As a franchise,The Simshas been around for over 20 years. During this time, there have been a lot of different concepts that have been explored throughout the different iterations ofThe Sims. Some gameplay concepts have consistently made appearances in each version ofThe Sims, but others have been left behind or changed with each game generation. There are some items that players can always rely on, like aSeasonsexpansion pack, while others have been more explorative and new.The Sims 4is the longest running iteration ofThe Simsfranchise, and while some changes have been revolutionary, others just seem like reused content.
That’s not to say thatThe Sims 4is entirely unoriginal or that expected DLC is reused content. Packs likeSeasonsor evenJungle AdventureandOutdoor Livingthat add weather or vacation worlds toThe Sims 4base game aren’t necessarily reused because they’re anticipated. However,The Sims 4’s most recentParanormalstuff pack, and the upcoming game packDream Home Decorator, seem more like reused content. Both of these aspects were previously included inThe Sims 3: Ambitionsexpansion pack. At first it seems players are getting a fraction of gameplay with almost the same amount of money spent, but that may not be an entirely accurate statement.
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Newer Content in The Sims 4
Recently,The Sims 4has had some hits and missesin terms of new content. The introduction of Kits has received mixed reviews fromThe Simscommunity. Some believe the Kits are optional and fun explorative content, but others feel it’s too reminiscent ofThe Sims 3 Storeto feel comfortable purchasing Kits. While the newestThe Sims 4stuff pack,Paranormal, was well-received, there’s no denying that the premise of the pack had been explored inThe Sims 3: Ambitions. The same can be said for the upcomingThe Sims 4: Dream Home Decorator, as both packs are essentially revamped versions of two of the “professions” introduced inThe Sims 3: Ambitions.
On one hand, if thesegameplay mechanics were highly requested byThe Simscommunity, it would make sense to have them reappear inThe Sims 4. However, it doesn’t seem thatThe Simsfans have been requesting this content most vocally. It’s hard to get an accurate count of what content is most requested, as eachThe Sims 4player has a different gameplay style, but it’s worth noting that both ofThe Sims 4’s newest packs have already been done before in a singular expansion. Compared toThe Sims 3: Ambitions,The Sims 4: ParanormalandThe Sims 4: Dream Home Decoratorare surely more user-friendly than the previous expansion.
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How The Sims 4: Dream Home Decorator May Differ
The Sims 4: Dream Home Decoratorwon’t be availablefor a few more days, but what’s been revealed about it so far looks promising, despite how its premise may be borrowed fromThe Sims 3: Ambitions.There will be cute new CAS (Create-a-Sim) items as well as a lot of customizable furniture alongside the main draw of the pack—the home decorator career. Odds are,The Sims 4: Dream Home Decoratorwill be a more streamlined addition to The Sims 4base game than the previous Architectural Designer profession ofThe Sims 3: Ambitions, making it easier to play and enjoy.
A different selling point that’s been advertised a lot is thenew sectional couch(es) inThe Sims 4: Dream Home Decorator. Players will be able to customize the entire couch, making it as big or small as they like. However, this idea isn’t exactly revolutionary, though it is new toThe Sims 4. A function like this was already possible inThe Sims 2, where players could place any single living chair next to each other and turn it into a sectional, so it does make fans wonder why this feature couldn’t have been implemented sooner if the technology already existed inThe Sims 2.
WhileThe Sims 4: Dream Home Decoratorwon’t be available to players for a few more days, the conversation about if thecontent from the last twoThe Sims 4DLCsis unique or just reused is worth having.The Sims 4: Dream Home Decoratormay add some exciting content toThe Sims 4, but there is a bit of a tinge of “hasn’t this been done before?”
The Sims 4: Dream Home Decoratorwill be available June 1 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox One X/S.
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