The Sims 4

The Sims 4 is free on Steam and it is The Sims. The base game gives you enough to build homes, create households, and run a self-directed domestic life without spending a cent. The cozy fit is real if you play it at a relaxed pace, building and storytelling rather than chasing career ladders. I have to be honest about the catch, though: EA's expansion model means the full experience sits behind a wall of paid DLC that adds up faster than almost any other game on the market. The base game is genuinely playable for free. Just know where the boundaries are before you start building a relationship with it.

The base game is genuinely free and there is a real argument for including The Sims 4 for the same reason Palia makes sense: not every Steam Deck session needs a kill count. The honest issue is that the expansion model leaves the free experience feeling thin compared to what the game used to cost before it went free-to-play. You are also navigating menu-heavy interactions with a thumbstick, which works but is never quite comfortable. For players who specifically want a life sim and are not ready to spend on Palia or anything else, it is a reasonable download. Just do not go in expecting the full Sims experience without eventually opening your wallet.