The Sims 4: Growing Together Review

The Sims 4: Growing Together on PC

Despite its launch in 2014, The Sims 4 continues to prosper with its quite a few expansions, kits, and frequent updates. Several packs stood out amongst the remainder as they broadened the sport’s spectrum by way of mechanics and trendy objects, reinvigorating my love for the franchise with every passing installment. However, there are occasions when these new options fall flat with content material, and it causes some to surprise if sure ones are even definitely worth the purchase.

Now, that begs the query of whether or not or not the most recent enlargement pack deserves a purchase order, with its extension of the traditional household dynamic. Fortunately, Growing Together is a change for the higher on account of its life like method to parenting and childhood. There had been so many heartfelt moments between each Sim that sometimes made me blurt out an “aww” as relations reacted to one another in numerous methods, due to the brand new dynamic system.

While the Jokester Family Dynamic produces foolish interactions, Support demonstrates a wholesome parent-child bond. I loved seeing the lovable occurrences from these relationships, primarily when family members would both consolation one another throughout unhealthy occasions or trade a couple of inside jokes. But, in fact, not all bonds are optimistic, contemplating the Strict and Distance Family Dynamics, furthering the genuinity of the franchise the place each character has their very own journey.

Family Social Interactions in The Sims 4: Growing Together — Image Source: Maxis Studios by way of Twinfinite

Instead of residing out the identical storylines, the Growing Together pack gives extra alternatives to expertise divergent outcomes with distinct persona sorts, good/unhealthy compatibilities, and dynamics. I noticed this firsthand once I tried out the 100 Baby Challenge, as my Sims acquired dissimilar qualities based mostly on their preferences and upbringings. While one child had a horrible formative years (I didn’t say I used to be an ideal mother or father) on account of a Strict dynamic, the next baby would reside out the precise reverse and obtain a long-lasting confidence trait that improves their social interactions.

Even if authoritarian or distant relationships produce adverse milestones, it’s nonetheless intriguing to see the repercussions from it, together with when a mom feels a responsible moodlet for being too harsh on their baby. There are additionally plenty of new challenges from the compatibility characteristic that determines how dialogue sequences can go. In specific, when a Sim doesn’t have a lot in frequent with one other, you possibly can have problem leveling up their relationship, differing from the Amazing compatibilities that make the expertise far more accessible.

Besides this content material, the Growing Together pack encompasses a new family-based world the place each place is child-friendly, from accessible altering tables to leisure areas. You’ll undoubtedly have some enjoyable in San Sequoia with its stress-free Anchorpoint Abode, amusing Celebration Center, and a number of heaps to customise to your coronary heart’s content material. Yet, I do suppose it will’ve been finest for the altering desk to be included within the Infant replace fairly than this EP, on condition that it isn’t obtainable for free-to-play customers.

As for Growing Together’s Build Mode and CAS objects, you possibly can count on all kinds of content material for all phases of life, reminiscent of stylish outfits for adults and lovable ensembles for teenagers.

Customizing Infant in The Sims 4: Growing Together — Image Source: Maxis Studios by way of Twinfinite

But, what takes the cake is the brand new lineup of merchandise that genuinely make your home really feel like a house, just like the “Look What I Drew!” Display that showcases your baby’s art work or the expansive treehouse that may be constructed collectively as a household. The further crib designs are additionally a pleasant contact for the most recent life stage, particularly the useful BlandCo Contemporary Crib, which may be upgraded to suit infants and toddlers. There are plenty of different objects you possibly can sit up for, together with youngsters’s bikes (beforehand restricted to older Sims) and friendship bracelets kits, demonstrating simply what number of options this pack has.

On the opposite hand, a number of mechanics from the EP change the office and the general way of life of a Sim. In specific, gamers can now unlock midlife crises throughout annoying occasions and develop rivalries that may stop promotions. Then, there’s the customer system the place family members or strangers can pop in for a couple of days, which may typically be useful as they will help round the home. I imply, positive, it sounds weird to let somebody you don’t know into your own home, but when a random man needs to assist me wash the dishes for a short while, why not?

The solely draw back I’ll say for the Growing Together pack is a unfastened tooth glitch that modifications your youngsters’s pores and skin right into a pitch-black design, the place they mainly appear like a Heartless from Kingdom Hearts. Even extra so, once you attempt to repair it in CAS, they reset again to a preset character and wipe out any genetics they could have beforehand inherited. I hope to see an answer to this downside, however a minimum of some mods can briefly handle it.

In spite of the bug, Growing Together is actually definitely worth the purchase because it provides the participant a wide range of choices for storytelling and provides extra life to relationships, dialogue, and your complete family. More particularly, I like how a Sim’s persona can step by step change fairly than sticking with the identical qualities, during which they will swap traits or develop new ones from particular actions.

Although many followers have been anticipating the launch of The Sims 5 (like me), this newest enlargement pack makes the wait value it because the builders proceed to enhance on mechanics. I already know that I’ll be spending plenty of my time constructing my household’s legacy with the brand new options, and I extremely suggest becoming a member of in on the enjoyable to expertise the fun and woes of a Sim’s digital life.