The Sims 4 - first impressions

I finally bought The Sims 4 last Sunday. It was time. Interestingly enough the households I created in the demo weren't available although I have both the game and the demo on the same profile on Origin. To get those households, I had to start up the demo, share those households to the gallery, and then start up the game and download them there. Honestly ^^; I also realised that with Origin, the only way to get screenshots is to play the game in windowed mode - just like I did with The Sims 2. Origin really ought to introduce a screenshot button à la Steam. Here are the households I did in the demo:

Thus far I really enjoy 4 and I'm actually looking forward to following a Sims game again, with releases etc. When I started the game last Sunday I created a girl named Sonequa Malkins. I played her a little bit and then I started up a new household consisting of a girl named Sakura Umetani. I've played the most in Sakura's household.

However, I've come to realise that although the neighbourhood isn't open like in 3 (thank god) time still passes in other households while I play on one specific lot. So imagine my surprise when I later return to the Malkins household and realise that Sonequa and her subsequent boyfriend have gotten two roomies without my knowledge! xD

I've mostly played on Sakura, though, and she's now a widow with six children :P She got twins twice! Not my fault! :P

I've experimented with building, decorating, careers etc since I bought it last Sunday. But something I really enjoy are the steps you take to create successful Sims. Like it's not just a skill point and attendance that matters. The kids need to do a bunch of stuff to get a better grade and there's more than just skill points to advancing in a chosen career as well. I really enjoy that!

I also had a laugh at Sakura's budding romance with the Grim Reaper! And since Sakura started flirting with the Grim Reaper after her husband's death the Grim Reaper calls to chat every day! It's hilarious! Also the day after the death of her husband the maid died right on the lawn. So Sakura got another day with the Reaper :P There aren't any expansions yet and the game is already crazy! Love it! The Grim Reaper isn't interactable in 2... Otherwise I would've probably incorporated him in my family there by now :P

Something I don't like is that there are so few lots in the neighbourhoods! (Fair enough, there are two, but still...) I don't remember what it was like in 3. I didn't play 3 enough. But in 2... This is my current neighbourhood in 2 (created from scratch - everything is built by me):

So you see the difference in lots right? xD I hope there will be more neighbourhoods in coming expansions, otherwise this is just ridiculous.

I'm also torn as to whether I should uninstall The Sims 2 from my computer. I've grown fond of my family there, although I haven't played in a while. I still have so many plans to unfold with that family! My plans to have one Sim knocked up by Bigfoot is something I feel that I have to do before I uninstall!

When it was announced that 4 wouldn't have toddlers or pools there was a big outrage. I expect the pool stuff was mostly from Americans, because I've come to understand that most Americans see a swimming pool as something essential to a house. I only know one family IRL who has a pool and it's seen as something extravagant and unnecessary here ;) But some also complained about the fact that the abscence of swimming pools made it harder to kill Sims. I don't kill my Sims for fun, so I didn't notice that. But pools came along in a patch two days ago. I don't even notice that the toddlers aren't there. And I love that the children are more independent in 4 than in 2 (they can actually be home alone - holy shit!). I thought toddlers were mostly annoying in 2, so to not have them is awesome. 

Speaking of babies and children I also love that the babies are automatically sent to daycare when the parents leave the lot! No more late for work because there always has to be one adult around (and I hate the nannys in 2 so I refuse to get one of those). 

The Sims 4 is, imo, a really great game. It feels like an updated version of The Sims 2, rather than the exaggerated we-want-to-do-everything-at-once that The Sims 3 was. I really like it.