Tazreen's The Sims 4 Reviews: THE SIMS 4 OUTDOOR RETREAT GAME PACK REVIEW

Hello everyone!

The Sims 4 Outdoor Retreat released on 14th January, 2015. This is the first Game Pack released for The Sims 4! Game Packs do not have new gameplay but they do have some new features included. Expansion packs will include more gameplay and therefore more features and stuff than stuff packs! I'm excited to show you all the features and everything included with this brand new game pack! Hope you all enjoy

To make this review easier to read, I've divided into a few sections:

Introduction and Information about Granite Falls (new world)
Going on vacation
New features (cloudgaze/stargaze, bear, weenie roast etc)
Herbalism Skill
Hermit's House
New insects, herb and fish collectibles
Create-A-Sim and Traits
Buy/Build mode objects and styled rooms
Overall Review

INTRODUCTION

GRANITE FALLS

Included with this game pack is a brand new world called Granite Falls. This is actually a vacation world and Sims can only live there for a certain period of time. While living there, they can extend their vacation days. More information will be revealed about going on vacation later in my review. As you can see on the picture above, there are in total four camp grounds where you Sims can stay during their vacation. On the top-right you can see the "Granite Falls Forest" and that is where you can find the secret neighbourhood. In my opinion, the world is perfectly designed and I absolutely love the beautiful landscapes! You'll discover more and more with each step you take and this is what makes this game pack so interesting.

GOING ON VACATION

After creating your Sims, as usual you will need to choose a house for them to reside. You can't take them to vacation immediately. In order to go vacation, click the phone icon and choose "Go on Vacation" or "Go on Vacation With" Then you will be taken to the Granite Falls neighbourhood and choose for your Sims a place to live for up to 7 days (can also be extended) Choosing the campground will give your Sims a real camping experience but be careful of the bugs in the bathroom! Click on the tick mark icon and boom! Your Sims are ready to go to the woods and explore!

Here are some of the things needed to be followed:

So, your Sim has finally arrived at the campground. As soon as they arrive there, you'll notice that your Sim will be greeted by a Park Ranger. They are found all across Granite Falls so you'll have no problem finding them. Moreover, they are one of the new NPCs introduced in this pack. You'll also see a Ranger Station like the one in the picture above. It can help your Sim to buy supplies, get to know about the camping information, take them to the bathroom etc. Look out for the bugs in the bathroom!

NEW FEATURES

BEAR

Can I say this is one of my favourite features?! Yes, I know the bear isn't actually a "bear" it's a costume but making your Sim wear that costume can give your Sims a whole different appearance and there's a new interaction called "Roar" Here's a picture of my bear, his name is Yogi.

And this is how the "Roar" interaction looks like. It seems that the bear is an actual bear! Little things like this makes the game more fun! And here's Yogi taking a selfie with my Sim, Tiffany

Oh, and did I say that there are actually 3 of them? You can choose whichever you like. Three of them work in the same way but their appearance are quite different. I recommend the brown one. It really has a mysterious face. I hope The Sims 4 Team creates more costumes like this but especially a cow costume *winks*

CLOUDGAZE/STARGAZE

During the day, you Sim can cludgaze and during the night your Sim can stargaze. This will raise the creativity skill of the Sim and give them the inspired moodlet for a certain period of time.

TELLING A GHOST STORY SUMMONS A REAL GHOST?

That's right! During the night time your Sims can share a ghost story with other Sims. You'll notice that while your Sim is telling the story, it can summon a real ghost! Now this is what I call awesome. What's the point of telling ghost stories when there are no ghosts around you?!

Do you sell those eerie-looking animations in the picture below? I love it! Reminds of some camping horror stories I've read!

Your Sims can notice the ghost during the storytelling. Some may feel tensed whilst others may feel excited by seeing it.

Also, there's a new social event included called Weenie Roast. Completing the Silver and Golden awards will enable you to buy two new objects from Buy Mode. It can be held in Granite Falls and other worlds too. The two items are:

NEW ITEMS ADDED (WOODWORKING)

As you can see on the picture below, some new items are added with woodworking. These includes mirror, garden pot, garden planter, wall shelf and wall hanging.

HERBALISM SKILL

This is a brand new skill that comes with Outdoor Retreat. There are three ways of mastering this skill; one is by identifying new wild plants, reading books or brewing herbal remedies on the grill. Let's go with identifying new wild plants first. Wild plants must be identified first in order to brew herbal remedies as they require at least three wild plants. Wild plants are found in any part of Granite Falls. I recommend searching for them at the campground and the Granite Falls Forest! Once your Sim come across a wild plant, It will be stored in their inventory and you would get two options

So, I found out it's a chamomile

So, I kept searching and searching and found two more wild plants- noxious elderberry and toxic chamomile and this enabled my Sim to brew an Insect Repellent Liniment which prevents bug bites when collecting insects in Granite Falls and they look like this

Each level unlocks a new herbal recipe but the Fungal Infusion Fertilizer Recipe can only be unlocked once your Sim becomes good friends with the hermit (more information about the hermit coming soon) There are 14 herbal recipes. Here's a list of them:

Thank you SimsVIP for the list!

1) Sadness Alleviation Lotion

Ingredients- Basil (2) Noxious Elderberry (2)

Effect- Removes sadness related moodlets

2) Insect Repellent Liminent

Ingredients- Firefly (1) Elderberry (2)

Effect- Prevents bug bites when collecting insects in Granite Falls

3) Fungal Infusion Fertilizer Recipe

Ingredients- Blackberry (1) Dusk spirit (1) False Morel (2) Morel Mushroom (2)

Effect- Excellent fertilizer

4) Deodorizing Cream

Ingredients- Elderberry (1) Strawberry (1) Parsley (1)

Effect- Refills a Sim's hygiene needs

5) Soothing Skin Balm

Ingredients- Locust (1) Basil (2) Chamomile (2)

Effect- Relieves a Sim's bug bites and related moodlets

6) De-Stressing Decoction

Ingredients- Walking Stick (1) Chamomile (2) Muckleberry (2)

Effect- Removes Tense related moodlets

7) Tummy Therapy

Ingredients- Termite (1) Huckleberry (2) Sage (2)

Effect- Relieves nausea related moodlets

8) Fireleaf Extract

Ingredients- Fire Ant (1) Poison Fireleaf (2) Morel Mushroom (2)

Effect- Gives Sims the 8 hour unrelenting itch moodlet

9) Clear Mind Distillation

Ingredients- Toxic Chamomile (2) Huckleberry (2) Parsley (2)

Effect- Gives Sims the Focused moodlet

10) Natural Herbicide Oil

Ingredients- Sink Bug (1) Toxic Chamomile (2) Fireleaf (3)

Effect- Removes weeds from plants

11) Energizer Infusion

Ingredients- Dragonfly (1) Poison Fireleaf (2) Muckleberry (3)

Effect- Gives Sims the Energized moodlet

12) Rage Relieving Salve

Ingredients- Rainbow Firefly (1) Tomato (1) Fireleaf (2) Noxious Elderberry (3)

Effect- Removes Anger related moodlets

13) Elixir of Fertility

Ingredients- Will-O-the-Wisp (1) Bee (1) Sage (2) False Mushroom (4)

Effect- Increases a Sim's chances of having twins or triplets

HERMIT'S HOUSE

So, we're getting a secret neighborhood with almost every worlds. There's a secret lot in Willow Creek (Sylvan Glade) and another one in Oasis Springs (Forgotten Grotto) The one that comes with Outdoor Retreat is called the Hermit's House.To locate the Hermit's House, take your Sim to the Granite Falls Forest, head to the back of the woods and look for the Bramble Patch which seems to look like this

Once you find it, click on it to "Explore" You will need pick one answer from a series of questions and if you answer the correct ones, you will be given the permission to proceed.

I apologize for the quality of the pictures below. This is due to the performance of my poor graphics card!

So, you're finally here! Keep looking around and you'll eventually find a house which belongs to the hermit. Once you find the hermit, you will finally gain the opportunity to find collectibles in the Hermit's house such as Will-O-the-wisp and Mountain Lionfish. These can only be found there so don't miss your chances. Once you have done that, It's time to become "Good Friends" with the Hermit then an interaction called "Learn Herbal Recipe" will appear. This will enable your Sim to learn the herbal recipe of Fungal Infusion Fertilizer Remedy.

NEW INSECTS, HERBS AND FISH COLLECTIBLES

Keep in mind that the new collectibles can only be found in Granite Falls. It includes a new "Insects" collection and new items are added to the plant and fish collection.

Introduced with Outdoor Retreat Game Pack is a brand new "Insects" collection. Insects are spawned in all parts of Granite Falls. They can be found during the day or night. However, I find it quite difficult to spot them. This is because, the wild plants, for instance are quite average in size but the insects may take some time to track down. I recommend searching for them at the Granite Falls Forest.

My Sim, Yogi Bear discovered rainbow fireflies! He made a rare discovery indeed!

Here's the full list of the insects:

Thanks SimsVIP for the list!

Bees- Busy as a bee. Bees are the hardest workers in the insect world. Fact: Plants rely on bees to reproduce.

Blue Morpho Butterfly- These blue winged fliers are one of the largest butterflies in the world. They often rest on forest floors and hide from predators.

Fire Ant- Watch out for these little guys. They can deliver a powerful sting and love to use it. Their mounds can reach 40 cm. high and can be as deep as 5 meters.

Jezebel Butterfly- This butterfly cannot be mistaken due to its bright colors and unique wing design. These colors serve as a warning to predators because it is quite toxic to eat.

Katydid- Katydids love to sing and rub their wings together to make their sounds. Did you know that their ears are in their front legs?

Ladybug- Great garden helpers. These lovely critters actually prey on other bugs and can protect crops from other insects

Luna Moth- These beautiful moths primarily fly around at night. This is how they received their name “Luna”, which means moon

Mosquito- These little blood suckers are considered the most deadly insects on the planet. Better keep your distance!

Termite- Beware these insects. They love to chew through the finest of woods. Make sure the lid is closed at all times.

Firefly- Nothing is more magical than a firefly at night. These bioluminescent critters create their own light through chemical reactions in their bodies.

Stink Bug- What’s that smell? Stink bugs use their unpleasant odor to deter predators when squashed. Better handle them with care.

Dragonfly- Dragonflies are said to be the first flying insects some 300 million years ago. They are expert fliers and can fly up, down and hover like a helicopter.

Jewel Beetle- Well known for their beautiful iridescent colors. These beetles are one of the world’s most collected insects.

Locust- The bringers of catastrophic disasters. These insects swarm together in clouds that can cover 100 square kilometers and contain billions of locusts.

Mantis- A very cool insect that can turn its head 180 degrees. The females are well known for eating their mates. Yikes!

Monarch Butterfly- One of the most beautiful and majestic butterflies but they start their lives as much less attractive caterpillars. They flap their wings about 300 to 700 times a minute.

Walking Stick- These awkward insects move very slowly but their ability to blend into environment makes them masters of camouflage.

Rainbow Firefly- The more exotic firefly. These insects shine bright with a variety of colors. Turn off the lights and watch their amazing glow.

Will-o-the-Wisp- A majestical insect rumored to lead travelers astray. Their blueish ghostly glow can be seen on the darkest of nights. This insect is found exclusively in Hermit's House

Dust Spirit- These fun critters love to hop and bounce around. They usually travel around in packs. More the merrier!

Dragon Dragonfly- An ultra rare insect can be found in forests. They have been seen breathing fire. Better not get too close or lose an eyebrow!

Entomologist Delight- Awarded to household when completing the "Insects" Collection.

HERB COLLECTION

Yep, Yogi likes to collect wild plants too! There are two types of herbs- Toxic and Non- Toxic and there are 10 new herbs added with this pack. To avoid confusion, herbs are known as Wild Plants in the game and these can be collected to brew herbal recipes which would raise the Herbalism Skill of your Sim. A list of the herb collection is given below (Again, thanks to Alexis from SimsVIP!) :

Chamomile- A daisy-like flower commonly used to make herbal remedies.

Toxic Chamomile- Not to be confused with its non-toxic cousin, this toxic flower causes tension when eaten.

Elderberry- This royal purple berry has a sweet taste when cooked.

Noxious Elderberry- This pale purple berry is poisonous when uncooked, and slightly less poisonous when cooked.

Fireleaf- This plant gets its name from the dark red tint of its leaves.

Poison Fireleaf- This infamous plant causes increased itchiness the longer you’re exposed to it

Huckleberry- This tiny berry is commonly used in fruit cobbler and pancakes.

Muckleberry- If you’re looking to keep a clear head, this is not your muckleberry.

Morel Mushroom- This edible fungus has a honeycomb-like appearance.

False Morel Mushroom- This slightly green mushroom can have an adverse effect on a Sim’s bladder when consumed.

FISH COLLECTION

There are 5 types of new fishes included with this pack and can only be found in Granite Falls. They can still be taken to Granite Falls. As mentioned before, the Mountain Lionfish can only be found at the Hermit's House with level 9 in fishing. Here's a list of the new fishes

Walleye- These huge marble eyed fish are color blind. They cannot see blue or yellow. Good eatin’ though.

Yellow Perch- Kin to Walleyes. Best known for their black tiger stripes and growling when they’re hungry.

Red Crawdad- Kissing cousins to lobsters. But don’t tell them that, they want to be unique.

Blue Crawdad- The mysterious blue crawdad is rumored to received its color from an industrial blueberry accident.

Mountain Lionfish- An exotic fish only found in rare mountainous regions. Beware their spines, they can do serious damage!

CREATE-A-SIM AND TRAITS

First, I would like to start with a description of the items from CAS. As you can see, the outfits and hairstyles are suitable not just for camping but also for leading the everyday lifestyle. I would like to compare one thing with The Sims 3. When any new Store content released, it had at least one flaws in CAS. We would notice that either there was a shortage in items for Young Adults and not enough items for children or teens. This is just my honest opinion. In The Sims 4, the items are distributed equally among the life stages. Each of the life stages have generous amount of items (not too less or more) Anyway, the CAS items in Outdoor Retreat are just what you need for camping. Adding the bear costume was a splendid idea. The hairstyles for both male and female are lovely. My favourite part is the different kind of shoes that are included- great for camping! However, I noticed that teens and Y/A have exactly the same items in CAS. I would have loved to see a variety in the items for teens. Below is a long list of all the CAS items, I apologize if you had to scroll to much! I will find a way to combine them in my next review.

HAIRSTYLES

CLOTHING

SHOES

NEW TRAITS

"Squeamish" is one of the traits that you can find while in CAS. Others can be purchased in the Aspiration Reward Store such as "Great Storyteller" "Stoves and Grills Master" and "Incredibly Friendly" There's a Reward Train called Survivalist which can be earned by completing the "Outdoor Enthusiast" Aspiration.

BUILD/BUY MODE OBJECTS AND STYLED ROOMS

Outdoor Retreat comes with new buy/build mode objects. These items really have that "woody" touch and will give you that "camping" feeling. The plushies that come with this pack are absolutely adorable. Comparing to The Sims 3's Store Content, Outdoor Retreat (as called Store Content by some) has more items added. I'm so glad that there are some new activities such as the horseshoe pit and gathering around a campfire. In The Sims 3, we used to get Premium Content. What do you think is the premium content in Outdoor Retreat? Let me know in the comments below. From my perspective, the Ranger Station and the Tent looks like Premium Content to me. My favourite part is the chairs! There are chairs carved from a tree stump and there's a coffee table made of rock too! Also, there are 6 styled rooms with Outdoor Retreat. Each of the room is beautifully decorated. If you don't want to decorate, you could always pics these gorgeous rooms!

STYLED ROOMS

OVERALL REVIEW

It was the first game pack released for The Sims 4. Of course, people have different opinions about it. But to me, I think it has enough features to cover the concept of a game pack. The features are in an appropriate amount. What I LOVE about this pack is that the little bit of features play a key role in making the game enjoyable. I think adding the bears was a wonderful idea. Though the bear is only a costume, It really doesn't matter that it isn't a real bear in the game. The Sims 3 used to have shortages in at least quite a few Store content but fortunately, I didn't notice this here. The concept of the game pack is excellent. But I hope that the team creates more great packs in the future. Though it was their very first game pack, I think that the idea is a pretty great one. The Sims 4 Team is one step closer to the future. Can't wait to see what the future holds! So, I give Outdoor Retreat a score of 8.5/10 !

Thank you all for reading my review. If you enjoyed it, you can comment or recommend if you want to! Have a great day.

Am I leaving? Nope, must leave these pictures here!