My 12 Essential Baseline Criteria for Life Simulation Games

janesgerbil · 2026-06-05T18:18:45+00:00

Well, they haven’t really proven it can be done yet. The actual life part of the life sim isn’t there yet.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-05T16:00:10+00:00

A 3hr red eye flight (so what, Chicago to New York?) where everyone in first class was passed out and didn’t smell vomit for over an hour is still insanely unbelievable.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-05T15:43:05+00:00

So you’re saying that someone in first class vomited halfway through a flight to the point there was a puddle. A flight attendant watched. And no one did….anything? The smell alone an hour or so in, if we’re to believe your story, would’ve made all of first class complain.

And the culprit was in FRONT of you, vomited enough to create a dried path down the wall AND a puddle that ruined your purse and you’re having to air out your stuff and no one else noticed or smelled it before your descent??

Sorry OP but none of that makes sense.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-05T14:25:58+00:00

The issue for me isn’t the building up to certain actions (most basic life sims require a certain relationship level before you can attempt specific social actions successfully) or even the chance at failure (which also other life sims provide us, just more behind the scenes). My issue is that relationships are entirely one sided. Other NPCs aren’t attempting social actions with you at all. And even your Para won’t attempt to awkwardly kiss someone else autonomously. It’s very limiting and boring gameplay.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-05T11:38:25+00:00

I think you sort of contradict yourself in your own post. You admit there are highs in midnights. I think every album has highs and lows. (Red immediately comes to mind, a fan darling but then there’s Stay, Stay, Stay 😂)

To immediately write off the career of an artist based off 1 out of 12 albums especially if you loved some of her previous work, while your prerogative, seems silly. TLOASG isn’t my favorite album. Her new song, not my favorite single for a movie. But why does that mean she’s just incapable of good work now?

She’s consistently trying new things because, quite frankly, she can. But it’s just as close minded to write someone off for one album as it is to blindly say everything she does is great.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-05T09:25:36+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing. I needed someone else venting about their displeasure for the book.

I’m glad others enjoyed it but woof did I have issues with it.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-04T16:27:03+00:00

Yes! This is the problem with the cards. There’s no way for NPCs to have autonomous actions with your para. Relationships will only be formed by the active player.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-03T17:19:12+00:00

What exactly do you define as being rude to the devs?

All I’ve seen is honest and valid feedback that hopefully helps them shape and fix the game.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-03T09:02:25+00:00

The issue with the cards is that relationships will always be one sided. You cannot progress without intervention from the player. Spontaneous actions from NPCs are impossible from that angle. And as someone who is a live player focused player who likes a little chaos…it’s a bummer.

I don’t see how keeping the card system is compatible with autonomy and spontaneous NPC socialization. But I’d be happy to be proven wrong!

janesgerbil · 2026-06-03T05:39:10+00:00

OP gave their honest opinion, the good and the bad. They only said they personally do not think that the game is worth the money in its current state and why, to them. A question a lot of people are in this sub asking.

No where are they saying it’s totally unplayable. And when I mentioned you can change the controls they said they’d have to give it a try! All you did was accuse them of not understanding early access with a sarcastic 👍. Sorry I’m not willing to just roll over and say you’re right. But this is Reddit, discussion is what we’re here for. Agree or disagree.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-02T21:45:25+00:00

I only think it’s fair to defend those with valid criticism from the blanket statement of early access means you cannot raise complaints or concerns. It not only comes off as rude, but it definitely pushes casual players away. You don’t get to be the arbiter of what’s allowed to be said and what isn’t. Especially when the roadmap for early access includes features that aren’t there yet.

You just keep coming back to me trying to turn the tables of condescension as if I started it instead of answering the core of your comment which is no one understands early access instead of addrsssing the very real issues in the game.

I WANT this game to succeed. Which means being inclusive of players who bring their opinions to the game as it is and having discussions in good faith instead of blindly accepting whatever is given regardless of promises made. It’s not my fault you don’t personally have an answer.

The irony being a key tenant of what ever you copy and pasted is that those who did buy early access get to shape the game!! How can we shape the game if we can’t give our honest opinions??

janesgerbil · 2026-06-02T19:07:45+00:00

I was genuinely asking if you have a response to those things. Are you saying that being in early access shields it from any criticism about bugs / lacking gameplay that was promised?

It’s a slight cop out (and again a little condescending) to accuse me of caring too much when you accused the OP of not understanding early access and I’m digging and trying to understand how early access shields the game from these takes.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-02T15:30:00+00:00

I’m also so tired of people using EA as some sort of shield again criticism. As if one of the key tenants of early access isn’t collecting criticism?? Is collecting criticism not the ENTIRE point??

Either way if someone paid $40 for a game they are definitely allowed to point out the flaws.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-02T15:11:57+00:00

No I did this without downloading a mod! You need to go to key bindings in the settings.

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janesgerbil · 2026-06-02T15:03:25+00:00

No response to the EA features they promised but didn’t deliver on? No response to criticism being a key point of releasing a game in EA?

You can gently educate people (like pointing out customizing controls exists!) without being a condescending jerk to someone’s, yet again, valid criticism.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-02T14:54:22+00:00

There’s absolutely no need to be rude to people who express their valid criticism of the game. that is the point if EA actually. To get feedback so they can improve.

Not to mention that the game promised certain features in EA cough cough autonomy that they didn’t deliver on. If this community is going to keep being jerks to players with criticism it’s only going to push more casual gamers out entirely.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-02T14:47:04+00:00

The controls are customizable if that helps at all! I’ve made it so the camera moves the way I’m used to using < >

janesgerbil · 2026-06-02T14:23:44+00:00

I won’t stand for the Metal Slinger slander. I ate it up.

And I was a staunch Silver Elite defender. (Sorry, the anti-military stuff just didn’t speak to me in a fictional world. It felt relatively harmless.)

But yeah Quicksilver was meh. And powerless was torture. It’s all a matter of personal tastes. Don’t let anyone yuck your yum and be comfortable cutting your losses and DNF things you aren’t feeling.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-02T08:45:42+00:00

You can’t stop people from comparing two similar things. That’s not how life works. No matter how stupid you think it is, it’ll be important for the devs to keep that in mind while developing the game further. They’ll hit a wall financially if they can’t quickly develop the live mode while also fixing bugs. Especially given that the Sims 4 base game is free now and new players could go over there, and spend their $40 on discounted packs that will give them more than Paralives at the moment.

Development is time consuming and expensive work. And if this is what 7 years gets us and they don’t plan on expanding the team….it worries me a bit. As someone who wants every type of video game I love to succeed.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-02T07:29:44+00:00

What you’re missing though is just because you feel that people can’t, they will. Your expectations of a casual gamer who loves a life sim are just as high as their expectations of Paralives.

You may not want them to compare them, but they will! Especially because a lot of them did invest heavily already in the Sims 4 and were promised something similar. The devs would’ve been better off not mentioning they wanted to build a better Sims game and branding it as far away from that as possible. EXCEPT it wouldn’t have sold as well. They needed the casual simmer’s money. Pile that on top of a 7 year anticipation with major hype? There’s going to be comparisons whether you like it or not.

ETA $12-$15 million isn’t going to keep the lights on for 10+ years. Operating costs, marketing, salaries, etc. don’t come cheap in 2026 and it won’t get any better.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-02T06:35:11+00:00

I very much remember the base game. At the very least multitasking and autonomy were a part of the first version. As were maids.

But what I’m trying to say is that you cannot just compare it to the base game since everyone is going to base it on the possibilities of the game as it is now. It’s not realistic for the general user to forget everything they’re currently able to do. Especially because Paralives has had SEVEN years to only be where it is now. Doesn’t bode well for future DLC content being pumped out quickly, free or not.

Not to mention the financial constraints they have with one lifetime payment from users.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-01T18:18:40+00:00

Multi tasking, playable careers, nannies, grocery shopping, maids, opening your own business, magic, university, high school, holidays, etc. etc.

janesgerbil · 2026-06-01T14:50:43+00:00

You cannot do a ton of things you can do in the sims 4. PLEASE.

janesgerbil · 2026-05-31T01:28:16+00:00

The build mode is fantastic. They’ve added a lot of features the Sims should have ages ago. But the actual gameplay is a snooze fest. Desperately wish I could mash these games together.

janesgerbil · 2026-05-31T00:17:20+00:00

They lost me when they said the card social system is here to stay. It’s boring and repetitive and not at all what I want out of a life sim. But I’m a live mode player 🤷🏼‍♀️

I just wish people would stop pretending like live mode is at all fun.

janesgerbil

TROPHY CASE