I'll it that EA dropping an overpriced re-release of the first two The Sims games for the iconic series' 25th birthday felt a little out-of-touch to say the least. After releasing a number of decent, but often too low-value DLCs for The Sims 4 and announcing that there would be no Sims 5 to everyone's dismay, including myself, fans needed something to pick them back up and show them that EA knows what it is doing when it comes to one of its most beloved franchises. Yet, in typical EA fashion, it left everyone disappointed.

It's not an understatement to say that The Sims Legacy Collection bombed at launch, garnering warranted negative reviews for being expensive repackaged games that players got for free just over a decade ago. Everyone who has criticized it is valid in doing so, especially as the hardcore fans who have found crafty workarounds or invested in older tech to play the disc versions of these games can still access the exact versions everyone is now shilling $40 for. However, I am nevertheless excited that there is now an easy and accessible way to play these amazing games authentically.

The Sims Legacy Collection Is Authentic

It Offers The Original Experience

When I was a lot younger, I had the great fortune of owning The Sims 2 Double Deluxe on PC. It was an eye-opening experience, one that not only introduced me to the tantalizing world of amazing life sims but also thoroughly entertained me for hours on end. I must have sunk several hundred hours, if not more, into The Sims 2, creating family after family and rather sadistically burning them alive with the HottCorp Burning 8-R Series Fire Jet. As I got older, I transitioned to The Sims 3 and then eventually abandoned the franchise altogether.

There was something about The Sims 4 that never clicked with me, even despite its revolutionary changes and improvements. Perhaps it was the hundreds if not thousands of hours I'd already invested in dozens of Sims families that were either dead or left to live out their days in digital purgatory, forgotten on my now-extinct off-white PC which had a slot for floppy disks. Regardless, ever since those summer days playing endless amounts of The Sims 2 with a smile plastered on my face, I've longed to relive those memories and give the game another go.

Unfortunately, I no longer own a PC with a disc drive, and even if I did, I have little desire to cobble together a playable version of The Sims 2 through fan patches. As a result, I have always been at the mercy of EA, waiting for it to eventually re-release this classic game. I've never wanted a remake or even a remaster that slightly tweaks the visuals or any gameplay elements, as I want to experience the game I loved so much growing up, flaws and all, not a reimagined version of it.

That's why I am so happy that EA has finally provided me with a somewhat convenient way of playing The Sims 2 again - even if it is missing content packs - in the most authentic way possible. The Legacy Collection allows me to replay The Sims 2 exactly as it was back in 2008. It allows me if only for a brief moment, to be a kid again who is able to create a million different realities far better than my own. That is a priceless gift a remaster and especially a remake would be incapable of giving me.

I Finally Can Experience The First Sims

I Missed It The First Time Round

More importantly, I now finally have a way of playing the original Sims. The Sims was released when I was but a little baby, which meant that I missed out on it completely. I never grew up experiencing The Sims' supposedly impossible difficulty or any of the wonderful quirks that have since been ironed out in the later entries. There is something special about experiencing the game that started it all, much like how I so desperately want to play the original Animal Crossing, which is why I'm grateful EA simply made the original Sims game playable on modern hardware.

Of course, I completely empathize with those who would have much preferred a remaster or a full-blown remake, especially those who aren't fond of its antiquated visuals or lack of convenient features fans have grown accustomed to. However, a playable port that will hopefully stick around forever is great for game preservation. It keeps alive a legendary game that could have very much stayed buried, destined to remain on old dusty and scratched discs until it eventually became a part of a museum exhibition on the death of physical media.

It also means that everyone who missed out the first time around has a chance to play it without needing a degree in modding and the guidance of forum posts explaining how to get it to run on Windows 11. I agree that it is far too expensive, and the Legacy Collection's buggy state at launch is unacceptable. EA has proven once again that it hasn't figured out the balance between giving its fans what they want and prioritizing its finances, but I'm still nevertheless grateful to finally have a working version of two of the best Sims games.

The Sims 1 & 2 May Get Remakes In The Future

EA May Finally Understand What Fans Want

Of course, it is clear that a lot of people would have much rather had remakes than overpriced re-releases, and I absolutely understand that. However, I suspect that EA is not done with its legacy titles and likely has remasters or potentially remakes in the works for these older Sims games. While the Legacy Collection will serve as a good entry point for those who want to experience what it was like to play these classic games all those years ago, remakes would allow newcomers who are used to The Sims 4 to still appreciate all their ingenuity and creativity.

There is also the possibility that EA could add official mod for these Legacy Collections, allowing players to implement their own fixes and changes. Naturally, this may take some time, and a remake may be further away than some had anticipated or hoped. However, it's certainly possible that in good time - perhaps the 30th anniversary - fans will get a remake of these beloved classics. Until then, at least there are the Legacy Collections for fans to enjoy.

I'm not going to tell people to go out and buy these Legacy Collections, especially if they were hoping for something more ambitious. The many bugs and glitches, resolution problems, and lack of decent settings options, among many other significant problems make it abundantly clear that not only did EA massively fumble its launch, but it has a long way to go in understanding what its fans want and deserve. However, I am very happy that, at least down the line, I will have an easy way to replay The Sims 2 and get back to burning my Sims alive.

Source: The Sims/YouTube