Over the weekend, I have to admit it, I lost my head a little. I gave actual cash to The Sims Social Facebook game. I know, right? I have no defense for this. I hang my head in shame. 

 

What tempted me? In a word: Cowplant!

 

The Cowplant is probably one of the most famous fixture of the Sims games. Originally introduced as a career reward in The Sims 2, the Cowplant has also returned to  The Sims 3 - and now, to Sims Social, as well.

 

Unfortunately, in Sims Social the Cowplant is a "crafting" item. This means that once you buy it with Simoleons, you have to put it together. Putting it together requires you to collect a bunch of different things: some Fury, some Fear, and (I forget the third thing, sorry). I had no problem with the Fury, I just went over to visit Bella Goth and insulted her a bunch. But I couldn't figure out a way to get Fear, and it was late and I was cranky, so I just bought the dang thing. $4 in Paypal funds later, and I had my cowplant.

 

I was excited to interact with it. Your Sim can water the Cowplant, dance with it, feed it, slap it, and tease it. Apparently if you have the "Insane" trait you also get the action "Is it time for tea?" which drops Simoleons, XP, and Plans (a common crafting ingredient). 

 

But what you can't do is be eaten by it. It won't eat your neighbors if they come to visit, either. 

 

And that's when I realized what is missing from The Sims Social: the threat of death. 

 

There is no death in the game, your Sim just lives on forever and ever. This was the problem with the original The Sims game: your Sims were effectively immortal, but also trapped in time. Without the ability to die of old age, there's no pressure to level up, no stakes involved.

 

Just as death is a part of life, so is birth. And Sims Social does away with that, as well. You are eternally young, eternally pretty… and eternally bored. This inability for your Sim to evolve as they travel through life is what will eventually cause the game to fall flat with players. At a certain point, when you have all the fancy items, what more is left? Why keep playing, when it's just the same thing, day in and day out?

 

(The Cowplant sure is cute, though, I'll give you that!)