After 20 Years of Playing The Sims, This New Game Is At The Top of My Christmas Wish List

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I grew up playing some of the most famous video games, like Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog. But I really became a lifelong gamer when I discovered The Sims at age seven. I was instantly captivated!

I’ve spent a lot of time playing different games in the Sims series. Whether it was the main games, MySims, Pets, or Medieval, they all had that comforting Sims feel, signaled by the iconic plumbob. For twenty years, no other game let me live such wild, unrestrained lives – becoming a fame-obsessed vampire or a prolific dater with a strange obsession with pools. For a long time, The Sims was the only game that truly satisfied that desire for a limitless life simulation.

Twenty years is a long time, and things change. Game series grow and develop, player tastes evolve, and even long-time fans start looking for something new. Recently, I’ve become interested in a new life simulation game called Paralives, which seems really promising. This December, I’ll finally find out if it can do something no game has managed to do in twenty years: make me stop playing The Sims.

Paralives Goes Head-to-Head with The Sims

Life-simulation games have become incredibly popular recently. We’ve seen huge successes like Animal Crossing: New Horizons and surprise hits like Stardew Valley, making the last ten years a fantastic time for the genre. However, most of these games offer a relaxed, slower-paced experience of life with limited ways to really customize it. As a result, The Sims has remained the dominant game in this style for quite some time.

The competition to challenge The Sims is officially underway, and it’s fierce. While InZOI‘s early release showed potential and Life by You unfortunately didn’t launch, Paralives appears to be a serious contender that could finally overtake the long-reigning franchise—if it delivers on its promises.

Paralives May Deliver on Things Sims Fans Have Wanted for Decades

Twenty years is a long time, but when it comes to gaming, I feel like I just walked into a party that’s been going on for ten years already. Some players have been dedicated to this type of game almost my entire life, and they’ve been asking for improvements for nearly thirty years. Many of those requests – things like being able to build without grids and having more versatile lots – are still popular today. And that’s not even mentioning everything that’s missing from The Sims 4, like the color wheel and deeper storylines. That’s why Paralives looks like a really exciting option for players who feel their wishes haven’t been heard.

  • Free DLC and Updates: The Sims 4 might be free to play right now, but its financial barrier to entry has always been a burden. To purchase all Expansion Packs and other pieces of DLC, a player would have to invest over four figures in the game. Paralives’ base game will be $39.99 USD during its Early Access period, but the Paralives team has promised free DLC content and updates.
  • Gridless Construction: The Sims 4‘s Build Mode has often been the refuge of builders, but Paralives’ alternative will attract any Simmer. Paralives offers tools that enable grid-free construction, curved walls, resizable objects, split-level floors, custom stairs, and complete color and texture customization.
  • Open World Exploration: The Sims 4 removed the franchise’s open-world experience, which shocked many fans. Paralives boasts this feature in a town that is both vivid and cozy.

Paralives Is A Life-Sim Inspired By Sims Fans, For Sims Fans

I first became interested in Alex Masse’s game, Paralives, when it was announced in 2019. It looked incredibly promising, offering features like customizable furniture and a gameplay style that felt both fresh and familiar. What started as a small project has now grown into a full game release, and it’s likely to excite fans of cozy games. Creating a game with the potential of The Sims is a huge undertaking, and Paralives seems well on its way.

What’s been truly special about making this game is the strong connection between the developers and the people who believed in it from the start. Fans joined the project early on, sharing their ideas on platforms like Discord and Patreon, and gradually helped shape the game into what it is today. Now, after six years, those early supporters are finally getting to experience the game they helped create.

A Work in Progress

The life simulation game Paralives will be available in Early Access starting December 8th, making it a great gift for fans of the genre. The developers at Paralives Studios have shared details about what players can expect both at launch and in future updates. Here’s a look at some key features to anticipate.

Features Available at Launch Early Access Features
Character autonomy Tools to create unique towns
Family-oriented gameplay, like marriage, having children, and relationship development Pets including horses, cats, and dogs
Shops, restaurants, museums, and collections NPC story progression
Modding tools Weather and seasons
Parafolk-driven gameplay: personality traits, emotions, wants, skills, and needs Expanded clothing, hairstyles, personalities, skills, etc.
Color Wheels for the Paramaker and Build Mode Genetic editing
Flexible wall placement tools (curved and angled) Pools
Split-level platforms Advanced stairs and roofing tools
Object resizing Organizing social events such as parties or weddings

Paralives Is The Perfect Game for Sims Fans

Whether it’s a longing for the past or simply good timing, Paralives feels like a dream come true for fans of The Sims. It’s more than just building and controlling virtual people; it’s about the simple pleasure of creating something and feeling a real connection to what you’ve built – that feeling that drew so many of us to the game in the first place.

With The Sims celebrating its 25th anniversary and Paralives finally arriving, it feels like a new generation of life simulation games is beginning. It’s comforting to see a genre I’ve loved for so long continue to grow and offer new experiences. While The Sims sparked my imagination, I hope Paralives will inspire me to start anew. Honestly, that feels like the perfect gift, especially at Christmas. Buying this game isn’t just about getting something new; it’s about cherishing past memories and looking forward to endless creative possibilities.

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2025-10-28 18:35