Sims 4 console gameplay is hilariously frustrating but fun ⇒ Sims4Life

Trying to play Sims 4 console gameplay sounds like a fun new experience, but for SatchOnSims, it quickly spiraled into a chaos-filled misadventure. Playing on PS5, he bravely ventured into a version of the game that looked smooth but handled like a train on ice. From awkward camera controls to clunky build mechanics, his experience was more survival challenge than cozy simulation.

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Create-a-sim quickly turns into rage-a-sim

Right out of the gate, the Create-a-Sim experience exposes a major Sims 4 console gameplay flaw. With no easy way to grab and adjust facial features, you’re constantly flicking between cursor mode and standard navigation. And even then, your Sim often ends up looking like a randomized experiment. Satch’s Sim ended up with the charming name Derek Pettison, mostly because figuring out how to change it was too much effort.

Switching between tools feels like a puzzle and using the joystick to modify features? Forget it. Sims 4 Console gameplay players must have the patience of saints.

Build mode proves to be a chaotic nightmare

Satch’s next challenge was building a house, and it quickly became a comedy show. Roof placement? A disaster. Camera movement? Broken. Controls? Let’s just say he was one rage quit away from turning off his PS5 altogether.

Using the build tools felt like trying to assemble IKEA furniture blindfolded. He even resorted to using the “auto window” feature, which turned out to be more of a gamble than a solution. As Satch sarcastically praised EA‘s “innovative AI” for placing windows in odd spots, viewers were probably nodding along in shared frustration.

Base game blues with no PC pack transfers

What’s worse than tough controls? Realizing you can’t use the Sims 4 packs you already own on PC. EA accounts track console and PC ownership separately, so Satch was stuck with the base game, no Seasons, no gallery access, and no DLC love.

Linking your EA account sounds helpful, but it just reveals how limited your console experience is. It’s like being handed a toy box with half the toys missing.

Gameplay is smooth but stripped down

Oddly enough, while gameplay animations run smoother on PS5, the controls keep getting in the way. The console port offers none of the fluidity you get with a mouse and keyboard. Tasks that take seconds on PC (like placing a couch or navigating the UI) drag out endlessly.

Even using cheats like “motherlode” was a struggle. The gallery feature didn’t work. The build tools were clunky. And every room was decorated with a mix of “that’ll do” furniture and silent desperation.

On the bright side, Sims 4 console gameplay players do get some freebies. Satch spotted the “Throne of Thrones” toilet apparently exclusive to Sims 4 console gameplay, and called it a minor win in a sea of losses.

Social interactions: flirting, failing, and fishing

Determined to find joy, Satch sent Derek Pettison out to flirt with neighbors like Liberty Lee and Summer Holiday. But even love proved tricky. Failed flirt attempts led to embarrassment. Summer Holiday wasn’t into it. Even Samantha Chong at the bar was more focused on her solo dancing than any romance.

He tried stand-up comedy at the bar’s mic, but it bombed harder than his pick-up lines. Even with charisma and charm, it was clear the only thing this Sim was building was regret.

Should you even bother playing Sims 4 on console?

Honestly, unless you’re desperate to play The Sims and only own a console, the Sims 4 console gameplay experience is exhausting. Satch recommends getting a mid-range gaming laptop instead. They cost about the same as a console and let you enjoy the game as it was intended without trying to wrestle your way through menus.

Console controls feel like a patch job, not a real adaptation. If EA were to revisit console Sims games, fans agree they should create separate, console-specific titles like the old Sims 2 and Sims Bustin’ Out era games that were fun, fast, and actually designed with controllers in mind.