5 years ago

What single expansion pack is essential for fun playing TS4 and why?

I don't like Sims 4 overall. I LOVE CAS & Build. I love the gallery. I love the art style. I love the neighborhood system. I love the swatches. I really want to love TS4 because if my grievances were resolved, it would be my favorite game.

But I don't like:

The lack of personality
No turn ons/turn offs/ memories
No story album
Cannot create my own neighborhood
Lack of consequences.

I like that they have made changes to improve personality in TS4. I've tried testing out the sentiments but honestly got bored trying to play it. Soon after CAS I lose attention. I do like the system in Parenthood. It adds a lot of charm and the direction I'm looking for. Every new big update I DO try the game again but I don't like it all too much.

I am a believer that the base game should be substantial enough on it's own. But I do see the merits of dlc. I own outdoor retreat, dine out, and parenthood. I like OR, and I've seen the systems in parenthood when my sister played. I personally have not tried dine out yet (been in my library for months though!)

Some say Sims 4 is excellent only with X.

Some may fill that X with certain mods. Some fill it with some game packs.

I wonder if I buy an expansion will I enjoy the game? Or am I just falling for marketing :D I think about it when Sims 4 packs are on sale. I only bought dine out & parenthood for my sister to play. OR i got early on when the game was brand new.

With all that being said, which expansion pack (if at all!) MAKES the game for you? Adds the best systems? Most interesting gameplay? Replayability? Best value? I may consider that to be the purchase I make.

I'd especially like any EP that makes changes to the way a sim behaves or influences others, and adds consequences (like parenthood does with the manners system).

I've also watched reviews on nearly every pack too but like to know what you think or any reviews you think I should watch.

I'm interested in everyone's opinions, whether you like ts4 or not. Even if you bought a pack that was good and later you've changed your mind (only fun for a couple of months) let me know. Also which packs may seem the buggiest for you or which mods you think are essential with the accompaing pack. Thank you!!

expansion packs

119 Replies

Ellupelluellu
Hero
5 years ago
Tie between Seasons.. But I had to pick GT as I overuse the club system.
Bmm209
5 years ago
"Ellupelluellu;c-17853618" wrote:
Tie between Seasons.. But I had to pick GT as I overuse the club system.

What do you use the club system for?
Bmm209
5 years ago
"Chazzzy;c-17853615" wrote:
I really like the temperature changes the Seasons pack brings. It was really weird for me to play TS4 without putting a roof on my Sim’s home and they didn’t care one bit. This pack is essential for me for that reason alone. I don’t even need the calendar and all that.

Do you get to adjust the seasons? Why don't you make use of the calendar/holidays (also can you make your own)?
SimmerGeorge
Seasoned Ace
5 years ago
In my opinion, the game lack a lot of unpredictability and you know what's a remedy for that? Weather. It at least gives the feeling of something random happening even if it's a small and insignificant thing. This pack is an essential for me and I am similar to you in terms of what I think of this game. But you don't get to adjust the weather!

Btw. For DLC in general, personally I think Stuff packs are barely worth it. Maybe one or two and that's it. Game packs I like are Dine Out though it is very very buggy and parenthood though in my opinion it feels a bit too empty.
For expansion packs the only ones I would buy are the ones you are absolutely interested in. One that you like all the features and the execution so make sure you watch tons of reviews to know what's in the pack (cause EA descriptions tend to paint a false picture).
My second choice would be Get Famous if you're interested in that kind of gameplay because it is kind of well made and Get Together. All the others are not well executed nor very full imo so you'll have to really like the features to buy them.

If you are unsure if buying packs will make your opinion of the game better then set a certain amount of packs as a limit. For example buy three expansion packs and think, am I enjoying this right now or am I just craving more content because the game still feels empty? If the latter ends up being true then I say be aware not to fall into the trap of buying packs that you will end up never using cause you are bored of the game (which is a trap I fell into unfortunately).
Tellimini
5 years ago
I'd have to say get together. I like the club system. It's flexible with a ton of things you can do with it. You also get Windenburg which is nice and will be even nicer once they fix the stairs. (Pretty sad that I have to say that)
Ellupelluellu
Hero
5 years ago
"StrawberryYogurt;c-17853620" wrote:
"Ellupelluellu;c-17853618" wrote:
Tie between Seasons.. But I had to pick GT as I overuse the club system.

What do you use the club system for?

Kids have their own clubs with kids from the neighborhood, homework clubs at home of one of the member, playground clubs at the parks , swimming clubs, like that.

Teens have similar, but maybe also including more activities what kids cannot do, like gardening and gym clubs with other teens in the said neighborhood (or world if there is not enough teens in the hood)

Ya, adults and elders have their own :)

Its nice to see the clubs gathering around the communitylots when I am not playing anyone who is member of said clubs :) Like if I play with a sim who does not belong at any club, if they visit to playground or park, the clubs what hang around at those places still do.
Bmm209
5 years ago
"Lazzial;c-17853623" wrote:
I'd have to say get together. I like the club system. It's flexible with a ton of things you can do with it. You also get Windenburg which is nice and will be even nicer once they fix the stairs. (Pretty sad that I have to say that)

What is the issue with stairs?

What's the most enjoyable about the club system (for example what are your clubs?)?
Ellupelluellu
Hero
5 years ago
"Lazzial;c-17853623" wrote:
I'd have to say get together. I like the club system. It's flexible with a ton of things you can do with it. You also get Windenburg which is nice and will be even nicer once they fix the stairs. (Pretty sad that I have to say that)

I belong to the minority there , as nice as the world is because it is big, I never liked it that much. :)
Bmm209
5 years ago
"SimmerGeorge;c-17853622" wrote:
In my opinion, the game lack a lot of unpredictability and you know what's a remedy for that? Weather. It at least gives the feeling of something random happening even if it's a small and insignificant thing. This pack is an essential for me and I am similar to you in terms of what I think of this game. But you don't get to adjust the weather!

Btw. For DLC in general, personally I think Stuff packs are barely worth it. Maybe one or two and that's it. Game packs I like are Dine Out though it is very very buggy and parenthood though in my opinion it feels a bit too empty.
For expansion packs the only ones I would buy are the ones you are absolutely interested in. One that you like all the features and the execution so make sure you watch tons of reviews to know what's in the pack (cause EA descriptions tend to paint a false picture).
My second choice would be Get Famous if you're interested in that kind of gameplay because it is kind of well made and Get Together. All the others are not well executed nor very full imo so you'll have to really like the features to buy them.

If you are unsure if buying packs will make your opinion of the game better then set a certain amount of packs as a limit. For example buy three expansion packs and think, am I enjoying this right now or am I just craving more content because the game still feels empty? If the latter ends up being true then I say be aware not to fall into the trap of buying packs that you will end up never using cause you are bored of the game (which is a trap I fell into unfortunately).

Thank you! Ok no adjusting weather. Is every neighborhood's weather the same?

I do feel that way about stuff packs. I don't plan on buying those or kits. I heard Dine Out is very buggy but I haven't tried running my own restaurant because I'm annoyed about it's limits comparing it to TS2 Open for Business. I was happy to have a nice date out (though they kept playing musical chairs and getting distracted).

What else is satisfying about Seasons? I do like the atmosphere that it brings in TS2 & TS3, but I don't celebrate any major holidays so those features are not interesting to me. Would you say that is a big portion of TS4 Seasons pack, or is the fun mostly in just weather changes?

I do like celebrities and like the system in TS3 Nightlife. I did wish it was harder to become a celebrity in TS3. It wasn't easy necessarily, but I wish it would even more difficult to be a top star. Is it fairly easy in Get Famous?

What do you think is best executed in Get Together?

I also think what you said in bolded makes a lot of sense too. Thanks for that tip!
msullivan789
5 years ago
If I had to pick an expansion, I'd probably say Get Together because of the clubs. You can basically make a gang or a cult and its very versatile.
What makes the game playable for me though is not what you mentioned but the vampires and spellcasters, and I usually have at least some kind of club for each. I know there's mixed feelings about occults but for me the more bizarre I can make my sims world the better.

At the end of the day its what you personally find fun. There's certainly different styles and things of playing.