I have yet to personally play as a paranormal investigator but I have to say this is the most worthwhile for it's price pack I EVER bought even so. (I made and killed a Sim to get the reaper there for aesthetics. 🤣
The female full body cardigan outfit is gorgeous and one of my favourites and my favourites are usually CC
The build/buy items although not plentiful are almost all things I will actually use.
The medium skill although very limited is good fun and for that price the only other one with gameplay/career options is Moschino.
So gameplay, I love the haunted house play, I don't find anything annoying and I won't spoil it for anyone completely but the hauntings although being scary to Sims at times are easily managed.
In fact one of my Sims is a global superstar so this ghost was angry until it saw her then she became inspired (also wearing her outfit) 🤣
I love ghosts and spectres, if you want to maximise your paranormal activity add island spirits and spooky traits to the lot as well, maybe attract vampires for variation.
Guidry is ALWAYS flirty and easily wooed so that's fun, got him into bed in one sim hour.
So this looks amazing like some kind of tribal dance summoning but really the teens are practicing lines, Bonehilda is just sexy dancing and one is doing a seance so it's less cool than it looks LOL
I have wonderful whims and me and Bonehilda, or as I named her after her makeover, Hilda Bone, have two babies. So that can be done.
I didn't add her to household because I went crazy and added two cats then had one of my spellcaster Sims marry a mermaid and have another baby cos why not I'm moving my next gen out soon time to mess around hahaha.
Also the items I have on Bonehilda here if anyone wants the outfit (the skirt can be plain black but I like the moons for my spellcasters.) are from @trillyke (top) and @dissiasims (bottoms). Links below in that order. The rest is base game I think the hair is but it may be from a pack, not CC tho.
Blouse with a ruffled plastron. Inspired by Red Velvet Joy's look from the Psycho MV. Found in TSR Category 'Sims 4 Female Everyday'
Long Pleated Skirt Found in TSR Category 'Sims 4 Female Everyday'
Anyone has any questions feel free to ask but for the price - just get it I'm telling you
Thanks to the EA Game Changers programme, I was provided early access to the newest stuff pack: Moschino Stuff.
In this review, I will give you my honest opinion of the pack, with an overview of my thoughts on the content we received including cas, build & buy and gameplay. I will also provide my general opinion on whether or not I think the pack is worth splashing the cash on and an overall rating!
Honestly, yikes. I really really was not impressed with the CAS content we received in this pack, despite the fact I knew it would be content for an acquired taste given the nature of the pack. Most of the CAS content is the type of stuff I was expecting (weird “high fashion” items that will go unused in my game) and it is not that which disappointed me, but rather the fact that CAS is severely lacking in content overall.
Taking into account the fact this is a fashion label they teamed up with to create this pack, there is such a limited number of clothing options (that really aren’t that cute to begin with) and some which come with as little as ONE swatch. Not to mention there is no child/toddler content (shocker.) The new hairs are okay but really nothing all that special.
It was explained that the team only created swatches/items that had a real-life counterpart in the Moschino collection, but personally I don’t really think that covers why there is such a lack in clothing considering this is a “fashion” based pack. Also, I’m pretty sure Moschino has created more than 5 women’s tops in its lifetime. :/
So yeah, overall I was not impressed with CAS and I think it massively lets down the pack.
The build & buy content we received in this pack is, admittedly, super nice and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I like it.
The design of the furniture is sleek and modern with some really nice swatches, and the new windows really are as amazing as everyone hyped them up to be. Also, an honourable mention goes to the gorgeous new bookcase that I will be using in every build in the foreseeable future (that thing is worth the £10 cost of the pack alone tbh.)
All of the build & buy items are really versatile and work well with content from other packs such as City Living and Get Famous. I can honestly see myself using most of the items in a lot of my builds and I think the content here definitely makes up for what CAS is lacking.
Now, gameplay was the main part of this pack where I really wasn’t sure what to expect. The idea of the new Fashion Photographer career didn’t seem all that exciting, and even the photo frames I thought would just be a glorified version of the get to work photos.
HOWEVER, I was seriously and pleasantly surprised with the new gameplay we received and I can actually see myself playing with the Fashion Photographer career pretty frequently! You can hire models on the photomarks and dress them depending on the gig you take! It’s very immersive and you are given all the tools necessary to create a functional and cute photo studio.
The general overhaul of the photography skill has turned it from something I never used into something I can see myself using a lot more from now on. The tripod and photomarks are both portable so you can take photos anywhere, and the tripod ensures you will never take a blurry photo again (even with a level 1 photography skill!)
But, the star of the show really is the new way to display and take photos. I honestly think this new system of posing sims and the portable tripod/camera/markers is going to be a game changer for legacy/family players. Being able to display and take photos of family holidays, momentous lifetime memories and family photoshoots is going to change the feel of family homes completely! Your sims can even take photos on self-timer, so you can get a full family portrait and selfies in vacation worlds!
When I first opened CAS, I was instantly frustrated with the pack and thought we were going to have another MFPS on our hands. But I can honestly say that between build & buy and the new gameplay, Moschino stuff is definitely a stuff pack I see myself using pretty frequently.
Is it my all time favourite stuff pack? No. But is it the worst stuff pack of all time? Definitely not. (MFPS I’m looking at you.) I don’t think this is a pack that EVERYONE needs or will love, and I don’t think it will be a big favourite among the community, but I still think it holds some value for players who will utilise the content that comes with this pack.
If you’re a player who only really uses CAS, this pack may not be for you. But I think for all the builders and legacy players out there, this pack could become a staple.
Overall, I’m glad that I was proven wrong in my assumption that this would be a rubbish stuff pack and I think if you have £10 lying around and think you’ll utilise the new photography system and build/buy content, this pack is definitely worth a buy. But, if you’re not, maybe wait until it’s on sale!
Maybe it’s because we really didn’t see too much of CAS in the trailer, but I was absolutely floored when I opened my game and started dressing my sims.
Thanks to the EA Game Changers program for give me an early copy of Strangerville to review!
My one big complaint with CAS this time around is that we didn’t get any new clothes for toddlers. Since it’s a gamepack and not as focused on the younger lifestages, it makes sense. But still, I would’ve liked to see a cute dress or a new pair of jeans.
Children of both gender frames get the top on the right and female framed sims get the dress on the left.
I cannot stress enough how much I love both of these items. I picked my favorite swatches of each to show off, but they’re all adorable! The jacket + tshirt is especially cute with different designs for each swatch.
There is a “secret” section of CAS items for adults, and that’s where you’ll find the conspiracy theorist shirt + colander hat from the trailer!
With something that was so prominently featured in promotional material, I think these should’ve been unlocked in CAS from the get go. They’re not. If you want these items, you have to purchase them from the vendor stand outside StrangerVille Plaza!
The colander hat (incorrectly labeled as ‘tinfoil hat’) is §25, and all 7 swatches of the top are also §25.
Here’s where the gushing starts. ≧◡≦ CAS for adults, as a whole, is amazing. The level of detail in every single piece is phenomenal. Much like Get Famous, the team really seems to have stepped up their game with things like textures, rips, folds in fabric, etc.
And finally, a pack with good, wearable content for men! One of my biggest complaints with CAS from older packs is that men really get the short end of the stick. We’d either get things that were totally unwearable or just plain ugly. There’s a definite “western” vibe to this pack, but the vast majority of content can be matched with other packs extremely well! Most things can be worn outside of Strangerville and fit in just fine.
Without unlocking items through a vendor or career, the item breakdowns for CAS are:
KIDS ITEMS
One full body outfit
One top
MASCULINE FRAMED ITEMS
Two hairs
Two hats
One necklace
Seven tops
Three bottoms
Two full body outfits
One pair of shoes
FEMININE FRAMED ITEMS
Three hairs
Two hats
Two necklaces
One bracelet
Nine tops
Six bottoms
Four full body outfits
Two pairs of shoes
There’s also a new trait! Sims can now be paranoid.
“Paranoid sims feel that danger is around every corner, and that people are always talking about them. Paranoid Sims feel a sense of security while hanging out in basements.”
It’s worth noting that there’s also a new aspiration! However, its only goal is solving the mystery of StrangerVille.
Overall, I’m incredibly happy with CAS. There’s a few things I would change (and probably will when S4S updates), but the same could be said for any pack! It all comes down to personal taste.
In my opinion, CAS doesn’t justify buying the pack if you’re not into the gameplay this one offers. But in conjunction with build/buy and the new neighborhood, it definitely comes close.
I decided to put all my screenshots into one, and give my overall impression/ thoughts on the new game pack. I’m gonna try and go through everything I can about what I experienced. This will obviously contain major spoilers for the ending and such so beware of that before clicking. Thankyou once again EA for allowing me to get an early copy of the game.
**THIS POST CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS / ASPECTS FOR TS4 ‘STRANGERVILLE’. DON’T CLICK IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW HOW IT ENDS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED**
I’ve tried to capture the main interactions and events that you get from the new game pack.
In terms of what’s happening in each image:
1 - Sims can dig through files for evidence at the secret lab, these are found on the floor or on desks.
2 - Sims obtain a scanner to find evidence of the plants existence around the world.
3 - A new work-out machine, it sort of talks to your sim while they practice on it.
4 - The locked door at the secret lab requires a key card that your sim must ask around to obtain.
5 - The door, once opened, leads you down to multiple floors of old lab tech and more locked rooms.
6 - When your sim really gets into the investigation, you’ll be able to get a few more clues about whats going on, as well as exploring new rooms in the lab.
7 - The ΜØŦĦ€Ř. You discover the source of all the madness. A giant plant seducing the air to give out a powerful intoxication over all sims. Make and test the vaccination, team up, and take her down.
My thoughts:
- I am being brutally honest with my opinions. -
SO! I finished the story in a couple hours, which should give you a rough idea of how much gameplay/content you get. I must admit, alot of the time for me was spent travelling to and from the lab, bar and library in Strangerville, as well as performing some interactions MANY times. For example, making vaccines, searching through evidence and scanning the area was done over and over and over again. So there’s that.
The things I thought were good!
The story was interesting! I’m a fan of a couple conspiracies, and this pack really gave me that sort of vibe. It’s not something you usually see in the sims 4, so i was intrigued by the aspect of pack dedicated to a storyline with an ending, as oppose to having that sort of ‘do whatever you want’ vibe you already have in the game. The animations are really cool, particularly in those who had been possessed. I also love the new clothing, hair and landscape!!! The textures and details on some of the new objects are really cool to look at along with the new world, as a pack, it’s very visually appealing! I also love the addition of the new military job, new world and new type of computer!
The things I thought weren’t as good;
I wasn’t sure how to feel about the pack overall, being completely honest, but that could also be totally down to what my personal gameplay preference is, so take what i say with a pinch of salt; It’s just my opinion.
I will say this; it’s not difficult. I wasn’t expecting pure rage difficulty as it is still a 12+ game, but I was kinda hoping for a little bit more of a challenge, considering it’s a puzzle solving-ish pack. The story is significantly short and straightforward, and the idea of that realistic gameplay experience goes out the window with this pack. But if that’s what you’re looking for then it’s perfect for you! For me, the storyline, now that i’ve played it, isn’t something I will return to play again, it’s a one way story that I now know the ending to, BUT I don’t even use vampires or aliens in my game, so it also does come back to it just being too unrealistic for my preference. It’s always a little annoying when a pack comes out that contains some re-used things. In this pack, you can see that one of the medical stations from get to work has been re-used. I know it shouldn’t be a big deal, it just kinda feels like that there isn’t as much detail put in. Considering I sort of speed-ran it, i probably could have enjoyed it a-lot more, had I have taken my time, but at points I will admit to getting a little bored. It just wasn’t as exciting for me personally, as I sort of already figured out what was going on a t the start. I also thought there could have been just a few more build/buy mode things that are practical for regular homes? But that’s something we always hope for tbh. I just think if you’re going to pay for a pack, then you should know what you’re paying for. In this case, you’re mainly paying for the storyline, which is different to other game packs we’ve had for TS4, and isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just different.
If you’re not really looking for things to buy in game, but would rather see more things, as well as following a strange and mysterious storyline - this packs totally for you! It’s definitely different from what we’ve seen in the past, and if that appeals to you- I say go for it, it’s a interesting experience!
Gameplay and overview of the fifth expansion pack for The Sims 4. What kind of seasonal activities do you get? Is it worth the four year wait for weather? Le...
i just quickly playtested the toddler sp and it was a mess. :o
i tried to organize a play dates as a social event and i’m so disappointed. first of all, if you didn’t know this yet, you’ve to met toddlers at their homes first and you can only invite 7 of them max. i first thought that you only had to met parents who have toddlers and then they’ll bring their kids (which will make way more sense).
i had to set up a fake family (which is really irritating for me) only to have toddlers. luckily, my loading screens are really quick (30 sec-1min), but still, it’s annoying to have to knock at multiple doors just to meet kids. plus, i’ll have to do this again because i’ve playtested this with a random sims of mine, not my legacy family.. srsly, why ea didn’t just enlarge the group system to toddlers instead of this ? much more simple and more useful!
...so, when i had all the toddlers in my relationship panel i setted up the event at a custom lot labeled as a park. of course, bunch of townies - including homeless people - were walking around and grabing the kids, hugging them.. awkward af. and finally toddlers didn’t really played with the playground equipements. only one of them did automatically, the others were just looking for food, complaining, spreading painting on the floor..
i don’t know if it’s just me but i’m disappointed by the gameplay aspect and how they tackle the play dates system - which is originally a very good idea. as for the clothes, i’m really in love with them and i spent hours digging the catalogue and pick good items.
but because the play dates is set up as a party, every sims (parents include) showed up with their hidious party clothes. while i was in cas i thought about this so i put the same clothes in everyday and party for some toddlers but not all of them. just to actually see if i was right. and i wished i was wrong..
i’ll try again all of this but much more later with my legacy sims to see if anything goes differently with more preparation but it’s sooo frustrating to have to go to all of these stages just to see random toddlers use a slide.
concerning the build mode objects, i think they’re quite good and versatile (i didn’t look at all the swatches yet but still). but i’m upset we only get 3 swatches for the playground equipements and the 2 others aren’t in my taste at all (pink/purple and black/grey-ish).
in conclusion, if i’d to rate this sp, i’ll give it a 6/10. wait for the sales to buy it. i did bought it instantly bc i had my paycheck but give you some time if you planned to purchase it. it’s nice but not really necessary like most of the additional packs.
The following review is spoiler free! There won’t be any story details, pictures of inside of the lab, or anything not shown in the trailer under the cut. ♡
Thanks to the EA Game Changers program for give me an early copy of Strangerville to review!
StrangerVille might just be my favorite world to date. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for desert worlds (looking at you, Oasis Springs), and give me one with supernatural elements? I’m so there.
I had one goal going into this pack - I wanted to make the X-Files. I had a mini story planned, an awful tagline (”the truth is somewhere”), and so many terrible puns... But then I started actually playing.
I made a sim to play with in CAS and then decided I would just start the story with her. I wanted to get a feel for everything before jumping in with my ridiculous X-Files plan. A few hours later, I finished the story.
Don’t get me wrong, it was a lot of fun! I got so wrapped up in it, I forgot we had Seasons. YES. I forgot about my favorite pack.
“I just got so invested in this game that I forgot we had Seasons. It looked like the plants were moving and I was like WHAT. Nope, it’s a heat wave.”
So clearly, I enjoyed my time in Strangerville. ≧◡≦ Here’s the problem I ran into - when I went to start again and actually play my X-Files sims, I didn’t want to.
I know replay value was a big concern with the community when it was announced this pack would have a plot. Ultimately, I will want to play this story again. It was fun, engaging, and dynamic! The new world is breathtaking, and as a lover of all things supernatural, it’s definitely my favorite gamepack yet.
With all of that being said, it’s worth noting that it will be a while before I take my sims back to StrangerVille to do a little mystery solving.
