Highlights
- Modding has become an increasingly useful tool to enhance gameplay and fill in gaps for popular franchises like The Sims.
- The Slice of Life mod by Kawaiistacie has revolutionized The Sims 4 by adding realism, complex emotions, memorable moments, menstrual cycles, and more.
- The improvements brought by the Slice of Life mod should be considered when Maxis is crafting The Sims 5.
Having an active community striving to enhance gameplay is one of the highest marks of achievement for a franchise, as gamers can brainstorm to bridge any gaps a title might be missing due to legal restrictions or plain oversight. The influence of modding has grown far and wide in the last decade, as mods have taken games like Skyrim and Fallout 4 to new heights. The Sims 4 is another popular title to profit greatly from its community, as while Maxis has outfitted the game with several customization options and DLCs, gamers often feel the life simulator could use some kick in its base form. There are several mods the developer can draw inspiration from to deliver a complete experience in The Sims 5, and one in particular could be all the difference.
While The Sims 4 has a lot to offer gamers with a mind-numbingly wide variety of home furnishings and randomly generated Neighborhood Stories to influence the day-to-day lives of NPC Sims, fans are always searching for new content and coming up with mods to cover any areas developers neglected to expand on. There’s a long list of custom content available for use in The Sims 4‘s gameplay, and it would be a tall order to find an avid The Sims player that doesn’t use at least a few modifications in the title. The Slice of Life mod by Kawaiistacie is one of the most popular choices in the game, and the add-on provides Maxis with a few lessons to learn ahead of The Sims 5.
Slice of Life’s Features Would Bring The Sims 5 to Another Level
Franchises often gloss over intricate details, and it’s up to the consuming public to fill in the gaps in their favorite releases with a few tweaks. The Slice of Life mod does just that, expanding the realism levels The Sims 4 already offers with seemingly obvious everyday life occurrences. Emotions, for example, play a critical role in human actions, and although The Sims 4‘s base game did a passable job at depicting these moods, the Slice of Life makes the official content look hugely limited in comparison. The mod gives Sims some much-needed complexity in their feelings, with a host of unique sentiments such as humiliated, pumped, stressed, and furious.
Much like the annoyingly slow droopy step a Sim deploys when exhausted, Slice of Life’s emotions affect characters’ appearances in-game. Sims can get teary-eyed when Sad, or sport blushes on their cheeks when feeling Flirty, Embarrassed, or after having too much to drink. Getting drunk in The Sims 4 without realistic mods is practically impossible, as characters only acquire a special moodlet that briefly influences their emotions. However, Slice of Life doesn’t let players knock down several alcoholic beverages without consequences, handing out hangovers and corresponding effects to sobering Sims after a wild night out on the town.
The mod also lets Sims recall significant memories such as first kisses, baby milestones, death, and cheating – each of which has unique nostalgic effects on a Sim’s overall mood and actions. Perhaps the most popular addition from the Slice of Life mod comes in the form of its Menstrual System, allowing female Sims to go through fertility cycles. To aid this experience, players can purchase tampons, pads, and even use birth control pills to reduce the effects of the unavoidable Uncomfortable buff that comes with periods.
Additionally, Slice of Life has a personality system with 16 personality types that influence a Sim’s hobbies and career interests, expanded WooHoo options, and more realistic illnesses like colds that can spread from one Sim to another. Going on random and autonomous one-night stands is now possible, and sicknesses can be treated with doctor visits or prevented totally through vaccinations. These features have helped cement The Sims 4‘s status as the pioneer life simulator, and the vast improvements the Slice of Life mod brought to the title are worthy of replication in The Sims 5.
The Sims 5 is in development.