We went to the screening of the new EP The Sims 4: City Living, and let me tell you for game play this will be one of the most fun adventures you will have in your Sims 4 life. This is a huge change to gameplay that gives your Sims such a wide variety of things to do! I don’t even know where to begin.
First you will get a whole new neighborhood called San Myshano with sky scrapers and 4 neighborhoods. You have the Spice District, The Fashion District, The Artists District and Uptown. All these districts have different festivals you can attend but more about that later. This is about apartment living in the big city. The artwork for your landscaping is stunning as you can see buildings in the distance from your “High Rise.”
The Sims 4: City Living has three new careers: Political, Critic, and Social Media. They are all careers away from home with home interactions you need to do to advance. I decided to play the Social Media route and I loved the fact that when time for work I received a notice on my phone that asked if I wanted to work from home or go to the office. Working from home gives you goals you must achieve during the “work day.” I am well on my way to becoming a Social Media Star!
There is a new aspiration called City Native where you are a city person wanting the city life.
One of the big changes I think is rather cool is being able to sell home made stuff in the streets. Yep, that’s right! You can take those paintings you so painstakingly made with your soul and sell them. Now you may get someone wanting to “haggle” the price, but it’s a good way to see if you are really as good as you think you are!
As with any type of city living, it’s crowded in the streets. Well, crowded for Sims, and it’s nothing to see a living statue posing where you can watch and wonder how such talent is possible!
Lots in this EP are apartments something like what was in Sims 3 Late Night. According to Grant Rodiek they learned a lot from that EP and wanted to expand what it would actually be like living in an actual city. Food Carts and kiosks are scattered throughout the world featuring all sorts of different food for your Simmies to try.
With all this there is a new way for your Sims to die. Puffer Fish poison. Beware what you eat at those public kiosks!
What I find very interesting is the way they set up this world. It’s like living on the west coast of the US with earthquakes, that right I said earthquakes. Your Sims can experience an earthquake at any random time. I tried to get one in my own game but nothing has triggered yet. I am looking forward to seeing what happens!
Each Apartment has attributes visible before you purchase the lot. Is it haunted? Is the building quiet? Or is this party central? You will be able to tell before purchase. All Landlords are NPCs, so you don’t own the building. All ghosts are random hauntings.
Your neighbors can become noisy which can make your Sims angry and unable to sleep if at night. You can pound on your neighbors door and give them a piece of your mind about the noise. I found this hilarious. My Sim stomped over in a huff and pounded on his neighbors door. Priceless detail to living in an apartment complex. Your neighbor may smell a meal cooking and ask to be invited in a not so subtle way or want to hang out. This is where I found locking the door invaluable. I mean, who wants their neighbor in a towel running around your apartment? But funny none the less!
There are new clubbing rules and getting in can take time. I had not gotten this far yet so all I can say is that this is a new interaction.
On to Sims 4: City LivingFestivals. Each neighborhood has a festival it sponsors at any given time. It’s pretty random when they pop up but if you choose to go your Sims will be sure to enjoy the festivities. I went to the “Humor and Hijinks” Festival. At this particular festival you had a dark tea or a light tea to drink.
I had the choice of joining the jokesters or the pranksters at which point they kept score as to who did the best prank or joke for the festival. Lots of Sims socializing with this. The pranksters set off hand buzzers and the sort. Voodoo dolls were for sale at this, just really a fun time followed by fireworks.
There are five festivals including the flea market where you can sell old junk you may no longer want. Some Sims junk is another Sims treasure or so they say. Grant Rodiek said he liked the spice festival best. And basketball! They have brought us basketball in Sims.
A few pictures of new content are included below, not everything because I certainly don’t want to spoil the surprises EA has made for you!
The EA team said they wanted for our Sims to have RL experiences and they have certainly done this in a Sims way. Bravo EA!
