The Simsfirst launched in 2000, and since then, the series has become a gaming cornerstone, allowing players to live out a virtual life and exercise their architectural and fashion creativity. Over the years, as entries in the series have been released on different platforms,The Simshas embraced different art styles, although the general tone of the games has always remained cartoonish.
When Maxisfinally says goodbye toThe Sims 4and shifts its focus to anewThe Simsgame, it will have the chance to decide what art style will best suit the world ofThe Sims, and there are a few good reasons why it could be a good idea to consider leaning into the uncanny valley instead of avoiding it. While some associate the uncanny valley with all things creepy and horrifying, in the right contexts, it can be quite comical, which works well with the cartoonish tone ofThe Sims.
RELATED:The Sims 5 Should Launch With Everything The Sims 4 Has
What Is the Uncanny Valley?
Human beings are social animals and, consequently, they are pretty good at detecting their fellow humans. When humans encounter a humanoid figure that alerts the brain that they have spotted a human while simultaneously receiving subtle evidence that the humanoid is not quite an authentic human, it evokes a sense of uncanniness, which is typically accompanied by unease, repulsion, and a sense of creepiness.
Within media, the uncanny valley has received somewhat of a bad reputation. Animated movies will occasionally accidentally have characters that lie in the uncanny valley, and this is typically seen as a symptom of bad visual design. Similarly,character models in video gamesare not immune to slipping and falling right into the uncanny valley, which can result in a game being accused of having a poor art style. However, the uncanny valley does not need to always be a negative thing, and in the right hands, it can be wielded for positive effects.
How the Uncanny Valley Can Benefit The Sims 5
Some ofThe Sims' charm comes from the fact that the series never takes itself too seriously. Although it is a life simulator, it never attempts to introduce over-complicated mechanics, and the games tend to favor fun and immersion over brutal realism. Consequently, when playing mainline entries inThe Sims, gamers will often find themselves in humorous circumstances such as a Sim wetting themselves, failing to seduce a crush, being forced to eat their own terrible cooking, and attempting to plead with the Grim Reaper. Even morbid events likeSims drowningor dealing with housebreaking can be funny. In these situations, having an art style that embraces the uncanny valley could serve to amplify the cartoonish and often comical nature of the game, eliciting amusement rather than unease.
It is also worth considering the repulsive properties of the uncanny valley and how it could benefitThe Sims 5. Although the underlying appeal ofThe Simsis its ability to grant wish fulfillment by living out their fantasies virtually, there has always been the sense that the world ofThe Simsexists in a dimension of its own, one that is similar to ours but follows slightly different rules.
Sims speak their own language called Simlish, their method of reproduction involves a strange mating ritual known as “WooHooing,” and for some Sims who die in the right circumstances, death is not the end of existence. An art style that embraced the uncanny valley would serve to embrace the sense that SimNation is a universe of its own which is relatable but still unique enough to have its own personality.
Since its release in 2014,The Sims 4has been going strong, but gamers are ready for the chapter in the story ofThe Sims. WithThe Sims 5, Maxis should not attempt to veer away from the uncanny valley, which is arguably a futile battle, as the world ofThe Simsis one that benefits from feeling a bit odd.
The Sims 5has yet to be officially announced by Maxis or Electronic Arts.
