Sims 4 Opinions

[foreverdawning]

I don't think "retail therapy" is real. I have spent way too much money in the past on ridiculous things. I have a very addictive personality that makes me want to spend over $800 on the Kim Kardashian Hollywood game.

Anyway, a week ago I bought $45 worth of DLC for the Sims 4.

This is a list of the content I own and some of my general thoughts. Ones marked in an asterisk mean they were recently purchased and I may be experiencing the "new buy high" and scoring them higher than I would after using it for longer.

• Get to Work: I don't really use this pack anymore. I enjoy having aliens but there's not enough content with them in my opinion. It becomes very tedious accompanying your sim to work so I don't do it. I do like that sicknesses exist, but I wish I could have my sim go to a hospital. If your sim is pregnant you can take them to the hospital but good luck wrangling the accompanying sim to actually being present with the birth happens because unless you take control of them it will not happen.
• City Living: This was the first expansion pack I bought (on sale, of course) and I like it. The items available are fascinating. I like the politician career the most that came with this pack, too. I use the romance festival to take a particularly hard sim to romance too, and I like the variety of foods a sim can eat.
• Cats and Dogs: I don't even use pets anymore in my games. This was a waste of my time. The veterinarian career was interesting, but I wish I could work at a vet place, not own it.
• Seasons*: Everyone said this is the best pack and so far so good. I like using the temperature stat to lower house bills and have consequences (a negative moodlet) I also like having toddlers have a kiddie pool. I hardly ever use pools to begin with but having an interactive moment between parents and children has really enriched my gaming experience.
• Discover University: This pack gives me so much anxiety because it reminds me as I'm playing that I should be doing schoolwork. I love that this pack has consequences, if you don't do homework you get a bad grade and lose scholarships. I also love that once my sim graduates, they have a better chance of getting another job. I also really like the clothes in this pack and it feels very true to life. I don't enjoy the dorms that much since it's so hectic, but I like the idea of them. I also like the roommate system and use that in my other builds (such as for townhomes). But having a sim go to university is a chore. If you have a multi sim household you will find yourself neglecting other sims.
• Eco Lifestyle: This is the first and last pack I will ever buy new. By itself, I would never say it's worth the typical $40, but I do like it a lot. I love being able to brew your own beer juice. I love that there's a voting system and you can affect the sims around you by voting for or against something. I wish there was a way to make it harder to go green. It's so simple I hardly even pay it any mind. But the best part is using this pack for a rags to riches challenge, dumpster diving is *chef's kiss* wonderful now. Getting food out of the garbage or soiled furniture is the best part.
• Outdoor Retreat*: I just bought this pack and haven't used it much. I'm intrigued by the herbalist skill. To be quite fair, I only bought this pack so I could try the Animal Crossing Mod by KawaiiStacie.
• Vampires: I like the build mode items and I like that you can make a sad decrepid house but I hate the vampire system. It's annoying and a lot of watching your vampires fly into each other. If your vampire isn't rich, you also need them to have a job and every time they leave their house they p much always catch on fire. You could have them do a night job but then they have no social life. It's frustrating to say the least. You'd think I'd love this pack because of my love for Twilight but it just wasn't meant to be I suppose.
• Parenthood: I love love love love this pack. I love that there is a more meaningful way for parents to interact with their children. There's also an incentive to play through as a legacy. I also really like all the build mode items and the clothes.
• Strangerville: I'm not going to lie, I love this pack. The guided story is really fun to go through and the build mode items are fun too. The world is so cool and I like the strange fruit effects. The mystery is really engaging (though you'll only play through it once) I would recommend it to anyone who likes conspiracy theory stuff.
• Romantic Garden Stuff: Meh. I use the items only if I have a rich sim otherwise I would pass on it.
• Vintage Glamor Stuff*: Just bought this pack and only used it sparingly. The build mode items are nice but to be honest I bought this pack on accident. I do like the live-in butler. I wish I could give him time off (like you would in the real world) but I like being able to take him on vacation, too.
• Toddler Stuff: I am always down for a pack that gives more clothing items to toddlers. I hate putting them in the same four outfits. More clothes please! And more things to do with them! But otherwise this pack is a pass.
• Laundry Day Stuff*: I am surprised with how much I adore this pack. It's so domestic and I love giving my stay at home mom sims something to do besides taking care of the kids and cooking. I love the animations that go with it, too. The items in build mode look nice as well.
• Tiny Living: This is the stuff pack I use the most. It's also the first ever pack I bought. I love that shrinking a house down will give skill boosts and relationship boosts. It actually gives me a reason to think creatively about placing particular objects down. Also, everything that came with this pack is beautiful and very modern and chic. I love this pack so much especially now that we have ladders.
• Nifty Knitting: I really loved this pack when I first got it but now it's lost its sheen. I don't even use the items in it that often. Having your sims be knitters is more of a chore. It's nice if you have a legacy challenge and want your elder sims to do something, but it's not enough for me to recommend to anyone. I can't even say to get it if you love heavy metal or focus hip hop since I play sims silently.

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 Overall I would make my top picks: Ecolifestyle, Parenthood, and a tie between Tiny Living and Laundry Day Stuff.

Comments

[bunnyboo]

Oh! I saw that most of the packs are on sale on Origin for Black Friday. When I played, I really enjoyed Parenthood and Laundry Day Stuff as well! I like those more realistic packs that add new, everyday gameplay.

That Animal Crossing mod sounds super cute! I've been a fan of the series for, well, as long as it's been around so maybe adding it to the Sims 4 will inspire me to play again.

I hope you enjoy your purchases! I'm in the same camp as you where I buy dumb stuff if I don't catch myself, especially digital items. I have way too many games to make a case that I'm careful with my money.

[foreverdawning]

I do love the realistic gameplay. I don't mind fantasy things, but the Sims 4 especially isn't good at integrating the occult creatures with regular sims. I like the Sims 3's vampires since they're pretty much regular and don't do ridiculous hissing every twenty seconds.

I keep meaning to download the Animal Crossing mod but keep putting it off to build some more in the Sims.

[bunnyboo]

I agree. Most of what I do in the Sims is just making families and setting up drama, and a lot of the supernatural creatures don't really fit into that.

I really liked 3's vampires too. But my weakness is Servos/Plumbbots. I dunno, they seem more "real" to me.