I've played Sims for 20 years - 1, 2, 3, 4
Sims 1 = got me hooked nothing else like it. So funny and entertainng.
Sims 2 - Opened up the game and kept a lot of the surprises and humor of sims 1 but with much better graphics. Though sims 2 were kind of fuggly looking they had a lot of interactions and responses. Loads of surprise behavior:
- Sims sit down and reads magazine then turns it around and eyes pop open and sim looks around before continuing to view what is an implied centerfold.
- Kid sits at piano for first time and plays like a protegy.
- Grumpy sim answers phone by yelling into it then hangs up.
Sims 3 - Stunning to look at (especially World Adventures) but soooo boring. Felt like the whole games was mostly pick things up off the floor. Detested Rabbit Holes which made up a large portion of game play and places just to accommodate open world (not worth the trade off). Lots of problems with every update and EP. Stopped playing Sims 3 well before they stopped issuing EPs and packs.
Sims 4 - Love it. Looks great and the game play is fun. No Rabbit holes. Screen changes are super fast. Collecting is better, cooking is better, responses more varied, building is fun. I've bought every pack except Vampires (only because I don't like them). And I love having mermaids. I like going to work with my Sims. I like watching them act. Enjoy the kids and toddlers, Karaoke is fun. It's almost all good.
Now thinking about Sims 5 -
- Single player option (I'm not into multiplayer games)
- No Rabbit holes (worse game aspect ever)
- Even more spontaneity and surprises in sims behavior
- kids included in more activities like gardening, cooking, and playing piano & guitar
- acting for kids and teens
- Better toys for kids/toddlers bring back the talking rabbit & xylophone, coloring books, sand castles, rocking horse, playable small teddy bear,
playable dolls
- more toddler to kid interactions: chase, tease, tickle, pinch, raspberries, play tag, peek-a-boo, hide and seek
That's a beginning