Even though not much is known about the upcomingProject Rene, fans ofThe Simsare extremely excited about its potential. It has been over a decade since the last mainlineSimsgame hit store shelves, with only DLC filling that void in the years since. The release ofProject Reneseems to be long overdue, and what little has been revealed seems legitimately game-changing. But while it will likely expand that coreSimsgameplay loop immensely, Maxis should also consider improving upon one ofThe Sims 4’s lesser-known features.
Few players may realize this, butThe Sims 4actually has a first-person modethat can be enabled at any time. This lets players take control of their Sims from a more personal level, and although it is definitely rough around the edges, the feature can be a lot of fun to mess around with. Because of that, it would be a shame if Maxis left it behind. Instead,Project Renehas the chance to truly make this mechanic special, so hopefully, the studio is willing to give it a shot.
The Sims 4’s First-Person Mode Could Be a Defining Project Rene Feature
The Sims 4’s First-Person Mode Explained
The Sims 4is primarily a top-down experience, much like every past game in the series, but players can completely change the entire game with a few button clicks. All they have to do is press SHIFT + TAB on PC and the camera will enter first-person mode, giving players a whole new perspective. They can then live out the life of their Sim, which proves to be pretty fun. However, it also leaves much to be desired.
First-person mode can also be activated on PS5 by holding R3 and Xbox One by holding the Right Stick.
Unfortunately, thisSims 4feature does not really change how the game is played. While the perspective is different, the actual gameplay mechanics are exactly the same. Players have to right-click and select Move Here if they want to move, they must choose an option from the interaction menu if they want to interact with anything, and there are a plethora of bugs as the game was not built for first-person gameplay. All of that makes it feel more like a fun gimmick than an actual core feature, yet that does not have to be the case.
Maxis Should Expand This Niche Feature Tenfold
The upcomingProject Renewill likely take the franchise to new heights, or at least that is what many fans are hoping. While the focus of the game should definitely be on nailing down the core simulation aspect, the studio could also introduce a stronger first-person mode to the game. Not only should it iron out the many bugs, but it should also make it feel more like a first-person experience rather than what it currently feels like.
Players should be able to move around the world by simply using WASD or their arrow keys. Interacting with things should be a simple button click instead of via a menu. Maxis could also give players new things to interact with, let them throw things as if it is a shooter, and even let them play the many video games that their sims will likely play. Those small changes could go a long way in making it actually work how a first-person game should. There is also so much more it could do after that, as long as it works within thegameplay ofThe Simsfranchise.
Project Rene’s first-person mode should feel like a viable alternative to the basetop-down perspective ofThe Sims, rather than a wonky, optional mode. This could help pull in players who may not enjoy the classic top-down view, and it could also giveThe Simsfans a new level of immersion. For the first time, they could truly feel like the characters they have been manipulating for years, and as long as it works well, it could shake up the sim genre for the better.
The Sims
EA’s life simulation franchise The Sims began in the year 2000 with a game of the same name that was, at one point, the highest-selling PC game of all time.The main series games let players build a home, create a handful of characters, and then guide them through their relationships, careers, and goals.
