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Paralives blows Sims 4’s decorating out of the water

The team behind the upcoming indie game Paralives has been showing off some of the new decor, and it looks like The Sims 4 may lose its crown.

A female character from Paralives sitting on the grass with her back against a tree and an open book to her right

Paralives is one of those games that I just cannot seem to wait for. The more I learn about it, the more I want to dive right into the simulation game. There are so many intricate design choices going into the production of Paralives, it’s almost impossible to believe that the game was initially conceived by just one man. From characters that take their shoes off at the front door to various house customization options, Paralives is taking beloved games like The Sims to the next level.

I have thousands of hours in The Sims 4. I don’t even want to know how many I have in the other Sims games, because I somehow managed to play 2 and 3 even more than I have 4. I own every expansion for every one of the games, and I religiously await EA’s updates. When I learned about Paralives, my heart pretty much flew up and out of my chest. A game that could finally rival Sims – was this really happening? Simmers have waited for ages for such announcements, and one finally came in the form of Paralives.

The developer has been tweeting all sorts of news about the game, from character poses to new decorations. The most recent post was made showing off some bathroom furniture, and I’m obsessed. Look at the meticulously placed slippers by the tub. Check the open book on the floor. Focus on the downright adorable duck wearing a hat in the painting. Everything shown thus far just feels so… human. The Sims community loves it, and it isn’t hard to tell why.

An image of a bathroom from Paralives, featuring a black door, black-tiled flooring, a black and white bathtub, a white sink with a black faucet, and a toilet

In the comments, fans are making suggestions about what they’d like to see next, and the developer is responding. Someone suggested workable blinds or curtains, and the dev confirmed it’s something the team is working on. Another feature seen in the image is a curved wall, something not really possible in The Sims games. It will be interesting to see how doors and windows work on such walls, but for now, it’s looking really smooth.

Other posts about Paralives have showcased more building and decorating features, like the ability for players to place objects with extreme precision. No more move objects cheat needed, you will be able to put your furniture where you’d like to – within reason, of course. The dev has also detailed how characters will be able to interact with objects in various ways, and it seems like it’s going to be a lot more in-depth than in other similar games like The Sims 4. Want one of your characters to sit on the couch? Cool, they can do so in different ways just like we can in real life!

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One of my favorite features from The Sims 3 is also coming to Paralives… you guessed it, it’s the color wheels. You can customize anything and everything in Paralives, from the number of freckles on a person’s face to the exact color of hair, a piece of clothing, or a furniture item. Size is important in Paralives, too, and you can adjust how big or small every object is. Parafolks themselves can speak in their own language, similar to Simlish. Most importantly, though, there are duck plushies.

A living room in the game Paralives featuring a fireplace, table, couch, and two duck plushies. One plush is on the couch and the other is massive at the window.

Don’t mind me – I’m just going to obsess over how adorable everything in Paralives is while I wait to hear more about The Sims 4 horses. If you also love these sorts of games, chances are that you could find some cool ways to spice up your base game with our list of the best Sims 4 mods. For non-Sims-specific content, you can check out some of our other favorite life games while you wait for more Paralives news.