For the unfamiliar, The Sims (2000- ) is a life-simulation video game franchise that has garnered a large and loyal following since the original version of the game debuted in the year 2000. Today, the most recent installment of the game is The Sims 4 (2014). Alongside its four main franchise titles, The Sims has also had many spinoff series, such as The Sims 2: Castaway (2007) and The Sims Medieval (2011). Through the years, the game series has created copious amounts of unique worldbuilding aspects to compliment this seemingly simple game; this brings me to the focus of this article: an exploration into the lore centering around The Sims (2000- ) franchise non-player characters, or townies, that the game is host to.

I believe the best games can be described as “cozy games,” or games that are not overly stressful and do not require too much violence or action. For this reason, it is no surprise that my favorite games include Minecraft (2011), PowerWash Simulator (2022), and Stardew Valley (2016). While I enjoy action-based games as much as the next person, I also want nothing more than to relax in my comfy bed after a long day of classes and turn off my brain for a bit to enjoy cute and silly entertainment. If you are into cozy games that still require some thought, I would like to direct you to Stardew Valley (2016). Fortunately, the beloved game recently had a massive update across all available platforms— which will be discussed further!

They say death is no laughing matter, and although the characters on TV are fictional, our emotions sure are not. Even if we do not directly feel the woe and anguish of grief —at the very least— the sympathy for the surviving characters, forced to pick up the rubble and rebuild their lives, is enough to break a heart.

In honor of the most recent release of the Waterparks demo compilation, it is only fair to dump as many thoughts as possible about this silly band. I have annoyed the lovely Editor-in-Chief of The Lamron, Nathaniel D’Amato, enough about them, so now I must make it everyone else’s problem. Waterparks is an American band with extensive lore and history deserving of a brief rundown. Now, I will provide an overview of the events leading up to the release of the two beloved “demos,” or songs not yet entirely completed/produced.

There is always someone behind the music we listen to. Even the most mundane elevator music, often thought to be produced by a company unheard of, has people behind it with a passion for music and artistry. In general, when we hear music without words, in a soundtrack, in an elevator, or at a gym, we rarely care to know much about the people making it. With that feeling of sonder aside, I would like to introduce you to one of those artists.

Violence, brutality, and morbid expressions of anger have metastasized within the public ethos as the media produced becomes increasingly overwrought with seemingly nonsensical expressions of death, gore, and subject matter needlessly “brutish” to Western and non-Western audiences alike; because of this steering towards morbid displays of this form of expression, many media viewers have elected to refrain from watching media with these displays altogether. Even so, is a decision like this warranted? At the core of the issue, is the usage of excessive violence within media serving any purpose outside of grotesque displays of barbarism?

As a horror movie fanatic thriving in the prime month of October, I have been consuming as much horror as I can. I am always open to seeing new movies, especially ones well-praised by people online. I did, however, walk into Smile 2 (2024) with dread on my left foot and apprehension on my right.

In the last release of The Lamron, exclusively on our website—www.thelamron.com—I discussed the end of a mobile game near to my heart, The Simpsons: Tapped Out, but also the franchise the game is based on, the titular show The Simpsons (1989- ). This show has persisted in the public consciousness for 36 years, leaving everyone with a different impression…for better or worse. As time has carried on, many impressions have grown to concerned and dissatisfied discussion of the in-show content produced—feeling the showrunners have long run dry on fresh material, even with an ever-changing staff of writers. Now, as rumors percolate about the series ending—as with many, many times before—let’s discuss the validity of that claim! 

With October ending, the time when it is socially acceptable to sit around with friends and watch horror is dwindling. If you are looking for something to do as you await the notorious “Halloweekend,” I recommend a good movie with friends. As a genre, horror is incredibly diverse, meaning there is a movie for everyone—even those who prefer to sleep with the lights on. And I get it: to have a group of friends with different preferences all agree on one movie is a challenge scarier than the fall season, but when I tell you that Netflix’s new film, It’s What’s Inside (2024), is for everyone, I truly mean it. 

Every year, there seems to be a constantly growing influx of television shows and movie remakes, often adapting what was originally animated media into live-action. Just off the top of my head, I can think of Mulan (2020), The Lion King (2019), One Piece (2023- ), and Avatar: The Last Airbender…twice (2010) & (2024- ). While, yes, I think many of these, if not all, can just be labeled as different studio attempts to make quick cash off of popular movies and television shows, nostalgia, and rage-baiting all at once—I fear there is also a more nefarious inspiration behind the switch from animated media to live action.

Jason Isbell and his accompanying band, The 400 Unit, represent a genre uncommon to many: Country rock. Of course, country rock artists such as Chris Stapelton, The Avett Brothers, and Orville Peck have gained some exposure over the past decade—and rightfully so—but many dismiss the entire country genre based on what they hear from the radio or the billboard charts. Country, I would argue, is a versatile genre with so much to offer; Jason Isbell deserves your attention, even if you are apprehensive about country music as a whole.

A popular tradition for many is to watch TV shows and movies that correlate with a specific holiday or season. While this concept mostly applies to Christmas—people love to sit down and watch Elf (2003) around December—I believe it should be a year-round phenomenon. Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) is the perfect example of a television show that radiates autumnal energy even though the show depicts all seasons of the year. Since the drama takes place in a small town, its setting is always beautiful and inviting to those watching.

Benjamin Fernando Barajas Lasky, also known as Quadeca, has one of the most underrated evolutions of any artist. While Quadeca may not be as well known as Tyler, the Creator, or the late Mac Miller, in a short time, Quadeca has gone from a small FIFA (a popular series of soccer video games) YouTuber to a successful rap musician.

Stunt casting, a technique that involves using a celebrity to fill a role in a TV show, movie, or theater production, is often met with backlash from the general public. I can not blame others for their irritation; stunt-casting can weaken a story and undermine hard-working actors if the privileged, famous ones chosen for the publicity stunt are severely underqualified. But with the recent announcement of Charli D’Amelio’s debut appearance on Broadway in the musical & Juliet (2019), one should ask if there are exceptions to the malignant nature of stunt-casting.

As the world continues to change and life carries forth, there comes a time when we must accept that all experiences are finite—that life itself is an exercise in embracing the minute. Many of us have come to know this feeling well, seeing our childhoods fizzle out with time, giving us little means to savor what we once had. In chasing adulthood, we forget to reflect on those elements that influenced our upbringing, regardless of how small. Whether this be an app or a favorite television show, everyone has something that calls back to the “bygone era,” one they wish to re-experience for a plethora of reasons.

For the unaware, The Sims is a longstanding life-simulator style game that allows its players to create a character, or Sim, and move them into a home or lot to go about living their life. Advancing in their career, getting in fights, achieving aspirations, building a family, or becoming famous are some ways different players might play this 25-year-old franchise. For a game with a concept as simple as this, I think it is easy to discredit it as a thoughtless game. Through this article and its initial installment, however, I aim to prove that The Sims is full of as much lore as any Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy game franchise.

To the veterans of TikTok who were on the app during the height of COVID-19, the name “Addison Rae” should be familiar. Like her influencer counterparts, such as Charli and Dixie D’Amelio, Addison Rae went viral for dancing in her living room and possessing the simultaneous look of conventional beauty and the sweet “girl next door” appearance. Due to viewers being stuck at home during this time, they related to and enjoyed watching these girls do silly dances from their bedrooms, and the same logic can be applied to why people roll their eyes when they see this same content today.