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The Sims 4was released nearly 11 years ago and received mixed reviews from fans and players due to its limited content compared to previous releases. While various updates have filled some of those gaps, the game can still be disappointing for long-termSimsfans or players looking for more.
Fortunately, there are several other games within the same life simulation genre that can deliver gameplay experiences thatThe Sims 4doesn’t currently offer. Here are a few you should check out if the game isn’t giving you what you need.
1Paralives
Paralivesis an upcoming simulation game that offers players the chance to create their characters—known as “Paras”—and live out their lives like you may inThe Sims 4. However, aside from the artistic style of the game differing between the two, Paralives promises more than whatThe Sims 4can currently do.
The game is still in development, with early access scheduled for December 2025. Yet, from what has been shown so far, the game looks to go well beyond the scope ofThe Sims 4.
When I first saw the game roughly five years ago, the first feature that really intrigued me was the way you could customize your house. Yes, you may do that inThe Sims 4, but withParalives, you have more control over each individual aspect of nearly anything.
For example, inThe Sims 4, you’re able to generally only change an object’s color, but if you want to adjust physical details—like the position of a drawer or the design of a counter—you’ll need to find a different object that closely fits your needs. InParalives, that’s not the case—you can customize the details of individual objects without needing to search for a replacement.
Let’s say that you have a desk, and you want the drawers to be on the right side, not the left. You can change that with a click. Let’s say you want your toilet paper to be positioned under itself rather than over. You can alter that as well.Paralivesallows you to change the size and width of objects as well. You can make a loveseat into a four-person couch by just dragging it, like you can with walls inThe Sims 4to make the room bigger.
Another area whereParalivespromises to have an edge overThe Sims 4is its approach to content, which is no paid DLC—just free expansion packs. This givesParalivesa significant advantage, as many players feelThe Sims 4lacks essential content in the base game and requires buying expansion packs, game packs, or stuff packs to access features that arguably should have been included from the start.
Paralivesdevelopers have said that their game will launch with bugs and missing features, which is typical for early access versions of games. Yet knowing that missing features might be added later—and for free, without a paywall—offers reassurance to players.
There’s still some time beforeParalivesis released, but based on what’s been shown so far, it’s shaping up to be a strong alternative toThe Sims 4. For creators who want more control over how they decorate their builds, this game may be a better fit once it launches.
2inZOI
WhenThe Sims 3was revealed, it added a more realistic look to the game thanThe Sims 2did. However, whenThe Sims 4was shown off, the creators opted for a more cartoon-style approach for the Sims. This approach suited the new Create-a-Sim, which felt like sculpting clay—but in terms of realism, the Sims ended up looking more like clay figures than actual people. Yes, the fine details are still present if you zoom in—such as the realism in the eyes and lips—but then you look at the hair and realize it resembles a single slab of molded clay. In contrast, the two previous generations featured visible strands of hair, somethingThe Sims 4noticeably lacks.
If you’re looking for more realism in a modern game, thenyou should check outinZOI. While it’s still in early access, the game has been promising for many players who want a more whole and realistic gameplay experience than whatThe Sims 4currently offers. Right from the get-go, you’ll see the game offers super-realistic virtual characters, named “Zois”, for you to customize. you’re able to alter their looks just like you can inThe Sims 4, by clicking and dragging.
UnlikeThe Sims 4, but likeThe Sims 3,inZOIgives you a color wheel to use to pick the color of your Zoi’s hair, clothes, and anything in between. This experience truly feels like a mashup of the best of whatThe Sims 4andSims 3Create-a-Sim have to offer.
Furthermore, a unique featureinZOIoffers is the ability to alter the appearance of clothing, such as changing the sleeves or neckline of a top. It’s like how you may add or change specific elements on furniture inParalives, but this is when creating characters. Supporting and encouraging creativity is another area whereinZOIshines, though one of the ways it does so may be seen as controversial.
While playinginZOI, you can tap into various artificial intelligence features to help you create different textures and styles. This happens by describing what you want in a text field, and then it will be generated in-game. You can also take real-world objects and make them into 3D models within the game. To do so, you just upload a photo of it from your computer, and the game will generate a custom item based on it.
UnlikeThe Sims 4, where you need to purchase an additional pack to access different town styles—such as a dystopia or a dirtier environment—inZOIlets you adjust the weather, cleanliness, and overall vibe of a town directly from the settings menu, with no extra DLC required.
The game is still in its early access stage, with updates rolling out regularly, but based on what’s been shown so far, it looks likea promising alternative toThe Sims 4. If you’re craving more realism and want control over various aspects of the town your character lives in—without having to pay extra for added content—inZOIis worth considering during early access or watching closely ahead of its final release.
3The Sims 3
Typically, the previous generation of a game feels lackluster compared to the current one, but for many Sims players who’ve experienced both, the opposite may be true.The Sims 3offers a level of freedom and customization thatThe Sims 4still doesn’t provide to this day.
The Sims 3offers extensive in-game customization through a feature called “Create-a-Style.” It allows you to change the design, pattern, and color of nearly anything—furniture, clothing, and even your Sim’s hair color.
Create-A-Style was partnered with a color wheel, giving you access to virtually any color you could imagine. This is in contrast to the swatchesThe Sims 4offers for customization for clothes, furniture, and hair color. While new swatches have been added over the years, they are still limited compared to having a fully functional color wheel.
Additionally,The Sims 3also offered an open world, making loading screens little to non-existent in the game. This meant that no matter where your Sims were going, whether it was to the park, to work, or just next door to greet the neighbors, you didn’t have to deal with a loading screen in between.
I love creating roommate households with two or more Sims because it allows me to tell different stories within a single save file. WithThe Sims 3, I was able to have more freedom when it came to controlling each character simultaneously, like I could have one Sim at the park greeting their neighbors while the other is at the library leveling up a specific skill.
Being able to jump back and forth between each kept me invested in the game, and while I can still do that inThe Sims 4, my options are limited when controlling another sim that’s on a different lot. If you’re looking for deeper customization and more freedom to control various aspects of the game—regardless of where your Sims are—thenThe Sims 3is worth checking out. Although it was released in 2009,the game still upholds its statusas one of, if not the, best in the series' history.
4The Sims 2
Although released in 2004,The Sims 2still offers substantial and intriguing gameplay to this day. Interest in the game remained relevant, prompting EA to release an updated version of it, alongside the original Sims game, to run on modern computers.
WhereThe Sims 2shines and whereThe Sims 4is dull, is in maturity and lore. While both are rated the same, T-for-Teens, they do offer different play styles. WhileThe Sims 4does include all aspects that make it that rating—crude humor, sexual themes, and violence—it doesn’t seem to hold the same strength asThe Sims 2did. For example,The Sims 2offers visually realistic reactions when Sims fight, kiss, and flirt. The options are more on the adult-themed side, and the animations are not subtle in what’s happening.
On the other hand, whileThe Sims 4does offer the same interactions between Sims, they feel watered down. Additionally, various options in the game put a more childish tone to the game’s image, like when your Sim is angry and can take an “angry poop.” Another area whereThe Sims 2excels is in its lore. Some of the most iconic storylines in the franchise originated in this generation and have been carried over into later installments of the game.
This drives the experience, whether you’re playing as a pre-made family or creating your own.The Sims 4has its own backstories and lore in the game, but it’s not as compelling asThe Sims 2for me. Additionally, the famous storylines fromThe Sims 2are not connected within that generation of the game, since it has been noted that the game is in an alternate timeline from previous generations. If you’re looking for a game that pushes the T-for-Teen rating to its limit, offers rich, layered lore, and delivers that 2000s nostalgia, giveThe Sims 2a try.
Life simulation games typically attract three types of players: creators, builders, and storytellers, though many people fall into multiple categories. The type you are may influence which alternative game is the best fit for you.The Sims 4isn’t a bad game—it just doesn’t quite meet the expectations of a fourth-generation title in a series that’s more than 25 years old, especially considering the game itself is now over a decade old.
With more competition emerging than ever before, I hope these games will spark the developers to adopt features that competitors are already offering and thatThe Sims 4continues to lack.
