The Sims 4was released in 2014, over a decade ago. EA’s announced that Project Rene is notThe Sims 5, and that it has no plans to develop a sequel toThe Sims 4. EA has made it clear that it will continue to provideThe Sims 4with support in the form of content and quality of life updates for the immediate future. Players have had over a decade withThe Sims 4, and have little else as an alternative.
With the 25th anniversary ofThe Simsfranchise, EArereleasedThe Sims 1andThe Sims 2on PC in January 2025. For players whose firstThe Simsgame was in the 2000s, this was a great chance to revisitThe Simsof their childhood and teenage years after, for many, decades of being unable to play it. For many other players,The Sims 1andThe Sims 2are just other games inThe Simsfranchise that may have outdated gameplay, graphics, Create-a-Sim, and Build and Buy mode options.The Sims 1andThe Sims 2also have far fewer content add-ons, and so should, theoretically, have less to offer thanThe Sims 4,but they’re still very much worth experiencing.
What The Sims 1 Has to Offer Players
The Sims 1andThe Sims 2are well worth trying out for first-time players, and plenty of fun to play in their own right rather than being merely less sophisticated versions ofThe Sims 4.The Sims 1was developed partially as a criticism of consumerist culture, and the manual thatThe Sims 1was shipped with even came with a reading list of books on modern consumerist culture and capitalism. While its customization options for Sims are very limited compared toThe Sims 4, the scope of what could possibly happen in its Live Mode, such as robberies, fires, and other mishaps, keeps players on the edge of their seats.
As a game,The Sims 1is less about family gameplay and building, and more about achieving career goals, earning money, and building relationships to advance in their chosen career. Focus on that particular goal is necessary, but once that focus is realized,The Sims 1becomes a game that’s incredibly chaotic, but cathartic all at once.
The Sims 2 Still Holds Up Years Later
The gameplay goals forThe Sims 2shift dramatically fromThe Sims 1, and instead focus on live mode and family gameplay. A Sim’s Wants and Fears, their Lifetime Aspiration, Memories, and Relationships all form the most important parts ofThe Sims 2, and it’s the area of gameplay that many players get the most joy when playing it.The Sims 2includes small detailsthat are discovered through gameplay, such as children running to give their parents a hug when they return home from work, that makes family gameplay a joy for players who enjoy Legacy Challenges or simply playing in Live Mode.
Lore is Where The Sims 2 Shines
Another crux ofThe Sims 2’s gameplay is its lore, which is not only stated in the premade family and character biographies, but is implemented inThe Sims 2’s genealogy, memory, Wants and Fears, and relationship systems. This system makes the worlds ofThe Sims 2feel alive and immersive, and offers a different experience toThe Sims 4, where lore is offered, but isn’t implemented in gameplay in any meaningful way.
