Having played TS since its first release, I stayed away from TS4 because of the many bad reviews I was reading. My curiosity won the best of me however and I bought it on sale in December 2015, and now I'm unable to put it down. Yes, it is a different game and features have been taken away/added, but this is a new game, not an update to TS3. The focus is more on interaction and bringing you in as a member of a household, developing them and helping them to evolve. The game accomplishes this with new camera angles, animations, and game logic that surprise you and make it fun. It is actually rewarding to develop generations of family members and to help them grow in wealth and knowledge to achieve goals. I find the changes made bring me into the story line even more than before. The new interface immerses you into the world you create, and you may actually feel a pang of sorrow when one of the sims you've developed ages and dies. I deplore cheats, and find building a sims knowledge and wealth to be the core challenge of this game. Finding new ways to educate/develop ones sim and guide them through a career path is a challenge and entertaining. A sims attributes, dreams, and personality all come into play in this dramatic setting. You will also appreciate the custom content and its ease of use from the content creators out there. It's free, and much of it absolutely amazing, adding yet another layer to your sims. I can honestly say that I am disappointed in myself for having listened to critical reviews, and wished that I had given the game a try for myself sooner. Lol, and no, I do not work for Maxis or EA, and I am giving an objective review.