With each new game, The Sims series evolves considerably. The latest addition to the series, The Sims 4, introduced plenty of new features that are fun to discover and provide hours of entertainment. However, despite all of its positive traits, there are still some ways in which The Sims 4 could benefit by drawing more inspiration from its predecessors.
The Sims 2 remains one of the most popular entries in the series, but some elements that made it great are missing from The Sims 4. Reintroducing these features would make playing the game even more enjoyable, for new and old fans alike.
8 Automatic Non-Aging
One of the things that might unpleasantly surprise The Sims 4 players is automatic aging. Even if the player plays one family, all families they created before will be aging anyway. Thus, if one wants to return to a family they haven't played in a while, they may find that their Sims are much older.
The Sims 2, on the other hand, only ages the Sims the player is currently playing with, while other families don't age. This way, there are no unpleasant surprises waiting for the player who created multiple families but is only playing with one at a time.
Even though it's possible to change the aging settings in The Sims 4, some players might not initially be aware that this option exists. The default settings in Sims 2 makes it much easier for players to switch between families freely.
7 Taking Away Children
In The Sims 2, families run the risk of losing their children if the children are failing at school. This gives the player a lot of motivation to try hard to make their young Sims learn what they need to learn and succeed in their education.
If the children have bad grades, a social worker will take them away and a new family may adopt them. The Sims 4 lacks this urgency, as there are no long-lasting consequences to children having bad grades — they only get a bad mood for a while. Children in Sims 4 are only taken away if their needs drop dangerously low.
6 Preferences And Turn-Offs
This is a small detail, but one that would make gameplay in The Sims 4 even more realistic. In real life, people often have things they like and don't like about others when it comes to romantic relationships. The Sims 2 gives the player the option to choose two things the Sims will like and one they won't in romance.
As a result, the selection of one's romantic partner doesn't seem as random as in The Sims 4. For example, if someone's turn-on is being a vampire, the Sim will be naturally more drawn to supernatural creatures in The Sims 2.
5 Pets That Can Work
Sims shouldn't be the only ones who are allowed to work. In The Sims 2, pets are also able to have a job and make money for the family. That gives them something to do while the rest of the household is busy.
Pets have the opportunity to work in three possible careers: show business, security, or service. Bringing this feature back into The Sims 4 would make playing with cats and dogs even more fun.
4 Evolving Interests
Just like in real life, The Sims 2 Sims have the chance to evolve and develop their interests and passions. In other words, the longer they spend doing something, the more they know about it. That, in return, allows them to discuss their interest with other Sims.
While Sims can still learn new things in The Sims 4, there's no option to spend a lot of time talking about what they enjoy, making this game's Sims feel a little bland.
3 Showing Memories
Memories form an important part of a Sim's life in The Sims 2. They appear in the form of bubbles that appear around the Sims remembering certain events. Players can tell by the color whether these memories are positive or negative.
What's even better is that not only player-made Sims but also those who were always in the game, have their own sets of memories. Bringing this feature to The Sims 4 would make the game feel more fleshed out, and make the Sims feel more real.
2 It's A Burglar!
In real life, it's terrifying to wake up and find a burglar in one's home. However, in The Sims 2, it serves to bring a lot of excitement into the game.
If the Sims family installed an alarm in their home, they may wake up to its shrieking when a burglar breaks into their house. What's more, the brave Sims can even take on the burglar! The Sims 4 is mostly a crime-free place, on the other hand, which makes it seem overly idyllic (and makes the presence of the Police career a bit confusing).
1 Babies Can Move More Freely
Other than the initially missing toddlers (though these tykes are present now), one of the largest differences between The Sims 2 and The Sims 4 is its portrayal of babies. In the older game, babies are much more interactive and can move around the world more freely. For example, it's possible to bathe them in a sink, change them on a changing table, or even put them on the floor.
The Sims 4 only shows the babies lying in their crib, and they can't leave it. Once their parent is done with them, they put the baby back in the crib. The lack of mobility might be one of the reasons why it's just more fun to age up the baby into a more interactive toddler as soon as the baby is born.