Paralives looks to be every frustrated Sims player's dream

Paralives has been on our radar for a while now: It's an indie game that hopes to rival the juggernaut that is The Sims. Wholesome Direct gave us a decent glimpse of what's to expect when the game finally releases, and it certainly looks like it could be the answer to every frustrated Simmer's prayers.

The trailer was pretty short, but straight away shows how much freedom and customisation Paralives plans to offer. Walls can be pulled to be as short or long as you need, and can even be rounded for a smooth circular look. Considering The Sims only lets you make walls in (slightly frustrating) one-tile increments, the architectural possibilities are already stacking up.

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Things like windows and tables can also be pulled and pinched within an inch of their life, giving you more flexibility if you really like a particular piece of decor, but find it's just a little too large or small for the space you're building. The trailer also slyly shows off some cool sofa snapping (something which The Sims has only just added), along with different swatches for furniture and what looks to be the option to make your own colour palettes.

Building in The Sims isn't a total chore, but it definitely has its unique quirks that can take some getting used to. Paralives' building and decorating look a lot more streamlined than I was expecting, especially regarding walls and platforms. The game seems to be coming along rather nicely, and one that I'm excited to dive into when it releases. Whether it can truly match or even outdo The Sims on the whole is to be determined, but it at least looks like it's taking a big swing.

There's still no release date for Paralives yet, but there's tons of stuff going on over on developer Alex Massé's Patreon. 

To catch the rest of E3, check out our full E3 2021 schedule.

Mollie Taylor
Features Producer

Mollie spent her early childhood deeply invested in games like Killer Instinct, Toontown and Audition Online, which continue to form the pillars of her personality today. She joined PC Gamer in 2020 as a news writer and now lends her expertise to write a wealth of features, guides and reviews with a dash of chaos. She can often be found causing mischief in Final Fantasy 14, using those experiences to write neat things about her favourite MMO. When she's not staring at her bunny girl she can be found sweating out rhythm games, pretending to be good at fighting games or spending far too much money at her local arcade.