9 Things The Sims 4 Has Ruined
2. Traits And Aspirations
The Sims 4, as a base game, has around 37 personality traits for you to mix and match into three slots. The Sims 3, on the other hand, has around 61 in the base game alone with many more added in expansion packs to enrich your Sims' interactions. Lacking the traits for a wide array of personalities, all of the other features and systems are just running off of the base game free will. Yes, that Sim just started a fist fight with a stranger for no reason. Isn't that how quirky people are supposed to work? Sure, the Whims did used to be related to the traits but they were often excessively repetitive and ignored so much that The Sims team has set them to off as a default.
Even the aspirations have been gutted with The Sims 4 using them as tutorials for new packs instead of realistic aspirations for Sims looking for a better life. My Sim may want to climb a mountain in the short term or explore the beaches of Sulani, but what about raising a family? Reaching the top of a career or conquering the chess championships?
The Traits and Aspirations have either no effect on the gameplay or are outright ignorable for a game that is supposed to be a life simulator. It could be a commentary on how we as a society have no aspirations anymore, but I doubt that.