While The Sims 4 is a good first effort that will entertain goal-chasers and fan creators, it lacks much of the variety and humor that defines The Sims.

The mood; skill; and aspirations systems working together as a dynamic whole; A huge focus on fan creation; The humorous situations that you DO encounter

A lack of items and interactions compared to previous installments; Fewer fun and quirky moments; Seemingly endless pop-ups that can't be dismissed

Since the original The Sims came out in 2000, the Sims series has become one of the most successful game franchises I can think of. I say this not only because hundreds of millions of copies of Sims games have been sold in countries around the world, but because it's one of the few games that I can...

Positives Streamlined game performance and faster load times; Create A Sim is better than ever; Sim interactions are more natural and allow multitasking

Negatives Fewer customization options (e.g; no Create A Style) than The Sims 3, conspicuously missing features (e.g; swimming pools, toddlers, open neighborhood), some of the usual bugs

Transitioning from The Sims 3 to is a little rough. The Sims 4 seems barren of content and features by comparison, especially with regard to the severely limited scope of the world and frequent (but much shorter) loading screens and noticeable absence of toddlers, pools, and cars.

Build Mode improved; Great emotions; Strong Create-a-Sim

Frequent loading; Lacks content

The Sims 4 is immediately flawed if you're looking for an open pool for your Sim on fire to dive in or to get your toddler Sim to start crying and draw attention to the house fire, but for most of the other aspects of the game, The Sims 4 is still pretty much what it is. Mostly.

It's an all new Sims game with its share of gameplay improvements; Sims come more alive than ever before; The variety of emotions are reflected in your Sims' actions

The new features and improvements doesn't gloss over all of its "missing" features; Limitations in creating your own style down to a T without Create-A-Style

Few franchises have demonstrated the potential of expansions like The Sims one, coming from developer Maxis and Electronic Arts. Each major iteration saw the appearance of many smaller add-ons, DLC packs, or full-fledged expansions that enhanced the base game .

Stellar visuals and animations; Smarter Sims; Better interactions; Simple yet comprehensive Create-A-Sim and Build Mode

Plenty of missing mechanics or systems; Soundtrack is sometimes a bit too generic; Quite a few bugs and glitches

In the end, The Sims 4 achieves a technologically impressive yet still somewhat unconvincing approximation of how people communicate and interact with one another, like Schwarzenegger's T-800 learning about feeling.

The Sims 4 celebrates the heart and soul of the Sims themselves, giving players a deeper connection with the most expressive, surprising and charming Sims ever in this single-player offline experience.

Devoted fans of The Sims spend years playing each entry, continually expanding their sims' lives. Some have family lineages that span generations, and others hone their building skills to create iconic landmarks.

Living it up in the city.

San Myshuno is a wonderful city; Festivals are beautifully designed and full of opportunities; New career paths offer new and exciting challenges

Some annoying bugs; Load times are a bit annoying

Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy this game, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.