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  3. Paralives

Indie Sims-like Paralives is getting everything from modding tools to cooking and house fires right at its early-access release, but stuff like weather and pets will be added in free updates

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By Jordan Gerblick published 11 June 2025

Paralives doesn't have fishing on day one of Early Access, but it does have "aging and death"

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(Image credit: Alex Massé)
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The indie Sims-like Paralives has revealed all of the content that'll be available on day one of its Early Access launch, as well as a bunch of stuff that's being saved for future updates.

The delightfully colorful Paralives hits Steam Early Access on December 8, and right out the gate cozy gamers will have plenty to keep them busy... or not busy, if they prefer.

Paralives Studio shared what'll be available day one and what will be added later in a Twitter post. In Live mode, in which players manage the lives and relationships of their Parafolks, will include things like career progression, having children, "aging and death," character autonomy, "doing anything as a group;" shops, restaurants, and museums; bills and house fires (love those), and, curiously, modding tools.

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Modding tools? On day one? You spoil us, Paralives Studio.

Updates to Live mode within the Early Access period will include weather and seasons, a calendar and family tree; dogs, cats, and horses; cars, bikes, and houseboats; swimming, story progression for NPCs, gardening and fishing, social events like parties and weddings, town editing tools, and more personality traits.

Paralives is out December 8, 2025 in Early Access!! which means… some features will be available right away and others will be added overtime as free updates ⚙️🛠️ pic.twitter.com/50Fuasp4bRJune 10, 2025

In Build mode, which does what you think it does, you'll be able to build and move around walls, place roofs and stairs, resize objects, and color everything on day one. Later on in Early Access Paralives will add "advanced" tools for roofs and stairs, basement tools, pools, and more furniture and objects. You'll also be able to place windows on curved walls at some point.

Finally, Paramaker mode, in which you make your Parafolks, will let you adjust height, body, and face to your liking, and you'll be able to have tattoos and layered clothes. There's also a genetics and "asymmetry" system that'll let you mix and match eye colors, socks, that sorta thing. Pets, an outfit management system, and more clothing, hairstyles, and accessories are coming later.

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Personally, I feel like things like cats, fishing, and weather are pretty integral to the cozy game experience, so I'll probably hold off on Paralives until those essentials are added. But don't let me stop you from having yourself a cozy ol' time as soon as it hits Early Access closer to the end of the year.

In the meantime, here are some games like The Sims we recommend playing today.

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Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
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After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.

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