We all have different player archetypes when it comes to life simulators like Paralives – in particular when playing that titan of the genre, The Sims. You've got type-A perfectionists micromanaging every move their character makes, roleplayers who embrace themed challenges and make their own narratives, and those who plot the downfall and murder of everyone that stands in their way. Me? I'm a builder. I'll routinely spend several hours putting together the perfect character – an outfit for every occasion, carefully considered traits to fit their backstory – only to birth them into a world where they are cursed to stand forever idle while I faff around in Build Mode for another few weeks. This poor avatar will probably never see a single in-game sunset, let alone find a chance to use any of the endless clutter I'm meticulously placing around their home.
Building, decorating, and abusing the vanilla versions of these games is my idea of a good time, but much to my annoyance, I've increasingly come to rely on mods as my architectural ambitions have developed. Which makes what I experienced while playing Paralives such a big deal. If the game keeps moving toward the promise it's already showing, I might never have to download another mod again.
