There is one significant point in gaming history that we haven’t recovered from, nor have we seen again. The first Sims game in the year 2000 was the crossover point between video games as they were and the mass media, casual market coming together. When trying to pinpoint the quintessential Sims fan, you are probably thinking of an amorphous blob of humanity: young and old, man or woman, pink hair and brown hair, Agent 47, and Lara Croft. Everyone who you can think of as a mass murdering psychopath has played a Sims game and enjoyed it. Though there is one thing in the fanbase that is almost universally agreed upon.

The Sims 4 is the worst Sims game to ever exist. That doesn’t mean it is a bad game, there are many many flaws, but it is still somewhat a good game in some respects. However, it is the sequel to the beautiful Sims 3, possibly the best Sims game of all time; this is where I’ll point out what makes a sequel. You see, there are two ways to do a sequel: Do the same but more of it, or build upon what was already there and grow. The Sims 4 didn’t do this, instead, it bulldozed the improvements of 3, to begin a new. If anything, this is the worst way to do a sequel.

If anything, this was the worst way to sell a free game (for a limited time). If you think that having yet another launcher on your desktop or in a folder on your desktop isn’t too bad, then you might want to download Origin right now. Available from now until next Tuesday (May 28th), you can pick up the base game of The Sims 4 for completely free over on Origin.

As I’ve already stated, if you are a Sims fan or played previous Sims games but have never really gotten into it, you may find The Sims 4 bare. A large number of basic features were removed and not replaced or improved upon. If you, much like I, loved putting a strange pattern on an otherwise dull looking sofa, you’ll be disappointed. Though, if you want to focus on creating the Sims themselves, that was replaced but not greatly improved upon. It is The Sims 3 if it had gotten naked in the light, tried to dress its self in the dark, walked outside to find its legs in the arms of a sweater, wearing a neckless as a bra, two blocks of cheese as shoes, and an Amazon box as a hat.

If you don’t already own The Sims 4, I highly suggest picking it up for free. I know, I have said it is several layers of wrong and stupid, but it is still an OK Sims game. If you want to play The Sims and don’t care about the designing aspect of the house or the Sims themselves, then it is improved. Otherwise, it is very simplified.

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