken. They change by going from one room to another or by doing mundane tasks. Emotions OVERRIDE Sims individual traits to the point all Sims behave the same and the only differences are determined by their current emotional state instead of their individual "soul."
- AI: It's borked. Sims can barely look after themselves and they choose to play basketball for 5 hours instead of eating and stuff like that.
- Multitasking. Although in theory is a great addition, it still needs a lot of work. Musical chairs (Sims standing at random moments just to switch chairs) for example. Multitasking also makes activities such as cooking take A LOOOOOONG time. Sims pause at random moments as if they were waiting for the next action to multitask even if you haven't commanded anything.
- World Immersion: With no story progression whatsoever (even with mods it doesn't work that well), CULLING (destroying relationships seemingly at random), random romances in played household (seriously, don't be surprised if you go back to a household you haven't played and find everyone having two or three affairs). It feels like worlds are anything BUT immersive. More like a play instead of a game. Don't forget LOADING SCREENS, and depending how old your savegame is, it can take up to 45 seconds to load the neighboring lot.
- LAG: People complain about lag in TS3 and I wonder why nobody says anything about the terrible lag in TS4 when play in any speed other than 1. Well, I'm sure many people suffer from this problem since one of the most downloaded mods has been Simmy's lag fix (which is outdated). If you are very patient and only play in speed 1, you won't see any lag. But if you use speed 2 or 3, especially in larger lots, be prepared to see your Sims' heads bobbing while the clock goes at full speed. Sims will literally stand there doing nothing until you go back to speed 1.
- No challenge: Even with Sims not being able to take of themselves, there isn't much of a challenge to this game. It's the easiest of all three games and it doesn't help at all that the sandbox elements are neutered compared to previous games.
- No world editor: This is a deal breaker even if you don't care about creating your own world, etc. Imagine not being able to place a single lot just like in TS1, well that's TS4 for you. You can't even change a single tree in your neighborhood, or add a bench in that park next to your house. Nothing. Out of space? Well, buy one of the EPs or GPs and have more space. Want more space? Too BAD.

These are just some of the things I consider to be broken/poorly implemented. So no matter how many add-ons they release until they fix these things, TS4 will be a broken mess in my opinion.

Since you mention you like playing with families I have to be honest. Toddlers are great. Arguably the best toddlers in the whole series. Young adults are cool too, they have a lot to do. Children are OK I guess, similar to TS3 children but nowhere near as good as TS2 children. Teens, Adults and elders are 99% just like young adults, even their body meshes are the same. They don't have more than a handful of unique interaction and it feels like playing young adults. Babies are objects just like in TS1. Seriously. Parenthood is a good GP, but it's not groundbreaking. It has a lot of interactions that add quite a bit of gameplay to the younger life stages (poor elders!). If you like family play, TS4 is OK in that department. However, you should still consider the things I mentioned above, which I deem as essential elements that are... well, broken. So even with Parenthood and great toddlers, I still don't feel inclined to recommend TS4 to anyone.

Thanks for your help!

not worth it unless you are going to use wicked whims

I don't think base game is enough, if you want to enjoy the sims game(1, 2, 3, 4), you have to buy some DLC(s) imo

I play this game -just- for the toddlers. my interest wanes in my sims exponentially past that stage.

Toddlers: Absolutely amazing!
Children: Decently cute and entertaining
Teens: Okay I guess...
Young Adults: Well I've done it all before with the teen.
Adult: Good lord not this same shit again.
Elder: FFS, die already.

Yes, haters aka people that know how to follow the rules of the site they are posting on!
It applies to like...every forum here, no ones singling out your baby S4, it's okay.

Testing out the limited trial version, it didn't touch my heart to tell it that I fell in love with this iteration. The Graphics/Animation/Aesthetics/Design doesn't bait or interest me. From all the gameplays, TS4 is basically nothing. If I ever wanted to experence all the stuff from TS4, I could just basically load up The Sims 2 and with the help of mods and pretend-something-is-absent, I could experence of all that. From many complaints I heard in the forums in community, the new additions are broken ("emotions" are, ironically fake and multitasking, again ironically isn't multitasking). And of course many game immersion breaking and even those that discourage gameplay breaking bugs are out there.

This is a Life Simulation, not a CAS/BUILD MODE demo. Of course, the latter was made which contribute that. Though half of the build mode is worse: makes easier tools for non-builders/builders, but flexible tools suffer for not existing.

Another fact, SimGurus don't seem to listen to fans. How come many prayers such as (not limited) "we want cars, terrain tools, farm pack" haven't yet be aswered. Why do expansion packs have to have a "catch" (sims can live in apartments ~ but you can't create/change one, dine out introduces restaurant but your playables can't work as chefs/waiters/host, parenthood ~ acne is a cas asset).

If we ever get a sequel (which I really doubt we will), I expect to be a balance of Return and New. Not a game that is strip down from ealier versions and has barely anything new or is already in one shape of another.

@OP:

while there is still the 24h trial option on the Origin it's the best to check out by yourself. It's not much, but you should be able to - more or less - find out if the interface, overall game 'feeling' and so on is something promising for you or not.

As I personally dislike The Great Evil One, I think we should also appreciate that, the trial option, especially in the era of scam as proper bussiness tactic (preorders and other STDs of the industry).

Overall this board is quite negative about 4 and most of the players who love it do not post here. Whether this game is the best thing since sliced bread or the worst thing ever made or where in between has been debated/discussed to the rafters. I think watching the LGR reviews and perhaps trying the trial is the best thing. I fall in the "meh" camp. It has many good things, it has many bad things and omissions. It has good and bad like all prior versions. I have seen enough I am bored with it at the moment and have not played it for months. Do some research and then decide for yourself.

To me, it's a casual game which has been designed to target the mobile-game generation. It isn't going to keep you entertained or invested in your Sim's stories. Compared to it's predecessors, The Sims 4 only provides me a fleeting couple of hours entertainment and I don't miss it when I'm not playing. There's no depth, challenge or complexity, which is funny considering crazy stories and emotions were such a huge selling point to begin with, and it doesn't offer players as many options or customisation as the past games. Everything feels self-contained, linear and like the player is being guided in a way. Although some of the free patches were welcome additions to the base game, if you want to buy it, I'd wait for a sale so you aren't paying full RRP because it's not worth it's full price at all. I wasn't aware of there being a 24 hour trial, so that might be a good way to evaluate the game and see if it's to your taste, if you're able to.

I'm personally lurking around the forums, keeping an eye on updates and waiting to see where this fourth edition of the game ends up by the end of it's cycle in a couple years time, but I haven't touched the game in months and haven't purchased any more packs because from feedback they don't sound worth it in the long-term. Again, they seem like temporary fixes providing brief entertainment and novelty which grow old quickly, rather than offering any meaningful expansion to the game itself. Watching game play videos and reviews can give you a sense of how empty the game is, even now.

Okay, so I bought the game and most of the packs released up until this year. In hindsight, I probably wouldn't have bought it and I wouldn't have torrented it, either.
I'm gonna keep this short because TS4 is all about the short attention span.

TS4 is not a PC game, nor is it a life simulator. It's a free-to-play mobile game without microtransactions, but scaled up to run on PC. It's shallow, it's repetitive, and none of its new and improved features amount to much in the long run. It has a good soundtrack and its art style is likeable, but it fails to meet expectations - or at least, mine - in any other way. @Naus Allien, @SneakyWingPhoenix and @andru said it perfectly - TS4 isn't what a Sims game is supposed to be.

I suppose the only thing I can contribute here is a shortlist of things you'll perhaps miss in the other installments if you've played TS4 extensively:

• Expanded creative freedom in CAS, namely gender options and variety of available outfits, accessories and details
• Amusing Sim animations (assuming you don't find them annoying as hell)
• Improved lighting, which can be quite pretty in some circumstances. Be warned though, as it's disappointing and ugly just as often

I don't post very often (though I lurk much) and I have owned and paid for all I have for the Sims 4 (but not and never full price, unlike a few Sims 3 expansions). I find it too boring most of the time, but occasionally I feel the need to play some of the Get2Work careers. The only reason I bought the City expansion is I'm finding that it appeals to my 11 yr old (and still I refuse to pay $40 for one of these expansions)

I get way way more enjoyment out of Sims 3. (In fact I get more out of Sims 2...maybe you'll be lucky and it'll be on the house one day....)

I feel like Sims 4 has potential, but I'm not sure it'd be worth it without at least Get2Work.

OMG 45 seconds??? I never played sims 3 but i did play sims 2 and even on the best computer the wait time could be 45 minutes to get to a community lot and come back home again. Everything else you said is pretty on point. I cannot speak for those that came from Sims 3 but coming from sims 2 this game adds a LOT yet is lacking quite a bit. The only reason I took the sims 4 challenge was because the base game and everything else was on sale for $15 or that area. If you don't get that deal or something similar I wouldn't buy it, the packs are severely lacking on content. The biggest thing Sims 4 is lacking IMO are the terrain edit tools and lack of space to build(no one told me that). You cannot even make your own little world( custom neighborhood maps I would love that). I did like to build homes and community lots the lack of space to build makes the game feel cramped and pigeon holed. Oh, and coming from sims 2 no one tells you that while you're getting used to playing the game and making your sims friends they're all getting old and dropping like flies around you. I mean sometimes it "seems" like you only played 3 sims days and the rest of the npc's around you aged 30-40. So I had that turn that crap off.

Anyway That pets, does not enthuse me at all for $40 (the most expensive pack I've seen so far) when you're only giving me cats and dogs. Nah, give me horses, hell hounds, lamas, lions, tigers, and bears for $40. Or just give me the cats and dogs and raise me rain drops and wind storms with a college. but I bought my game knowing all this stuff was lacking. Anyway, if the price is right for you go for it. theres good and bad about this game but I'm having fun because of mods not because of what EA has provided.

Loading screens between lots can take up to 45 seconds, though usually no more than 30. In TS3, loading screens between lots can take up to 0 seconds, though usually no more than 0.
TS4 loads up to one lot, requiring a separate loading screen, and in some circumstances additional loading of assets afterwarss, whereas TS3 loads up to eight lots in real-time, sometimes taking as much as 15 seconds to load a lot in fully (but usually no more than 5).

If I pmed you, ignore it. I just realize that you tagged and didn't actually pm me, kek. Notification system in here is confusing to me

Actually, that hour trial is twice longer (48h). I personally lost hope (or had I already?) that TS4 will get any better.

Build Mode was robust enough in TS2 and was generally (I speak loosely) improved with TS3. TS4 improve ease, but abandoned control, meaning it can do from being pretty easy to an absolute chore depending on what you're currently constructing. Maxis (TS2) understood that there was a group of players out there who build exclusively, and provided tools for that in tandem with gameplay features for normal players. Split levels introduced in Open For Business functioned as a means to display items in windows as well as being functional enough to be place in homes. Over time, players usec them as general architecture and for stages for performance items. Same with platforms in TS3 (though not as useful).

EAxis understood this as well, but rather than provide new build tools, they provide build objects. Both TS2 & TS3 features packs or sets that revolved exclusively around build mode (not just buy), so players could design breathtaking lots. Simple items like the build items from Lucky Palms or the BauHaus set got a metric ton of mileage, especially those slanted columns. World Adventures, Ambitions, Outdoor Living Stuff, Showtime, Supernatural, Island Paradise, and Into The Future are must haves for lot building.

However, I can't think of a pack in TS4 that designed for builders, except maybe Get Together, but it's content is far too broad (except for Tudor). It has a little of everything, but only a little. It does have a complete set of windows, however.

Also, they keep abandoning little features. A prime example is awnings, of all things:
In TS1, awnings would snap together when attached to a wall. A simple, but effective awning that serves it's purpose and was dynamic.

In TS2, awnings came in quite a few styles - traditional cloth, glass, industrial, thatch, and roofing tiles, which was due in part to the fact that awnings could also turn into pergolas, gazebos, roofing, etc. They didn't even need to be attached to a wall. It took a common system from the original and improved it's functionality.

In TS3, awnings were no longer a feature like in TS2, but an object like every other. Compared to TS2, it was sad. You'd get a basic awning piece that's 1x1, or another that 1x2. You might get end pieces, and corners. When sets were complete, the were okay for walls, but it's an obvious regression from the original.

TS4's awnings suck. They come in multiple inconsistent sizes (2x1 or 3x1 exclusively), they don't stack or tile well at times, and they're hard to use on normal commercial builds unless you just want to use one awning somewhere.

Normal players may overlook these details, but when it comes time for a builder to actually build a lot... ...don't get me started on the 3x1 and 3x1.5 commercial ovens, or the banquet seating that's 2.5 x 2.5 and 3x1 respectively. *cringes*

The good thing about the game being 3 years old is that it goes on sale relatively often (granted it's been on sale a lot in those 3 years). The game has more stuff than it did at launch, so if I paid $30 for it now I wouldn't feel ripped off. It's up to you if you buy the game, but I don't agree with piracy. That is never a good option. If you can't find enough to justify the price, don't buy it and revisit the idea later and see what (if anything) has changed.

You really hit the nail on the head here - TS4 favours ease over control.
In TS3, when I place a wall, I'm placing a wall. I know exactly what I can and cannot do with that wall, and most likely I have some idea of why that wall is there and what for. TS3 is built around the wall, the wall is what we use to draw the first, rough lines on our canvas. When we add setbacks, overhangs, insets, corners, platforms, whatever, we're painting the silhouette of the objects of our canvas in greater detail. With doors, windows, columns and perhaps essential furnishings such as counters and bathtubs, we're filling in the silhouette with yet more lines on our canvas. Then, we add colour, we add shading, we add details, and it all comes together like a real-life project or artwork does.

In TS4, there is no such concept. Simply put, you plonk down a room and paste some crap onto and into it until it looks good. If you don't like the end result, you try again.
TS3 is a Photoshop project with two dozen layers, all neatly ordered and set to a certain mode. TS4 is the shapes function in PowerPoint.

TS3 reminds me of the art and music I've been collecting. Shapes, textures, samples, geometry, basslines, patterns, riffs, claps, gradients. All meticulously laid out on canvas. A beautiful, harmonious game of pieces, together or not. TS4 has none of this. TS4 isn't the collage of shape, material, movement, light, and horribly tacky but mathematically and aesthetically perfect 80s crap.

This link symbolizes my perception of TS4
This link symbolizes my perception of TS3