Things That Make Me Like the Game More
The fact that Mortimer loves the retro channel (pictured).
The sounds of the game are relaxing ASMR.
The improvements in sentiments, likes and dislikes, emotions, whims, aspirations, lifestyles, and traits. A sim was conflicted because he has the proper and romantic traits, but also has the single and loving it lifestyle so it gave him a complex moodlet.
The scenarios or watered down versions of fanmade challenges. I'm not a challenge person because I don't really like being told what to do for leisure lol They're always so well thought out and intense so they're fun to observe, but not actually do. The scenarios make it so that I can change up gameplay, but not have to do too much.
The lot challenges are really cool too and add more character to the game that I normally wouldn't. I HATE those gremlins lol
The cook together option is still and probably going to be one of my faves for awhile since I'm a family gameplay/legacy simmer.
The choices during work or school. I am actually fine with them being rabbitholes, but the choices makes me feel more involved. I've found that I play the active careers the least. Also loving the freelance careers, part time careers, and influencer careers. They did a decent job developing those. These reflect more of what jobs look like these days. The game actually came to one of my sims with jobs which was a feature I had never observed. Some careers even have a work from home option!
Rotational play with aging off seems to be my preferred way to go. I also stay on regular speed, or the second speed at the most, a lot so I can get fully immersed. I played for a whole day on Wednesday lol.
Parenthood and Seasons are still the clutch packs and the only ones I'd actively recommend. And maybe City Living because I love how the festivals get my sims out the house.
Restricting which packs are used for gameplay and build/buy mode. Mostly the latter though. It really makes building and renovating fun! I pick the packs based off the sim and the influence that packs have on them.
The multitasking and how the game routes. This can be annoying for sure, but I love how they can eat and talk. I also watched some videos on youtube and now my sims hardly ever glitch (because I mostly stay on 1 or 2 for the simulation lag) and they hardly ever go to the bathroom sink to wash dishes. It's all about where the sink is compared to where they eat and where the nearest trash can is. Or just have a dishwasher.
Full autonomy. I do a lot of observing tbh. I mostly just intervene for skills since they don't really work on those autonomously. Which is one of the features I want! Not cars or nonobject babies lol.
Does it still need to grow a lot? Sure. But I'm going to have fun playing this 1k game dammit! (THANK GAWD I BOUGHT THEM ON SALE WITH GIFT CARDS!)