The Sims 4 has released a lot of quality content this year, and the Fashion Street and Incheon Arrivals Kits don't disappoint. Both add wonderful pieces of clothing to your Sims wardrobes, with new and unique options we were desperately missing. The kits are reasonably priced at just $4.99 each, and definitely spice things up for your Sims!
I've been playing Cottage Living for an hour or two each day for a week now, and still feel like I have a lot left to discover. There are plenty of quests, and I really like the laid back simple living feeling to the expansion. Caring for and dressing up my farm animals is an absolute delight. Cottage Living is a total home run in my opinion, if you're a fan of the game this is a must-have for your collection.
I am a huge fan of the entire Elder Scrolls franchise, and have played ESO since beta. My absolute favorite Chapter was Elsweyr and that will forever be a hard one to top, but Blackwood was quite enjoyable. The addition of Companions is fun for both new and veteran players, but I am kind of left feeling like this could have been a DLC rather than a full-blown Chapter. I had a good time questing through the area and completing the main story, and the throwbacks to Oblivion with the story and portals were very cool. I definitely hope to see more Companions added to the game, even if it's through the Crown Store. My only request is to add on to the already amazing story that is being told!
Chivalry 2 was a pleasant surprise, and something totally different in the PvP realm for me. There are a few bugs that need to be fixed, but the maps are gorgeous and the gameplay is engaging and fun. The humor and endless ways you can die are very appreciated.
The Sims 4 Dream Home Decorator Game Pack was just what I needed, as I really wanted to start designing some of my own homes and rooms. I very much enjoyed the hands-on experiences with each of the clients' unique homes. My only complaint is that some of the likes and dislikes are not obvious, especially when it comes to particular styles, and that the clients don't tell you what you did wrong at the end of the renovation. The reveal at the end is super fun, and reminds me of being on a fixer upper TV show.
The team did an outstanding job with the Courtyard Oasis Kit, and for such a low price I think it's a no-brainer. Any Sims 4 building enthusiast needs this in their arsenal! The nods at Moroccan architecture are well done, and I'd love to see more cultural Kits like this in the future! The good news is, I really enjoyed trying to build this outdoor oasis, and want to take a deeper dive on my own builds.
The Sims 4 Paranormal Stuff Pack has a lot of potential but needs some tweaking with the emotion buffs. A little more guidance on how to get things set up to be Haunted would make it easier for the player to jump in. The Medium skill is a lot of fun, and the new Paranormal Investigator career, while frustrating at times, is definitely something new and fun to try out if your Sims have been in a rut. At $9.99 it's worth the purchase, and a welcome addition to the game.
The Sims 4 Snowy Escape Expansion pack was quite enjoyable, and I am very excited to dive in with my regular Sim family to check out the Lifestyles and Sentiments between them. There is plenty to do to keep you busy with the new sports that were added, though honestly the rock climbing and hiking could have been more obvious to figure out. I am sure there are still things I have not uncovered yet in the expansion, but I look forward to exploring Mt. Komorebi further. It's a solid expansion, and I enjoyed it much more than the previous Eco Lifestyle expac.
The Sims 4 Journey to Batuu Game Pack was a fantastic experience from start to finish. I can't wait to see The First Order quests. This was exactly what the franchise needed. I've enjoyed most of the expansions, with Realm of Magic game pack being my favorite. Journey to Batuu blew that one out of the water and has zipped to the number one spot. As someone who loves Disney World, Star Wars, and The Sims, this was a welcome surprise. Who wouldn't want to play with their favorite things in one of their favorite games?
Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars is a dark and bloody turn based strategy that hits the mark with lore, artwork, story, and music. The battles can use some work with not only making maps a bit bigger to give more strategic choices, but also the difficulty that ramps up significantly. The addition of cards in battle is quite fun, but lackluster on the map. But if you're a fan of vampires, I think you'll enjoy IR. Immortal Realms is currently on Steam for $39.99.
Fight Crab is a wacky, fun game. While it doesn't have much depth, the sheer silliness of it will keep you entertained for an afternoon. It does support multiplayer, and I found it to be a lot more fun when teamed up with my son. With easy to learn controls, and fast paced battle, you can't help but love Fight Crab.
Overall, Eco Lifestyle has been an average experience, though to be fair I am not overly interested in the concepts presented in the expansion. In general I have a lot more fun in packs with nightlife, celebrity, magic, and supernatural concepts, and it has been that way for me throughout all of The Sims games. It is pretty neat that your actions have an impact on the map and you see changes, be it negative or positive, but I personally didn’t feel the need to do anything else once I had my neighborhood cleaned up. Evergreen Harbor itself isn’t a very interesting map to live on, and I don’t see myself continuing on with the Sim or game I started on it.
As someone who spent their entire life being extremely athletic and active, I love being back in the swing of things again. I actually look forward to my Ring Fit workout everyday. I feel like people of all fitness levels can hop into this game and benefit from it. When I started this back in January I was as out of shape as it comes, and Ring Fit Adventure eased me back into things at a pace that felt comfortable. The combination of walking, Ring Fit, and elliptical has shredded pounds off of me, and I couldn't be happier about that!
Realm of Magic occupied my life for days straight, and I am still actively playing the Sim I created for this pack on a daily basis. The spells and potions are just so invaluable that she will probably be my main Sim for some time. I personally loved this pack and would highly recommend you grab it! The Sims 4: Realm of Magic is currently retailing for $19.99, which is a magically good deal for this pack!
Adventure Academy is a brilliant tool to get your kids learning under the disguise of an MMO/sim type game. There are multiple activities in all the major subjects that are important for childhood development.
While I definitely appreciate the hard work that went into making this game, and the cute, fun graphics, this just isn't something I can see myself picking up again and playing, though I do believe this could be a fun game for young children to play together.
If you enjoy The Sims 4, this is definitely a must-have expansion pack. If you're familiar with the franchise, you'll recognize a lot of similar things from Sims 3 University Life. It's a stressful and hectic expansion, but reflects a realistic college experience. Now, if only one jog could shed 50 pounds in real life….
I have played ESO since beta, and have loved pretty much every expansion and DLC that's been released, but I have to say Elsweyr, along with the Scalebreaker and Dragonhold DLC's are simply fantastic. The story was well done, the furnishings are some of the best they have come up with, the landscapes are breathtaking, and I mean come on...there are dragons. That you get to fight. If that doesn't make you feel like a true hero, I don't know what will.
So far, I have put about six hours total into the game between both sessions. I am very excited to learn how to weild a weapon to kill predators, and to explore more into the jungle. This has been a really unique and challenging experience, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. You can get Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey on PC via the Epic Games store on August 27th, and for PS4 and Xbox One in December of 2019. It's currently retailing for $39.99
This was a fun, inexpensive game that is easy to jump right into and play, yet very challenging on racing mode. If you're buying this for a child, it's probably better suited for bigger kids, as my five year old couldn't keep up, and he's very experienced gamer for his age. It would be a fun family co-op game, or to play at a party!