I just recently downloaded the sims 4 because I got a hankering to play the sims after a 5 year break from the franchise. I tried launching the sims 3, which was the last one I played, but it was having a lot of stability issues I didn't have the patience to fix since I could try the sims 4 for free. I am generally disappointed in the base game of ts4. I only have pets and seasons for ts3, but maybe that really is making a big difference, but the gameplay of ts4 is far less enjoyable in my opinion. Build mode is much improved, but I miss the create a style option which made the world feel more varied. You also can't change the size or placement of lots, and the worlds feel much smaller. I don't like the moodlets focused gameplay or the incremental lifetime wish rewards. It really forces all sims to share a specific path to an end goal when in reality there may be several other ways to achieve the end result. I'm also not a fan of the more cartoonish look, but that is more of a stylistic preference rather than a legitimate criticism.
DLC would likely improve my experience playing, but I don't really enjoy the base game enough to invest in any DLC at all. Overall, it probably wouldn't hurt to download if you think you would be interested in it, but I have to agree with the other commenters that it's just a DLC trap, and I say that as somebody who is heavily invested in the Crusader Kings franchise.
I just recently downloaded the sims 4 because I got a hankering to play the sims after a 5 year break from the franchise. I tried launching the sims 3, which was the last one I played, but it was having a lot of stability issues I didn't have the patience to fix since I could try the sims 4 for free. I am generally disappointed in the base game of ts4. I only have pets and seasons for ts3, but maybe that really is making a big difference, but the gameplay of ts4 is far less enjoyable in my opinion. Build mode is much improved, but I miss the create a style option which made the world feel more varied. You also can't change the size or placement of lots, and the worlds feel much smaller. I don't like the moodlets focused gameplay or the incremental lifetime wish rewards. It really forces all sims to share a specific path to an end goal when in reality there may be several other ways to achieve the end result. I'm also not a fan of the more cartoonish look, but that is more of a stylistic preference rather than a legitimate criticism.
DLC would likely improve my experience playing, but I don't really enjoy the base game enough to invest in any DLC at all. Overall, it probably wouldn't hurt to download if you think you would be interested in it, but I have to agree with the other commenters that it's just a DLC trap, and I say that as somebody who is heavily invested in the Crusader Kings franchise.