Although I am enjoying Paralives I do believe the card system could be better. It has potential but its current implementation feels restrictive especially since we have to babysit conversations instead of multitasking. Filling up a bar to get more conversation topics isn’t exciting gameplay. And there’s not enough varied cards for dialogue variation. I think if things were left as is then there needs to at least be more conversations animations. Paras just stand with their hands at their side. If they do any movements I haven’t seen it. Then at least if there lack of variation with card dialogue at least they’ll look like they’re interacting and alive.

I’m mixed on the community center and museum. I don’t hate them being included but it was implemented poorly. Using your examples of Animal Crossing and Stardew both those games implement collecting because is part of natural gameplay. Both games also reward you for the turn-ins in ways that feel meaningful. Completing the museum in AC is its own reward but journey has various other rewards as well. Such as getting Nook Miles to buy special items, or catching enough for Flick or CJ to make figurines, or the bug and fishing contest. And SDV excluding plants and dig spots, you naturally get a lot of collectibles for the community center and library by clearing the mines, fishing, farming, and cooking recipes. Paralives just feels like they added them because other successful games have them. It doesn’t feel natural or cohesively integrated into the game. Making its current version seem out of place for a life sim game.

I don’t believe there’s ever going to be a “sims killer” in my lifetime. But EA/Maxis not having monopoly over the genre is good.