The Sims 4 Review Roundup

Last week, five years after The Sims 3, EA launched the latest entry in the life simulation series, The Sims 4. With it comes some controversy over missing features, but do those omissions ultimately prove to have an effect on the game? We've gathered up a sampling of reviews below to help you decide whether the game is worth a look.

Developer Maxis made waves earlier this year when it revealed that mainstay features like pools and toddlers would not be included in the "base game." This was explained as being necessary in order to deliver on the new technology that powers the game and allows for what it says are more emotional characters and better AI. However, given EA's propensity for selling numerous expansion packs for past Sims games, this fueled concerns that fans would be asked to pay for these features in the future.

Since its release last week, Maxis has already patched the game--doing away with things like a way to date the Grim Reaper--and fans have recreated famous locations like the Seinfeld apartment and Arrested Development model home. EA is also working to fix an issue that prevents words like "gay" and "lesbian" from being used in characters' names and descriptions. And don't forget, if you owned The Sims 3 and any expansions, you're entitled to some free Sims 4 items.

You can check out a selection of reviews below. For more, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

• Game: The Sims 4
• Developer: EA Maxis
• Platforms: PC
• Release Date: September 2
• Price: $59.99

GameSpot -- 6/10

"The Sims 4's biggest problem is that The Sims 3 exists, and describing where it stumbles by necessity means looking at where the series has been. This is a lovely and lively game that elicits constant smirks, but The Sims 4's moments never feel like part of a bigger picture." [Full review]

USGamer -- 3.5/5

"The new generation of Sims begins with what feels like a bare-bones starter kit. It packs top-of-the-line Sims-creation and house-building tools, but styling options and activities are distinctly lacking. Add the contents of its first expansion, and Sims 4 will probably feel like the game it should be right now." [Full review]

Polygon -- 6.5/10

"So much of the effort that went into The Sims 4--and don't misunderstand, there was a lot of effort--went into improving the tools and mechanics of the game. In that regard, Maxis succeeded; there's no doubt about that. The game-level stuff, the creation and control, is top-notch. But ultimately, it feels like a well-made box, only partially filled and primed for expansion." [Full review]

Joystiq -- 3.5/5

"I like The Sims 4, although I fully recognize that it's not nearly robust enough yet for series fans. If you're new to the franchise, it's a great place to start and explore the possibilities. The Sims 4 certainly feels like more of the same game we've known for over a decade. Hours will go by and you'll think absolutely nothing has occurred, but then somebody will ask you what happened in your game and you'll have a rich story to tell." [Full review]

Eurogamer -- 7/10

"The Sims 4 is both fresh and yet also predictable, pleasant, comfortable, and rarely overstimulating. It's wobbly, and you can still see some of its joins, or hear the creaks as new parts settle into place. It's not likely to win over any new players, but it will satisfy a lot of its old ones. For many of its fans, it will feel like moving into a new home. They'll settle." [Full review]

Ars Technica

"It's just a shame that the game's improved core, as of this review, feels trapped in a four-wall box with no doors. Everywhere you look in The Sims 4, you can see EA's next money-making DLC/expansion opportunity, from towns to out-of-house destinations to hairstyles, pools, cars, pets, careers, hobbies, and on and on and on. If EA wants us to love The Sims anew by letting us toy with our characters' emotions, perhaps they'd be wise not to do so by toying with ours via this very, very thin retail package." [Full review]