Highlights
- The Sims 4 offers 14 expansion packs that provide diverse gameplay options and topics, allowing players to customize their experience.
- Some expansion packs offer better value for money in terms of gameplay features, build mode, and Create-a-Sim options.
- The expansion packs introduce new concepts, such as green living, Japan content, and farming, while also including familiar content from previous games.
The Sims 4 now has 14 expansion packs, providing dozens of hours of gameplay across a wide variety of topics. Players can pick and choose the content they'd like to add to their game as they craft the experience they want in The Sims 4. Expansion packs come in at $40 at full price, and some of the expansion packs are better value for money than others in terms of the quality of gameplay features, build and buy mode, and create-a-Sim options they offer.
The expansion packs take players from the English countryside to the Japanese mountains, include aliens and abductions, and let players tell any story they could imagine. The Sims 4 has released familiar content from previous iterations of the series, such as Seasons and University, but its longevity also has created room for new concepts such as Eco Living's green living, Snowy Escape's Japan content, and Cottage Living's farming and livestock care.
S Rank
The Sims 4: Seasons: A changing weather system alone is essential for The Sims 4's worlds, and makes them feel more like dynamic, living worlds than anything else can. With a great CAS and build mode in addition to its holidays, calendar, and changing weather, Seasons is an essential pack for any Simmer.
The Sims 4: Growing Together: The benefits of this pack may not appear obvious at first, but any player interested in family gameplay and creating interesting Sims needs this pack. Sims 4: Growing Together did a better job at creating interesting relationships and unique Sims than the mood system did, and the introduction of milestones, compatibility, and dynamic social traits for Sims that change based on lived experiences makes The Sims 4 feel like a different game in the best ways possible.
A Rank
The Sims 4: City Living: An entirely new type of world was introduced to players that hasn't been seen since, with festivals, apartments, and city lights. City Living still holds up as one of the best offerings and feels like a dynamic city.
The Sims 4: Eco Lifestyle: While many of the content add-ons for The Sims feel inevitable at this point, Eco Lifestyle was a refreshing and creative surprise for many Simmers. The CAS and build mode styles are trendy, and it's possible to create some beautiful lots with the content in this pack.
The Sims 4: Cottage Living: The world that came with Cottage Living is stunning and a charming homage to the English countryside, complete with ancient ruins. Lot challenges allow for foxes and rabbits to visit, or Sims can cook using only fresh ingredients.
The Sims 4: Get Together: This is another pack that has benefits that aren't immediately obvious, but it's got one of the most beautiful worlds in The Sims 4, a stunning build mode, and its club feature is incredibly useful beyond its intended purpose, with many players using it to organize Sim families and friend groups.
B Rank
The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs: This pet pack only came with cats and dogs, and many of the pack's features such as the vet and stray animals only appear in the world shipped with the game. The world is beautiful, the CAS and build mode can be used across different playthroughs, and the pets are adorable. Players unfortunately cannot control pets from Sims 4: Cats & Dogs like Sims.
The Sims 4: Discover University: This Sims expansion introduces a college town, Servos as a new life state, and the ability to create dorm rooms with some fun gameplay that involves everything to do with the college experience.
The Sims 4: Snowy Escape: Players can take a break from the USA with Mt. Komorebi, a charming world inspired by Japan. While this pack focuses on snow sports, it proves tons of content for anyone interested in Japan, with a Japan-centric build mode, festivals, CAS items, and a ton of food added.
The Sims 4: High School Years:The Sims needed a teen-centric pack for a long time, and this one is it. Players can build a high school, direct teen Sims throughout their school day, and experience key events. However, there are bugs associated with events such as prom and graduation which can make the experience frustrating.
The Sims 4: Horse Ranch: Inspired by the American West, this pack is perfect for those who love horses. Horse customization is as top-notch as it is for Cats & Dogs, and the build mode has some great options to create some stunning community lots and homes for any Sim. Gameplay for horses could be more robust, and there's little to no content for Child Sims and younger.
C Rank
The Sims 4: Island Living: Sulani is one of the most beautiful worlds in The Sims 4. Players can build homes on the beach and over the water, swim in the ocean, and take part in the community. Rather than a larger resort town with hotels, however, Island Living offers a small town island experience, and some of the gameplay feels limited while much of the world can feel empty.
The Sims 4: Get Famous: This is a pack with a lot of potential that it doesn't quite live up to in terms of the world, as the pre-built homes and community lots fall flat in basic ways, such as empty buildings missing essentials such as toilets. The gameplay, however, is great for those who want their Sims to build careers as celebrities.
The Sims 4: Get to Work: This was the first expansion pack in The Sims 4, and the content shows it. The careers allow players to follow their Sims to work, and the pack includes aliens, but the world is tiny and there isn't a lot to do.
The Sims 4 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
