Paralives is a life simulation video game developed by Alex Massé. In the game, the player can build the house, furnish it and create a family to live there. Paralives boasts a strong community focus, with the players creating mods and other content and sharing it with others. The initial response to Paralives was positive. Critics noted the game's similarities to Maxis' The Sims series but praised the overall gameplay features and community-driven development.
Gameplay
Paralives features a non-grid building mechanic, allowing players to let their imaginations run wild when setting diagonal and curved walls, etc. The interiors can also be modified. The player can resize various objects, create custom appliances, and so much more.
The character creator features plenty of sliders to keep the player busy. The virtual characters can pick up a hobby, go to work, or focus on their love and family life. The options are many, and the player won't get bored quickly watching their creations go about their daily lives.
Aside from the in-game features, Paralives heavily supports fan-made content. The players can create their mods using Steam Workshop, introducing new items, features, etc. The developers are not shying away from calling Paralives a game made "for the players, by the players."
Reception
The reviewers who had a chance to play early builds of the game had noted how it was basically an "indie version of The Sims." However, they noted the heavy emphasis put by the developers on the community factor. The player-content support is one of the reasons for which Paralives could turn out to be an interesting simulator.
Key features
- Build your virtual home using expansive creation tools.
- Design your virtual people using a variety of sliders.
- Watch them go about their day, working and relaxing at home.
- Check out the player-created content and add it to your experience...or make mods of your own using Steam Workshop.
