Sims 5: Should Double Up on a Longstanding Franchise Tradition
Electronic Arts’ life simulation game has dominated the genre for decades, and as The Sims 5 approaches, fans eagerly anticipate the series’ next installment. For over twenty years, players have delighted in the endearingly chaotic entries and their numerous expansions, each introducing fresh elements while preserving the iconic Sims format. However, it appears that Electronic Arts and developer Maxis’ The Sims 5, dubbed “Project Rene,” intends to implement substantial changes.
Although many players are excited to see how The Sims 5 will innovate the franchise, there are certain recurring aspects that would be wonderful to retain in the upcoming game. While most mainline Sims games transport the action to various neighborhoods and showcase (primarily) new characters, several long-standing jokes, themes, and items consistently reappear. Despite The Sims 5’s goal for a novel approach, some traditions should endure, such as the series’ incorporation of gnomes across multiple entries.
Gnomes In The Sims Franchise
While The Sims is primarily a life simulation series, it’s not devoid of peculiar and fantastical elements such as vampires, magic, alien abductions, and frequent visits from the Grim Reaper, to mention a few. Some of these features are more apparent, while others demand players to uncover them independently, like the mischievous antics of certain lawn decorations. Gnomes exhibit a range of behaviors and functions across The Sims titles, and although they began as innocuous trinkets, they eventually developed lives of their own.
In The Sims: Makin’ Magic, players could cast spells on the motionless ornaments to create helpful gardening NPCs for the duration of the enchantment, though things took a darker turn in subsequent games. In The Sims 2: Nightlife, gnomes could be pilfered by NPCs, leading to strained relations with neighbors, and later expansions introduced “Shifty Sam the garden gnome,” who would randomly materialize around the lot if left unattended. The Sims 3 featured Mysterious Mr. Gnome, a unique item that would sporadically appear and bestow an array of perks. The Sims 4 presented the most interactive version, with gnomes requiring appeasement through appropriate gifts, or else players would face their fury. Fans are curious to see how The Sims 5 will incorporate these items.
How The Sims 5 Can Use Gnomes
Little is currently known about The Sims 5 and the modifications the developer will introduce to the franchise’s formula. Nevertheless, The Sims 5 will continue the tradition of evolving through each installment. Although players are already concentrating on specific aspects, such as long-standing mysteries like the fate of infamous NPC Bella Goth, it may be some time before they receive any answers. However, the gnomes and their shifting roles in the series appear to be an ideal way to connect The Sims 5 with its predecessors.
Gnomes have undergone numerous transformations throughout The Sims games, so The Sims 5 could take it a step further and add another layer to these pointy-hatted companions. The Sims 4 introduced a myriad of gnome varieties, which was an entertaining approach, but it didn’t significantly impact their behaviors. Reverting gnomes to semi-sentient helpers, like the original gardening gnomes from The Sims, could be an exciting concept, particularly if various gnome types need to be enlisted for distinct tasks. Infusing a slightly eerie aspect to the lawn decorations would also echo The Sims’ quirky humor and make The Sims 5 feel like a true member of the series.
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