I am personally a little torn as to how I like the game.
I start with the things I like:
- the NOT open neighbourhood. I am aware I might be in the minority on this one, but I actually prefer having short loading screens over having my sims take a whole day to get to their destination at the other end of the neighbourhood. I personally also don't mind the limited amount of lots, because I am the kind of player who makes 2-3 families and just plays those.
- I love that I don't need to do the whole "switch household" thing anymore by finding the button for it and then agree to actually switch... I just go to the main menu and right away choose the house. I think it was like that in Sims 2 and I like it a lot better.
- I like the CAS, I hope there will be a few more clothing options soon (maybe some even being for free, but I guess there will be enough new meshes by other gamers who have a clue how to make them :D )
- I really like how many neighbours (incl. my self created families) pass by my house all the time, so getting to meet new people doesn't require for me to visit all kind of lots hoping someone appears there too, or chasing people around in an open neighbourhood.
- multitasking, I love it. My sim family was sitting on the couch, talking to each other. One of them ate something, they were all watching TV at the same time. My teen was at the computer, but anyways involved in the conversation. I told the smaller kid to play with something. I expected for her to leave the group completely, BUT she went upstairs, got the toy, went back down, sat on the couch, played with the horse, went on with the conversation AND followed the tv-program.
- I also like how, if you tell them to get an orange juice and a quick meal, they will get both at once to the table. Small thing, but I think it's nice. :D
- build mode. I had a pretty decent little house ready in about 10-15 minutes (and i didn't even use the option to put a ready designed room there
- I like the aspiration system
- I like that fishing is possible at certain places that have a sign for it. Once again something I just prefer about the non-open neighbourhood, it's easy to find everything, even the fish. ;)
- I personally don't care about extra-realistic graphics, so I am very fine with what the game looks like. I love the little butterflies just occasionally flying by instead of having a group of them flying around in the same spot. It's a bit sad you can't catch them though.
- I also like their autonomy when it comes to conversation/socialising in front of TV, at the dining table etc. I was positively surprised and amused, when "my guy" blew his girlfriend a kiss at dinner. Just by himself.
- I like that teens (at least in the babysitter carreer) work on saturday and sunday instead of school days. It's a lot less hectic like this.
There might be many more small things I like but forgot to mention.
There is not a lot of things I dislike or miss, but those few are big for me, and I really wish they will be fixed, and very soon.
- no toddlers. Yes, I know, old story. i knew it before, wanted to give the game a chance anyways. But they're really missing for me. I loved my sims teaching their offspring to walk and talk and go to potty. Going for strolls with them. They were cute and I really miss them. The only thing that ever bothered me was that you HAD to teach them stuff in time in order to not get a bad/random trait. Otherwise I loved toddlers and miss them dearly.
- Those in-bed interactions with the babies... kinda boring. Also I hope there will be a cheat or mod to get rid of the censor when the moms breastfeed. I think it is ridiculous.
- I had my first bug within 15 min. of playing. The shower wouldn't turn off, when my sim was ready in the shower, so the sound stayed around ALL THE TIME. I had to let them move out and back into the house in order to get it to stop. These kind of bugs really just CAN'T happen with such a small neighbourhood with only a few empty lots, because basically I'd have to leave one always empty for such cases.
- swimming. I hate my Sims can't swim anywhere, but I don't miss it as much as toddlers.
- Carreers. I really think you messed up here. I want doctors, policemen etc. Some normal, more common jobs than astronaut and secret agent (or whatever the exact description was)
- Although I like that Sims can at least extinguish themselves by going to the shower, I'd still like the fire department to show up and get rid of some fires in my house, please.
If I would have to choose what happens next, there would be either a patch that fixes the toddler issue, or the first add-on (hopefully coming soon) being generations. Which would then please bring those toddlers, make teens teen sized (or get rid of young adults, there's just really no visible difference, which is a problem). There could be cars included, so that parents can teach their kids to drive again. Also bikes would be great. And also some "normal" careers could come with this one.
After that there could be seasons with possibilities to swim and such.
And after that I'm happy with whatever will be added. ;)
EA Staff (Retired)
