The Simshas always been expanding, withThe Sims 4having so many expansion packs that it makes world and character building almost limitless, making it the perfect Halloween game even over horror classics. From creating aliens, to becoming rockstars, to going to college and becoming a fairy, there really isn’t anything a player can’t do throughout theirSimslife. There have always been hints at what happens after a Sim dies, such as the appearance of ghosts, and one could barter with the Grim Reaper to try and save a dead loved one.
Yet somehow EA is improving that with itsnewLife & Deathexpansion pack, which comes out this Halloween, and allows players to go beyond their simulated mortal coil and into the realm of the dead. Just in time for the spookiest season of the year,The Sims 4: Life & Deathexplores what happens after a Sim dies, as well asnew haunted locations to exploreand grisly new careers for a Sim. While there is some level of spook to be had with expansion packs such asWerewolves,Life & Deathtruly takes the cake with engaging new content for players that adds to existingSimslore and makes it the perfect Halloween game.
The Sims 4 Life & Death Expansion Should Make For Perfect Roleplaying
New Spooky Careers & Locations
Most importantly,Life & Deathgives players not only the ability to work with the Grim Reaper, but also be a pseudo Grim Reaper themselves. According toEA,the expansion pack will allow players to now “make a career out of reaping souls.”Players can also either help ghosts or disperse them, and they might even see the Grim Reaper’s face (according to the reveal trailer onThe Sims' official YouTube channel). And these are not the only macabre jobs thatLife & Deathoffers. Players now have the option of being a Mortician and handling the newly deceased Sims.
The new building designs also provide the perfect horror backdrop for the funerals and will readings players can now engage in. There is macabre magic, according to the trailer, including a wishing well, tarot readings, and the ability to do a lot more as a ghost than ever before. While a ghost can continue lingering around the house and have a “normal” afterlife,there also is free rein to scare everyone around them and become the most villainous ghost in town. The relationships with the living can also give Fear or Goodwill Essences, so deciding on what kind of ghost a player wants to be results in different rewards.
Can The Sims 4 Be A Horror Game?
Multiple DLCs & Custom Content Help Make The Sims 4 Scary
Life & Deathis hardly the first expansion pack that explores the spookier things in life,Spooky Lifeis a more direct Halloween expansion pack, andSeasonshas all the ingredients for Halloween. TheWerewolvesandVampirespacksalso deal with all things pertaining to the eponymous monsters, making them the perfect sister game packs toLife & Death. Being able to be a witch working for the Grim Reaper feels like the perfect Halloween treat. And there are plenty of Sims who fall right into the spooky vibe, such as the Goth family, consisting of a brooding horror author and his wife, who has mysteriously disappeared a few times.
DLC is a great way to flesh out the game’s content, but thetotal price ofThe Sims 4with add-ons is exorbitant.
There’s also a lot of custom content to creep up an already spooky expansion pack, such asLeeksEverywhere’s Haunted House in the EA gallery, orSimmingal’s haunted castle with an ever expanding graveyard (also via EA’sSims 4gallery). These houses of horror come with lore and spooks, so they definitely add to the atmosphere.Life & Deathseems like the perfect expansion pack to add to the game and really make it a true horror title. Mysteries, horrors, and creepiness abound inThe Sims 4, and are dying for players to engage.
