Project Rene, the highly anticipated addition to The Sims franchise, has been a relatively quiet EA Maxis affair. In many cases, fans were first convinced that Project Rene would be the long overdue The Sims 5, but recent leaks are generating mixed feelings about the game.
New leaked details have led fans of the iconic life simulation series to worry that EA will put too much emphasis on multiplayer in The Sims.
Reddit user DzXAnt22, who was the source of a recent leak about the game, has uncovered new details about the game. In an earlier build of the PC version of Project Rene, this user uploaded visuals and a map.
Additional context comes through the latest leak which shows off parts of a mobile play test of the game and possibly a glimpse of what may be in the running. But it’s important to note that Project Rene is an alpha so the images you see may not be as close to the actual final product as they may seem.
The limited group of players to whom the playtest was offered did not have the option to create custom Sims. Instead, participants were given the choice of a number of predetermined Sims and outfits.
However, it’s quite notable that, given players expect more features like creating a Sim to be added in future builds, the lack of such a critical component during this playtest is notable.
Fans have largely responded negatively to those leaked screenshots. Players had been dissatisfied with the art style (or lack thereof) on platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) and this is an example of how things can quickly blow up into a huge controversy.
If you compare the Sims to ‘clay figures,’ some of you even went so far as to complain about the lack of detail you’re seeing in previous leaks.
Even one user called is ‘the ugliest artstyle I’ve ever seen in a game’. The game is still in its early development and fans are hoping that when the game is finished it will have improved.
The leak also included a new element — descriptions from the Google Play Store for something referred to as “The Sims Labs: The Hub.” DzXAnt22 thinks this feature is related to Project Rene.
But the description showed that players will be free to explore a Parisian neighborhood in multiplayer modes, going to a café to work for new clothes, quest for currency, and find some hidden collectibles in that neighborhood.
A ‘plaza fountain,’ which allows players to make wishes and really dive down into the world of interactive itself, is also mentioned.
This playtest notably did not feature the much-discussed build mode, that has been highly advertised in previous leaks. Instead, the players of this recent iteration explored and completed quests, like finding food, or joining other town activities.
While the build mode was removed, the players were still playing in an interactive environment and look forward to seeing that mode come back in future playtests.
Project Rene is just one part of EA’s plan to grow The Sims universe. According to the company, it’s interested in trying new kinds of gameplay under The Sims brand.
Conclusion
With Project Rene expanding, in the coming months EA Maxis will balance fan wanting with innovation in the series. Whilst the leaked details of the game have incited mixed reactions in the community, it’s still early days for the features being described in the leaks.
The hope of fans is to see the developers make alterations in the game’s visuals and features so they come up with a more polished final product.
The Sims will now get its much-rumored multiplayer treatment, but for now players will have to sit tight and see what EA Maxis has up their sleeves for this new venture in The Sims universe.
Also read: Grunn Review: A Wonderful, Yet Very Strange Gardening Game
