The life simulator genre is about to get a whole lot bigger with the highly-anticipated release of Life by You, a game that is considered to be The Sims franchise’s biggest contender for the throne. Although it has yet to launch, Paradox Tectonic has already provided fans with all the juicy details through screenshots, videos, and informational questionnaires. So, if you want to get a head start on your new virtual adventure, here’s 10 exciting features you can look forward to in Life by You.
Control Anyone at Any time
The stories you create in Life by You don’t have to be limited to a particular household, as the game allows you to control anyone at any time. So, if you are curious about an athletic biker or an intriguing co-worker while walking around the map, you can instantly switch over to their journey to get a fresh new start in life.
Players can take it a step further by looking at the overall view of everyone in town, where they can keep track of residents. You can also change their dynamics from the Human Editor, including houses, jobs, and traits. And, whenever a specific character rubs you the wrong way, you can smite them by removing them from the world.
Food Mart & General Shopping
If you are a shopaholic, you’ll undoubtedly love Life by You’s various buying mechanics, where almost everything can be purchased. One of my favorite store options is the food mart, which is something I always desired in the Sims universe. With this establishment, players will be able to take food samples from displays, pick up ingredients for recipes, and even witness a pickpocketing transaction.
Once you are done getting your grub on, you can head over to the clothing store and pick out outfits directly from the rack.
Extensive Character Creator
Life by You’s character design is by far one of the most intricate systems I’ve seen, considering how much attention to detail there is. Everything from nose inclination to cheek position to breast cleavage can be altered, leaning more towards a realistic approach and less of a cartoony feel.
Players will also have complete control over hairstyles through hair lengths, accessories, and coloring (highlights included.) Then, you can customize their life story with Backgrounds, whether it be a lineage of criminal mischief or a family of art connoisseurs.
Dialogue Creation
Over the years, I’ve gotten used to Simlish, Animal Crossing, and other languages, so I was surprised to see actual conversations played out in Life by You. Not only that, but the game showcases a dialogue creator, in which the player can edit discussions to influence relationships, unlock quests, and improve moods.
But, if you want to simply enjoy a conversation, you can use the pre-set dialogue options and then make your way to dialogue edits when you want to create your own story.
Direct Control
While the standard point-and-click mechanics can sometimes make the gameplay feel limited, Life by You changes this approach by adding a Direct Control option. You’ll be able to interact with any objects or characters based on the direction you are currently looking at, similar to the third-person view of most AAA games.
Players can also control their car, bringing Grand Theft Auto’s classic automobile elements to the life simulator genre.
Full Mod Support
Modders have always been the heart of the life simulator community as they continue to expand the general base mechanics of the game. So, to help these creators, Paradox Tectonic will offer a complete support system, where they have classified the title as “one of the most moddable and open life-sims.”
Currently, the team is working on a set of guidelines for both experienced and beginner modders, including a Paradox Mod site specifically for the tool.
Various Modes of Transportation
One of the critical aspects I miss from the Sims franchise is the variety of transportation shown in The Sims Bustin’ Out, whether it be the limousine with a jacuzzi to a motorized scooter. But, in recent years, simulators have been rather dormant in this aspect, primarily using standardized cars. Fortunately, Life by You is bringing this fun element back on the map, ushering in various types of transportation for any player.
Based on the screenshots, the game includes cars, motorcycles, bikes, skateboards, and even scooters (it may not be electric, but I’ll take what I can get.) The Direct Control mechanic will also make the experience more satisfying, giving you the free range to go wherever your heart desires.
Unique Building Mechanics
The possibilities of Life by You’s customization tools are almost endless, from the color wheel to the furniture fabric. One of the most intriguing features is the option to scale a pattern vertically or horizontally, permitting players to get the best design for them.
It doesn’t even have to stop at interior designing, as you can freely move around structures on the map without any restrictions to a particular area. Out of all the game’s elements, this aspect is the one I am most looking forward to, given that most worlds already have set designs implemented.
The Ultimate Gardening Experience
Nature lovers can enjoy Life by You’s vast gardening content, where you can get your hands dirty with plotting and planting. Like most farming simulators, players must water their flora consistently, including trees, flowers, and bushes. However, each item in the garden will vary in growth time, so you’ll need to keep track of your plot to nurture the plants successfully.
Those who are tree huggers will be happy to hear about the ‘Hug Tree’ interaction, especially if their controllable human is a nature lover.
Intricate Life Stage System
Life by You’s aging mechanics transcend the typical life stages you may have seen before, as the character’s duration resembles the real-life development process. In particular, humans will age up one year with each passing birthday instead of unlocking life stages over pre-determined times.
The base game will feature infants, toddlers, children, teenagers, adults, and elders, each with their own interactions and activities. While adults can advance in their careers, children will focus on their studies at school and have more kid-friendly interactions with their peers.
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