There are various features in The Sims 4 that help the game feel more realistic and immersive - Wants and Fears are a perfectly example of this. A Sim's environment and personality will direct affect how they feel, and this will be expressed not only through moodlets but also through Wants and Fears.
The Sims 4: 21 Best Custom Aspiration Mods
Given the base game Aspirations options in The Sims 4 are pretty lackluster, these Aspirations mods can help keep things exciting.
The Wants and Fears system is very different from the one available in The Sims 2, and this guide aims to explain exactly how it works so gamers can familiarize themselves with this challenging yet fun gameplay feature.
How to Enable Wants and Fears in The Sims 4
In The Sims 4, players can toggle Wants and Fears on and off at any time. While Fears can sometimes negatively affect a Sim, Wants are a great way to improve a Sim's mood and collect points, which the player can spend in the Reward Store.
To enable or disable Wants and Fears in The Sims 4, players must pause the game, select Settings, and then open the Game Options tab. On the right hand side of the Game Options tab, gamers will see a "Show Wants & Fears" option with a box next to it. Players have to check the box if they'd like to play with Wants & Fears activated or they can uncheck it to keep these features hidden.
How to Check and Complete Wants in The Sims 4
To check a Sim's Wants in The Sims 4, players must hover over the bubbles that appear on the left side of the selected Sim's head in the bottom left corner of the screen. There are lifetime aspirations in The Sims 4 that Sims must work towards throughout their lives, but these bubbles only display the Sim's momentaneous Wants. However, gamers can pin Wants so they don't disappear, ensuring that the Sim will receive their reward no matter how far in the future they complete the Wants.
To complete a Want in The Sims 4, players will simply have to perform the task connected to the Sim's wishes. Oftentimes, the Want's description will give the player direct instructions on what they have to do to fulfill a Sim's Want.
How to Check and Overcome Fears in The Sims 4
As Sims experience certain events in their lives, they may acquire Fears, which will affect their mood. Thankfully, there are ways to deal with Fears in The Sims 4 and prevent them from haunting Sims throughout their lives.
Here are all of the Fears in The Sims 4 and how to overcome them:
|
Fear |
Cause |
Solution |
|---|---|---|
|
Fear of being cheated on |
|
Discuss Fear of being cheated on with a partner |
|
Fear of death |
|
Discuss Fear of Death with other Sims |
|
Fear of fire |
|
Extinguish a fire |
|
Fear of ghosts |
|
Fight a ghost |
|
Fear of the dark |
|
Go outside at night with the Confident moodlet |
|
Fear of swimming |
|
Swim for an hour with the Confident moodlet |
|
Fear of failure |
|
Show off a crafted item or ask for a performance review |
|
Fear of a dead-end job |
|
Use the Regain Passion interaction on the Sim before going to work |
|
Fear of Cowplants |
|
Milk a Cowplant with the Confident moodlet |
|
Fear of being judged |
|
Use the Figure Out Differents interaction on two Sims |
|
Fear of crowded places |
|
Use three Funny social interactions while in a crowded lot |
|
Fear of unfulfilled dreams |
|
Complete a want and then use the Discuss Fears interaction on another Sim |
|
Fear of failing after-school activity |
|
Complete the daily task for an after-school activity with a Happy moodlet |
|
Fear of disappointing parents |
|
Use the Absolve Fears interaction on a deceased caregiver's urn or use the Set Expectations interaction with a living caregiver |
|
Fear of failing classes |
|
Do Extra Credit Work on Homework after asking a teacher for it |
|
Fear of failing tests |
|
Prepare for exam with the Focused moodlet |
|
Fear of homework |
|
Complete homework two days in a row with the Focused moodlet |
|
Fear of being inferior |
|
Get B or higher grades at school or gain more than five levels in a Skill |
|
Fear of horses |
|
Use the Discuss Fear of Horses interaction with other Sims or have nice interactions with horses |
|
Fear of eviction |
|
Successfully use three friendly or flirty interactions with the Property Owner |
|
Fear of being alone |
|
Use the Seek Validation interaction on a romantic partner, use the Practice Affirmations interaction on a mirror or seek Couples Counseling using the Cupid's Corner app |
|
Fear of intimacy |
|
Use the Discuss Comfort Levels or the Share Intimate Thoughts interactions with a close friend |
The Sims 4
- Released
- September 2, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Crude Humor, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Maxis
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Cross-Platform Play
- Xbox, PlayStation, and computer versions of Sims 4 are all separate games incompatible with each other
- Cross Save
- no
- Franchise
- The Sims
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
- How Long To Beat
- N/A
- X|S Optimized
- No
- File Size Xbox Series
- 22 GB (November 2023)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
