For the first time in 10 years, I'm enjoying The Sims 4 without any mods - and it's all thanks to Lovestruck

GamesSimulationThe SimsThe Sims 4For the first time in 10 years, I’m enjoying The Sims 4 without any mods - and it’s all thanks to LovestruckWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. GamesSimulationThe SimsThe Sims 4For the first time in 10 years, I’m enjoying The Sims 4 without any mods - and it’s all thanks to LovestruckWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: EA) The Sims 4is one of my all-time favorite games, but I’d be lying if I claimed to enjoy it as much without any mods. Each time EA drops new DLC, whether it be a kit or a full-blown expansion pack, I grab my wallet and shamelessly pay up. I’m the proud owner of every single Sims 4 release to date - but it’s never enough. There’s always something missing, and as the community knows very well, EA doesn’t always give us what we want. It seems like after a decade of unanswered requests, though that’s finally changing with the arrival of Lovestruck:EA’s spiciest expansion pack yet. From the return ofsome of The Sims 2’s greatest hitslike turn-offs and turn-ons to the DLC’s accompanyingfree base game update, so many new features have come to the game all at once that I genuinely don’t feel the need to supplement with anySims 4 mods. That’s a big deal for me - in the decade I’ve spent playing the most recent Sims entry, I’ve spent countless hours sifting through custom content and mods to recreate the joy I used to feel with the series' older games. A whole new world (Image credit: EA) If it wasn’t for Lovestruck and the"total mess"of an update that dropped alongside it, forcing me to disable my CC and mods, I may never have discovered that I love The Sims 4 as it is. But it happened, and I did: I’m obsessed with the little things like curved pools, eyelashes, andpolyamory- all features that I previously needed fan-created content to have. Create-A-Sim has also never felt better, thanks to the quick copy tool. What used to take me ages is just a click away. The new “relationship” category, available while interacting with Sims, is also brilliant - it’s like EA incorporated some of the most popular interface and interaction-based mods, giving the base game’s pie menu a breath of much-needed fresh air. I can conveniently ask Sims to be my own Sims' best friends, romantic lovers, WooHoo partners, or any other relationship label known to man - and more importantly, other Sims can do the same. I’ve waited years for non-player Sims to be more autonomous, to take the lead while with my Sims, and now they do. I regularly encounter prompts from NPCs while I play, including everything from date requests to Sims asking to move in together. My Sims also get invited to places far more often than before and are asked for all sorts of things - notably, my Sim seems to attract plenty of calls to exercise as well as recurring rants from hungry vampires looking to score some grub. It’s fun, it’s silly, it’s perfect - the chaotic Sims experience many longtime fans fondly remember from the series' past games. Leeb, leefuh, lurve (Image credit: EA) While the free update boasts various much-needed additions and changes, Lovestruck itself is nothing to scoff at. If things like NPCs' heightened autonomy and a more diverse range of relationship options are the foundation, then the expansion pack is the luxurious love-filled building atop it. Sims feel more like people than ever before with Lovestruck - The Sims 2’s chemistry system is back with newturn-ons and turn-offs, relationship dynamics are here to spice situations up, and there are so many interactions to choose from that I never get bored. Want your Sims to cuddle together in bed? No cold, hard pose pack necessary - it’s an actual interaction now that counts towards your Sims' relationship level. Want Sims to go on dates but don’t want to simply “roleplay” what they’re going out to do in your head? No problem, as the new date-planning menu lets you customize everything from activities to venues. After all,Cupid’s Corner, the fully functional dating app for Sims, ensures that Sims will never be lonely again - whether theyswipe right on Shrekor some other gallery-made hottie. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more The Sims 4 isn’t just my virtual dollhouse anymore - the “dolls” are well and truly alive. Their needs also aren’t merely physical like they used to be, and I’m so here for it. Having to focus on elements like Sim satisfaction within relationships on top of the base social need is stressful, but in the most wonderful way - I don’t, Ican’t, play on the highest speed setting as I did before Lovestruck. There’s way too much to keep track of, and it’s the sort of everything-at-once chaos my ADHD-riddled brain craves. I always have something to do or some goal to work toward, even while running a household with just one active Sim. So thank you, Lovestruck - you’ve restored my long-lost love for The Sims. It took over a thousand bucks and many lengthy nights of downloading mods to get to the one expansion pack that would rekindle the Sims-shaped flame in my heart, but it’s burning brighter than ever before. I don’t even feel the urge to play The Sims 2 or 3, let alone re-enable my CC and mods. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some Cupid’s Corner matches to meet up with and spontaneous romantic rendezvous at shady motels to spectate. For more DLC, read our list of thebest Sims 4 expansion packsto pick up right now. 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This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chance Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics” Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s past Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé 17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding” Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over Christmas Spy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far One of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strength How Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the future GAME REVIEWSMOVIE 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wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1 Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”