I have a love- hate relationship with The Sims 4 in all honesty.
On one hand, it's stunning and fixes a lot of issues I had with the previous games; however, it's very empty compared toThe Sims 3 where the base game alone was enough to keep me entertained. And it would be unfair to compare it to the masterpiece that it’s The Sims 2!
Despite The Sims 3 being my least favourite out of the franchise, mainly due to it's appearance and rabbit hole locations, I will say that the expansion packs (for the most part), were well worth the price! Which is more than I can say for The Sims 4.
Although I personally enjoy adding new elements to my gameplay, the expansion packs these days always feel lack lustre or that they're missing something which is why I would always recommend that you wait until they are on sale before grabbing any of them.
Now I'm not saying that they're not good, just that they're not worth the £39.99 price mark to be honest and I feel like this applies to some more than others.
So I've ranked all The Sims 4 expansion packs from worst to best, hoping to help you choose your next purchase. Please note: I still haven’t had the chance to play ‘For Rent’ or ‘Horse Ranch’ yet, hence why they've not been included on the list.
Worst to Best Sims 4 Expansion Packs
13/13
Growing Together
Honestly, did Growing Together even need to be an expansion pack? It seems pointless considering infants, the key selling point of this pack, were included in a free update for the base game… which is also free by the way!
It seems like you were only paying £39.99 for some infant specific furniture and some memories that don’t really shape your sims and advance the gameplay in anyway.
When I picked up this game upon its release, I almost expected to be blown away by how this expansion pack was growing to shape and mould my sims as they ‘grow up together’, but I honestly didn’t notice much of a difference. I think if you want an impactful parenting sim, get the gamepack ‘Parenthood’. It’s cheaper and there are more features included.
12/13
Get Together
Apart from the lovely town in Winderbruger, Get together is an overpriced expansion pack, where most of the features could have easily been part of a free download, or bundled into a gamepack- considering EA just love to monetise everything!
Maybe, it’s because I’m an introvert in real life, and sometimes in the game, so I didn’t really care for the socialising aspect of the clubs.
On paper, the aspect of creating clubs, dictating their appearance, their activities sounds fun and exciting- I mean, there was potential to create cults, however, the whole mechanic just falls flat and to be honest, I didn’t get much enjoyment out of it!
11/13
Get Famous
The Sims 4 get famous
This was going to be joint last as I personally don’t care for this Sims expansion pack, as the features are so darn annoying with no way of opting out. Get Famous sees your sims garner stars for pretty much anything, and accumulate a small following- whether you like it or not.
Although some of the outfits and furniture pieces that come with this game are nice to have, the overall gameplay it brings is so irritating. Fans and paparazzi hang out your door constantly, your sims will battle random vices which you can’t reset or overcome and losing a star instantly makes your sim depressed- even if you had no interest in them becoming a celebrity in the first place. Its so annoying to manage on top of everything else.
It’s only saving grace is the acting career where your sims actively audition for the part before you get to attend work, which is basically a fun, interactive feature that you see in Get to Work. Although, on my first day on set one of the crew members randomly died of old age- because, you know, it’s The SIms.
10/13
High School years
When I initially wrote out this list, I originally ranked this expansion pack higher, but over a year on, I can see that it’s an average one at best! The Sims: High School Years is supposed to expand on the whole teenage experience and introduce us to an interactive school day, but it all feels very hollow.
It sells us this fantasy of what being a teenager is like. You attend classes, be a cheerleader, have a crush, attend prom, but all this can easily be played out in one sim day and after that the experience just becomes repetitive and mundane. I mean, do you need to attend prom every Friday night and talk about your crush every five seconds?
They even gloss over the nitty- gritty of being a teenager; like body hair, acne and woohoo. All of this can be brought up in passing conversation and doesn’t seem to impact a teen’s life too much- which doesn’t make sense. I mean, I was a teenager once, just having a wave in my straight hair was enough to send me into a pit of despair.
9/13
Cottage Living
It’s such a shame, I really wanted to like this pack, and I do know simmers who rate this pack highly, however you could say that I am holding a huge grudge against this expansion pack due to its messy release. Long story short, Cottage Living absolutely tanked my gameplay to a point it was unplayable (and no my game wasn’t modded, I was playing on the PS4), and I didn’t get my pre-order bonus, in which customer support basically said ‘oh, well’- so yeah, this expansion pack left a really bad taste in my mouth.
Aesthetically, the game is stunning, as the world of Henford-on-Bagley captures the English countryside perfectly, however the allure of a busy high street is a lie. Apart from raising livestock, and growing crops (the latter you can do in the base game), there isn’t really much to do, apart from take long walks, window shop and sit in a bar that has been tarted up like an English pub.
Overall, The Sims 4: Cottage Living is pleasing to the eye however lacks substance. If you want to find out If The Sims 4: Cottage Living is worth it, then you can check out my honest review- here!
8//13
Eco Lifestyle
I really want to like this expansion pack more, but I am struggling with it. I mean, it’s rather cool that your own eco footprint can dictate how the world looks, however I have some complaints. I mean, of course I do, when aren’t I complaining about The Sims?!
Aimed at introducing an environmental focus to the gameplay, players can change the world into being green and luscious, or plunge it into industrial smog, making it feel like your choices actually matter. While the concept is noble, the gameplay can feel rather forced and limiting.
The Neighbourhood Action Plans are meant to drive eco-friendly initiatives, but it often becomes more of a nuisance than an engaging feature. The pack’s focus on environmental themes can also come off as preachy and detract from the sandbox nature of The Sims, whilst many players even finding the content too niche or not impactful enough. Overall, it’s a neat concept but it’s just been executed poorly.
7/13
Cats and Dogs
Like a few expansion packs on this list, I think that owning pets should be a free feature in The Sims series and not locked behind a £40 paywall. Although I absolutely love animals, I mean I am a proud cat mum of two, I found The Sims 4: Cats and Dogs to be undeserving of its high price tag.
Yes, the inclusion of our beloved four legged friends is a nice feature, and I love that they have individual personalities and traits that can impact the gameplay slightly, but there isn’t a lot included in this game for it to be an expansion. A game pack maybe, but not an expansion pack.
The new fisherman town is stunning to look at, and I love that you can own your own vet, however there isn’t the option to have it as an interactive career, like in Get to Work, which is a shame. I recommend Cats and Dogs, but get it when it's half price.
6/13
Seasons
I know that a lot of people are going to be mad that The Sims 4: Seasons isn’t quoted as the best expansion pack, however, considering that The Sims is rooted in reality, I think Seasons should be an extension of the base game, not a luxury that you have to pay for.
Look at it this way. The Sims is a simulation, right? You go to work, raise a family, take care of your needs and live out your day to day fantasy like it was the real world, and doesn’t the real world have changing seasons? Doesn’t it have weather? Exactly, so why isn’t this just a standard already EA? Why do I need to pay full price for the privilege of a few rainy days and a heatwave?
Yes, I love The Sims 4: Seasons. The different events, activities and climate based challenges that come along with the changing weather is amazing, however I personally don’t believe that it should be hidden behind a paywall. I’m sorry, that’s just my opinion.
5/13
Island Living
Island Paradise this is not, and that’s the problem! Now, I know that it’s unfair to compare this expansion pack to an older one, however, considering The Sims 3: Island Paradise gave us so much in such a thin disc, Island Living had a lot to live up to- and it just didn’t. It almost felt like it wanted to fail us.
The Sims 3: Island Paradise introduced us to mermaids, underwater exploration, sharks that actually attacked you, the kraken, hotel management and houseboats! DId any of this return in The Sims 4: Island Living? Well mermaids returned again, with little change, and sharks returned, but they were rare and less threatening, however everything else was scrapped- which is utterly heartbreaking. Houseboats being a feature that I would love to see again.
Yes, the island of Sulani is stunning to be a part of, however the culture of the island is loosely touched upon, which is a shame, because it felt like the main feature of the expansion pack was exploring ancient heritage and culture. Personally it feels like EA wanted to include more in the game, but ran out of time or are saving it for a later expansion pack. Is Island Living worth it? For the aesthetics and change of pace- absolutely, but again, get it on sale!
4/13
Snowy Escape
Yet, another expansion pack that should have been advertised as a cheaper game pack! Don’t get me wrong, Snowy Escape is amazing, but again, it doesn’t warrant a hefty £40 price tag!
The reason why I personally love this expansion pack is because of its aesthetics and roots in Japanese culture, which if you haven’t guessed from reading my blog, I absolutely love. Mt. Komorebi boasts plenty of stunning locations to explore, homes to occupy and festivals to partake in, however the whole world feels small and lacks something.
Again, it feels like EA ran out of time when it came to releasing this expansion pack as it feels slightly unfinished, however due to the fact that there is a lot of to do and it’s boasting plenty of culture, I highly recommend adding this pack to your base game as you will most likely be playing this for hours!
Now these last three Sims 4 expansion packs were hard to rank, as they’re all amazing additions in my opinion.
3/13
City Living
Since playing The Urbz: Sims in the City, I’ve always yearned for city based expansion packs, and City Living delivered. Full of urban locations and various districts, this expansion pack is a welcome change of scenery from living out your days in simburbia.
City Living replaces the comfortable sedation of detached homes and gardens with apartment living, which in itself brings on multiple new challenges and experiences to play through, keeping you entertained for hours on end. Not only that, but the game introduces a few cultural events that take place around the world every week, so there is always something to do.
My personal favourite is living in the Spice District as it’s drenched in culture, and bursting with warm life. Not to mention, the Spice Festival is fun to take part in. I will one day have the spicy curry challenge… one day. If you’re looking for a change of pace and a more urban setting, then I highly recommend City Living!
2/13
Discover University
Despite not having the opportunity to go to University, due to parental and cultural influences, I’ve always liked to live out my further education in Sims games, and pretend that I’m getting decent education that will propel me into the job market.
The Sims 3 really capitalised on the experience perfectly, fleshing out the system fromThe Sims 2, then Discover University came along, and said ‘hold my beer’ and gave us an expansion pack that really expands on adult life and further education.
There are many ways that you can incorporate this into your story telling too, you can play it really messy and be the student who parties all the time and gets poor grades while plummeting themselves further and further into student debt, or you can be an overachiever and try to secure the best grades. Why not be extra hectic too, and get a part time job on top of that, and try to juggle a job and classes too! Which is exactly what I did when I first started.
Still not convinced that The Sims 4: Discover University is good? Well here’s a list of five reasons why this expansion pack is amazing!
1/13
I love the fact that you can get this game for free on gamepass, as Get to Work has to be one of my personal favourite expansion packs. Unlike careers of the past, that require your sim to just disappear off lot for most of the day, this expansion pack introduces task driven careers that you get to partake in.
You get to choose from the Detective, Scientist, or Doctor career, and progress through the career ladder by not only ensuring that your skill needs are met and that you’re in the right mood, but also succeeding at your daily tasks help you progress up the career ladder too! If only it worked like real life!
Although playing these three careers is truly optional, the influence of this expansion pack can be felt everywhere, as sims can now get sick, which adds a sense of realism to your gameplay- even if they are farting and giggling to themselves constantly. Do you agree that Get to Work is the best Sims 4 expansion pack?
*Most images come from EA's website. Some are from my own gameplay.
