There's a lot of micromanaging in The Sims 4: Eco Lifestyle, and for someone with as much excess anxiety as me, it's a welcome time suck.
If you're looking for some cute clothing options in the new expansion pack, there is a lovely little tie-crop sweater and an adorable pair of mixed-denim shorts. But the execution is… questionable, at best. There's even a pair of boots that look exactly like Merrells (those I'm okay with). But an asymmetrical denim skirt over denim capris? That's just offensive to the eco-conscious community.Īgain, the concept is solid, which is why there's a ton of mixed denim patched together to make vests or shorts, layered pieces of clothing that give off a "found fashion" vibe, and plenty of loose-fitting, all-purpose pants. The concept is solid - since there are so many opportunities to dumpster dive for goodies, recycle unused items, and craft your own homewares and artisanal beverages, the clothing should give off DIY vibes as well. The accessories and hairstyles are all fantastic, and add a lovely little edge to Create-A-Sim.Įco Lifestyle also adds a ton of new "upcycled" clothing options, and if I'm being frank, most of them are hideous. There's a new paper bag head accessory (don't ask), and as I mentioned before, a ton of new piercing options. Jokes aside, it's great to see a nice new variety of hairstyles, from space buns with bangs to shaved undercuts to a messy up-do held together by chopsticks (there are far more new hairstyles for female Sims than men - but the boys do get a lovely new beard). These hipsters want to save the environment, and if we want to do so looking like a Portlandia extra, then god dangit it's our prerogative.
It makes perfect sense that an expansion pack that brings with it candle making, kombucha brewing, bug farming, and community gardens would allow you to adorn your Sims with giant gauges, partially shaved heads, and (finally) a septum piercing. If you’re looking for other Maxis sim titles, try any of the SimCity games.There is certainly a heavy dose of cliché in the new customization options that come with Eco Lifestyle, but I'm not even remotely mad at it. Yes in fact, The Sims 3 can offer you a better experience.
Sims 4 mac reviews mac os#
You can run this game on Mac OS and Windows computers. But modern corporate practices are probably responsible for the underwhelming game that is The Sims 4. It’s frustrating, because the team and Maxis / EA could have had a smash-hit here. How can this be? Did the developers not playtest the game? Do they not realize the camera is broken?
If that weren’t enough, the most critical visual component in the game is broken: the camera. This is a legendary trait of any Maxis game, but this time it’s really something else. The loading screens take forever when you first start the game. While the game looks good and runs pretty well, it doesn’t really make up for the issues here. You don’t have to babysit them all the time, and while that might be good for some, it still takes away the player’s control. The avatars are now much more competent than they were in the last game. The whole point of the game is to have complete control over the life of the Sim, so why take any of that control away from the player? That was one of the most iconic things about the franchise up until now and it’s a curious thing to remove.
You can’t make pools and you can’t toss your Sims in, remove the ladders, and wait for them to doggy-paddle themselves into an early grave. You can share creations of your with other players online, and the detail work that’s gone into some of the objects in this game is incredible.īut you could be forgiven for thinking that there should be more in Sims 4 than there were in any of the previous games. As ever, there’s a lot that you can buy for your Sims, from stove tops to guitars and everything in between. The premise is the same: create your avatar, build your dream house, fall in love, watch your children grow - choose your life. The greatest micro simulation game is back.