WhenThe Sims 4launched in 2014, it was met with a lot of controversy.The Sims 4shipped while missing features that had been staples inThe Simsfranchise up until that point, including pools, toddlers, ghosts, and basements. Other controversial features included moving fromThe Sims 3’s open-world to closed neighborhoods that require a load screen when moving between neighborhoods, and the simplification ofThe Sims 4’s art style.
The Sims 4’s art style was heavily criticized when it launched, but this may have inadvertently become a strength with the emergence of new competitors, includingInZOI.The Sims 4’s art style makes it unique, distinctive, and recognizable, which are all desirable qualities in a genre with emerging competitors.
The Sims 4’s Art Style’s Controversy
The Sims 4’s art style can be described as cartoony, with simple, clean lines and minimal details. This art style is reflected across all assets, including body models, hair, lighting, landscapes, and textures. While this may come across as low-res and low-quality, especially regarding some of the clothing options in Create-a-Sim and someBuild mode items, overall it gives the impression of a clean and colorful world.
The Sims 4’s art style is very stylizedand far more simple than it was in previousThe Simsgames. Some players criticized the move towards a more cartoonish art style, arguing that it was a step back forThe Simsseries. Players noted that the graphics and art style were a step backward fromThe Sims 3’s detailed graphics and open-world. Another criticism was that the art style was both too simple, and looked more like a children’s game or a mobile phone game. However, this simplified art style has aged very well and has helped setThe Sims 4apart fromInZOI, which adopted a hyperrealistic art style.
The Pros and Cons of The Sims 4’s Art Style
There are different benefits and drawbacks to bothThe Sims 4’s stylized approach, andInZOI’s hyperrealistic art style. One of the biggest benefits of a simplistic art style forThe Sims 4is that it allows players to access it on a broad spectrum of hardware, from high-end ones to office laptops. This has also contributed toThe Sims 4’s incredible longevity, as it can play on such a vast array of hardware that its life cycle is extended. Hyperrealistic graphics are harder on systems, andInZOIcan currently only be played on high-end computers.
The Sims 4 is Recognizable
There’s another advantage toThe Sims 4’s cartoonish art style, and that is how it makesThe Sims 4easily recognizable. Despite being simple, the art style is unique toThe Sims 4and is instantly recognizable by many who don’t even playThe Sims 4. It also makesThe Sims 4stand apart fromInZOI, rather than becoming confused with its competitor. It took ten years, butThe Sims 4may have survived long enough to turn something that many considered a weakness into a strength.
Drawbacks to The Sims 4’s Art Style in 2025
The Sims 4’s art style has been criticized for looking too clean, with the models coming across as plastic-like, particularly when it comes to Sim skin tones and hair. With graphics and tech always updating, this criticism may be more relevant than ever, asThe Sims 4is in danger of looking dated without a major graphical update. The plus side is thatInZOIis an option for playerswho prefer hyperrealistic art for immersion. While it’s great thatInZOIgives the world a view of whatThe Sims 4could have looked like if it had used a hyperrealistic art style from the beginning (though it would likely look quite dated today), players now get the choice of which type of life sim they prefer, rather than having two games that try to do the same thing visually.
