Paralives, a long-running indie life simulation game founded as an alternative to The Sims. Launched in Steam Early Access With a price of $39.99. The game has been in development by Paralives Studios for almost seven years.
The developer has indicated that the price will increase once the game leaves Early Access, which is expected to be in about two years according to its Steam page.
The launch comes as the Sims franchise has slowed down, with The Sims 4 expansion content now costing around $1,500 to purchase in its entirety. Additionally, the next mainline Sims game has been confirmed as a mobile-only release.
What’s included in ParaLives at launch
Paralives is a life simulation game similar to The Sims. The characters in the game are called Paras. Players can create and customize these characters in detail, including layered clothing, layered makeup, and adjustable height. They can also create and decorate homes with a variety of options.
Paras can be sent to do chores, develop hobbies, and interact with other townspeople. The game allows for the formation of friendships, romantic relationships, and family units in a small town environment. The recent eight-minute trailer showcased character creation, house building, and the main simulation systems.
ParaLives Studios emphasizes its commitment to only offering free expansions for the game, which differentiates it from The Sims. The studio has stated that downloadable content will not be paid for. Features in The Sims that are typically part of paid expansion packs will be included as free updates in ParaLives.
Features coming in future Paralives updates
Paralives Studios has announced that many features will not be available at launch but a free update is planned for later. These include the family tree, pets such as dogs, cats and horses, pools, gardening, cars, weather effects and social events such as parties and weddings.
The developer explained on the Steam page that releasing into Early Access allows players to use the current system while providing feedback to help improve the game before its full release.
The Paralives Studio team is small, and they consider Early Access to be the most practical approach given the wide range of features they want to support.
Why Paralives matters to life simulation fans
The Sims has held a prominent place in the life simulation genre for many years. Paralives has drawn a dedicated following during its lengthy development process, thanks to active community engagement and attention to accessibility and customization options that fans of The Sims have long requested.
For those thinking about switching, the Early Access price of $39.99 provides access to the current build along with all upcoming free updates. The two-year Early Access period allows the game to receive significant updates before reaching its final version.
Paralives is now available on Steam in Early Access for both Windows and macOS.
