The Sims 4 does not have a well-defined plot, and the gameplay is non-linear and does not have a set end goal. The player controls up to eight self-created or chosen characters, directing them to perform various activities, such as satisfying their own needs, earning money and creating relationships with other characters. The building editor allows you to create a building in the desired style and equip it with furniture, after which the Sims controlled by the player can live in it.

The Sims 4 was originally created as a multiplayer game similar to The Sims Online, but was remade into a traditional game for the main series just half a year before release. The result of this was a clear unfinished game and massive controversy among fans of the series. Also controversial was the decision to abandon the open game world. However, The Sims 4 received improved character creation and building editors compared to The Sims 3, as well as improved character artificial intelligence.

Sales of the fourth simulator were initially restrained due to the problems described above, but the popularity of The Sims 4 continues to grow steadily into the 2020s, including due to the support of the game with updates and paid add-ons. As of 2020, The Sims 4 was the world's top-selling game by female players.

Gameplay in The Sims 4 is a life simulation. The player controls the life of one or more characters, satisfying their desires and needs. The action takes place in a town consisting of residential and public areas and inhabited by Sims. Each character is endowed with reason and emotions, has a unique appearance and personality. Relationships between people are measured on two scales that reflect the strength of friendship and romantic affection. The interface of the player with the sim is implemented in third and first person mode.

When working on graphics, the developers set themselves the goal of creating a fast game suitable for weak computers, so we suggest you to choose the best laptop for Sims 4. It was necessary to solve a critical flaw in The Sims 3, when the third part, as the additions were released, began to work and load unbearably slowly. To achieve this goal, the creators had to make several controversial but important compromises. The most important of them is the rejection of the open game world, replacing it with small game locations - districts. It also allowed for detailed and aesthetically pleasing landscapes that would not be possible in an open world. The second major trade-off is the removal of the "style change tool", replacing it with a limited list of color options similar to The Sims 2.