What packs are your must haves?
I’ve built up my game a fair amount with all three pack types (but still do have a lot of unowned content for sure), and recently have added even more since my new computer has so much more storage th...
Forum Discussion
Hi there!
Great idea for a thread! It all depends on your gameplay style.
For Supernatural Lovers, like me, I would say:
Gamepack: Vampires. This one is a MUST. It includes beautiful Victorian furniture and clothing that can fit very well in Glimmerbrook or, why not, in an enchanted Willow Creek. Vampires are the most powerful, customizable occults — they can have different powers and weaknesses, as well as different facial features in their dark forms, which is perfect if you want to create different clans. The world, Forgotten Hollow, is quite small (just 5 lots), but it can be very beautiful, specially in winter and autumn with its dark atmosphere. And the default townies are so fun to play — the count Vlad Straud and the Vatore siblings (Caleb is a fan-favorite as much as Morgyn from Realm of Magic, but her sister Lilith is equally amazing).
Bonus tip: check for Maxis’ official vampire clans on their gallery: Rebellious Vampires and Virtuous Vampires. They are not included by default, but vampires like Elle DeVampiro or Inna Cents can give a lot of personality to your vampire town! Also check on the amazing builds from the gallery. You can find very scary buildings like Bloodbound Castle from Devon Bumpkin (waaaaay better than the default Straud Mansion). Also, if you know how to use the debug items on the build and buy catalog, you can place the Forgotten Grotto somewhere in this world for an extra lot. Suits this world so much! :)
Other amazing gamepacks:
Realm of Magic. You will have not one, but two beautiful worlds. Glimmerbrook is very small again, with 5 lots, but it’s a beautiful forest that can fit different styles (Victorian, Medieval, Gypsy caravans... you name it! :)). Near the waterfall, there is a hidden portal that will lead you to the Realm of Magic, which fits one big editable lot with two non-editable locations: the dueling gardens and a magical alley to shop supernatural items. Spellcasters are the second best occult in the game. You can specialize in 4 different magical branches (Alchemy, Untamed Magic, Practical Magic or Mischief Magic), or all of them! And you will have the help of three charismatic teachers: Morgyn (a fan-favorite as well, teacher of Untamed Magic), Simeon and Faba. You can learn very useful spells, like manipulating your neighbors so they can clean your home, or resurrecting your sims if they are a bit clumpsy with the fireplace ;).
Bonus tip: again, check for Maxis’ trailer spellcasters on their gallery. When the game came out, many people where shocked to see that Simeon and Faba looked quite different from the trailer, so Maxis uploaded the original versions as retired sages. But they can be so fun to play as well! Also, don’t forget to check the gallery for builds. The most beautiful renos from the Magic Realm I have seen so far are the Sanctum by Satisim, and the Wollowiz School from Devon Bumpkin. Great thing about this pack is that spellcasters can blend perfectly among humans, so you can have a magical Windenburg as well, for instance, or witchy apartments in San Myshuno! And lastly, if you create a community lot in Glimmerbrook, you can also place the Magical Tree that takes you to Sylvan Glade, for a new magical location. Fits here very nicely!
Strangerville. I never thought I could have so much fun with this pack, I swear! It doesn’t contain new occults per se, but if you love apocalyptic towns, zombie invasions or mad scientists, this is your pack :D. For once, it is a storyline-based pack, so you will have to unravel the mystery of Strangerville and its quirky citizens. The town is so nice, way more than Oasis Springs. You can go for a western vibe, a modern Arizona look or keep the traditional Gothic Carpenter look of the default builds. Up to you! :) The neighbors are very fun to play as well: from ecclectic friends to conspiracy theorists, shady majors or family-loving soldiers. The secret lab is not buildable though, unfortunately, because it’s tied to the storyline.
Expansions:
Island Living: not only features Sulani, one of the most beautiful, largest, sound-rich worlds in the game. It has mermaids! They are not as fleshed out as vampires or spellcasters (what a pity!). But still, you can personalize their mermaid form with different facial features, eye colors, tails and fangs, ranging from beautiful to absolutely scary :D. Unfortunately there aren’t any underwater lots, like Island Paradise in Sims 3. But you can go for a pirate town with the amazing gallery builds! You can find beautiful pirate ships, mermaid coves and even Atlantis Palaces that can fit this world very well.
Other great options:
Get to work. It doesn’t sound so supernatural, but it has a hidden surprise. Aliens! Unlike Batuu aliens, they are an entire occult that can blend among humans perfectly, but they have special powers. And this world has a tiny hidden lot: Sixam, their original planet. Bonus tip: you can give your aliens extra powers with reward/hidden traits like Immune to Cold/Hot, Mastermind, Speed Reader, Naturalist... everything you can imagine! You can also find amazing builds in the gallery or in The Sims Resource. One of my favorite so far is “Destroyer”, a spaceship from Xandralynn, available in The Sims Resource.
Regarding aliens, I know many people was disappointed with the Journey to Batuu gamepack. I confess I like it, but I try to blend it as much as possible with my other supernatural packs, like Get to Work. If you give Batuu aliens the hidden trait “fake alien”, they will have exactly the same alien superpowers, like erasing people’s minds. And it can be fun for your GTW aliens to have droids and Batuu weapons :). But I would recommend the rest of the packs first before purchasing this one.
Stuff pack:
Paranormal Stuff pack. I know it hasn’t come out yet, but definitely I’m waiting for it! :D From what we have seen so far, we will have haunted houses with spirits on them, a paranormal investigator career and the option to host seance sessions. Paired with the fear emotion that will be included in the base game with the update, it can be a very powerful pack that blends perfectly with Vampires and Realm of Magic. Or give a magical touch to a haunted Windenburg or a magical, New-Orleans styled Willow Creek!
Great idea for a thread! It all depends on your gameplay style.
For Supernatural Lovers, like me, I would say:
Gamepack: Vampires. This one is a MUST. It includes beautiful Victorian furniture and clothing that can fit very well in Glimmerbrook or, why not, in an enchanted Willow Creek. Vampires are the most powerful, customizable occults — they can have different powers and weaknesses, as well as different facial features in their dark forms, which is perfect if you want to create different clans. The world, Forgotten Hollow, is quite small (just 5 lots), but it can be very beautiful, specially in winter and autumn with its dark atmosphere. And the default townies are so fun to play — the count Vlad Straud and the Vatore siblings (Caleb is a fan-favorite as much as Morgyn from Realm of Magic, but her sister Lilith is equally amazing).
Bonus tip: check for Maxis’ official vampire clans on their gallery: Rebellious Vampires and Virtuous Vampires. They are not included by default, but vampires like Elle DeVampiro or Inna Cents can give a lot of personality to your vampire town! Also check on the amazing builds from the gallery. You can find very scary buildings like Bloodbound Castle from Devon Bumpkin (waaaaay better than the default Straud Mansion). Also, if you know how to use the debug items on the build and buy catalog, you can place the Forgotten Grotto somewhere in this world for an extra lot. Suits this world so much! :)
Other amazing gamepacks:
Realm of Magic. You will have not one, but two beautiful worlds. Glimmerbrook is very small again, with 5 lots, but it’s a beautiful forest that can fit different styles (Victorian, Medieval, Gypsy caravans... you name it! :)). Near the waterfall, there is a hidden portal that will lead you to the Realm of Magic, which fits one big editable lot with two non-editable locations: the dueling gardens and a magical alley to shop supernatural items. Spellcasters are the second best occult in the game. You can specialize in 4 different magical branches (Alchemy, Untamed Magic, Practical Magic or Mischief Magic), or all of them! And you will have the help of three charismatic teachers: Morgyn (a fan-favorite as well, teacher of Untamed Magic), Simeon and Faba. You can learn very useful spells, like manipulating your neighbors so they can clean your home, or resurrecting your sims if they are a bit clumpsy with the fireplace ;).
Bonus tip: again, check for Maxis’ trailer spellcasters on their gallery. When the game came out, many people where shocked to see that Simeon and Faba looked quite different from the trailer, so Maxis uploaded the original versions as retired sages. But they can be so fun to play as well! Also, don’t forget to check the gallery for builds. The most beautiful renos from the Magic Realm I have seen so far are the Sanctum by Satisim, and the Wollowiz School from Devon Bumpkin. Great thing about this pack is that spellcasters can blend perfectly among humans, so you can have a magical Windenburg as well, for instance, or witchy apartments in San Myshuno! And lastly, if you create a community lot in Glimmerbrook, you can also place the Magical Tree that takes you to Sylvan Glade, for a new magical location. Fits here very nicely!
Strangerville. I never thought I could have so much fun with this pack, I swear! It doesn’t contain new occults per se, but if you love apocalyptic towns, zombie invasions or mad scientists, this is your pack :D. For once, it is a storyline-based pack, so you will have to unravel the mystery of Strangerville and its quirky citizens. The town is so nice, way more than Oasis Springs. You can go for a western vibe, a modern Arizona look or keep the traditional Gothic Carpenter look of the default builds. Up to you! :) The neighbors are very fun to play as well: from ecclectic friends to conspiracy theorists, shady majors or family-loving soldiers. The secret lab is not buildable though, unfortunately, because it’s tied to the storyline.
Expansions:
Island Living: not only features Sulani, one of the most beautiful, largest, sound-rich worlds in the game. It has mermaids! They are not as fleshed out as vampires or spellcasters (what a pity!). But still, you can personalize their mermaid form with different facial features, eye colors, tails and fangs, ranging from beautiful to absolutely scary :D. Unfortunately there aren’t any underwater lots, like Island Paradise in Sims 3. But you can go for a pirate town with the amazing gallery builds! You can find beautiful pirate ships, mermaid coves and even Atlantis Palaces that can fit this world very well.
Other great options:
Get to work. It doesn’t sound so supernatural, but it has a hidden surprise. Aliens! Unlike Batuu aliens, they are an entire occult that can blend among humans perfectly, but they have special powers. And this world has a tiny hidden lot: Sixam, their original planet. Bonus tip: you can give your aliens extra powers with reward/hidden traits like Immune to Cold/Hot, Mastermind, Speed Reader, Naturalist... everything you can imagine! You can also find amazing builds in the gallery or in The Sims Resource. One of my favorite so far is “Destroyer”, a spaceship from Xandralynn, available in The Sims Resource.
Regarding aliens, I know many people was disappointed with the Journey to Batuu gamepack. I confess I like it, but I try to blend it as much as possible with my other supernatural packs, like Get to Work. If you give Batuu aliens the hidden trait “fake alien”, they will have exactly the same alien superpowers, like erasing people’s minds. And it can be fun for your GTW aliens to have droids and Batuu weapons :). But I would recommend the rest of the packs first before purchasing this one.
Stuff pack:
Paranormal Stuff pack. I know it hasn’t come out yet, but definitely I’m waiting for it! :D From what we have seen so far, we will have haunted houses with spirits on them, a paranormal investigator career and the option to host seance sessions. Paired with the fear emotion that will be included in the base game with the update, it can be a very powerful pack that blends perfectly with Vampires and Realm of Magic. Or give a magical touch to a haunted Windenburg or a magical, New-Orleans styled Willow Creek!
