Is the latest content drop for The Sims 4 worth the £9.99 price tag? Heres our Tiny Living Stuff Pack review, with a full breakdown of the contents...You might have seen plenty of YouTubers taking part in what's been dubbed the 'Tiny House Challenge', creating teeny weeny living spaces for their Sims and using various skills and hacks to make the layout work.EA saw a gap in the market here, so we can now enjoy a selection of items designed specifically for this purpose. From Murphy beds to some Ikea-style storage that probably lies in almost every small Millenial apartment IRL, there's a lot we can get on board with.
Create a Sim Stuff
The Tiny Living stuff pack doesn't just contain home items - there are 32 new 'Create a Sim' items too. These include hairstyles that (refreshingly) are available across Sims of any sex or age bracket. There's a range of accessories and clothing that are practical in appearance but also remind us of the kind of style you might find on someone with a tiny house in Portland and a cool tech job. Judgements aside, we really like 'em and are wondering where we can find a pair of those checked trousers asap.
Build Mode Stuff
There are no less than 34 new Build Mode items, all of which have a modern, Scandi feel to them. The different colourways available are suited to a range of tastes. We particularly like how many of these items can serve as additional storage or have multiple functions. For example, the TV/entertainment unit features a screen, books and radio built-in.One bugbear we had initially was with the Murphy bed. To begin with, the bed regularly breaks and disrupts your Sim's sleep. Electing to replace it doesn't stop it from happening again, so your best bet is to work on your handiness skills and fast. Adding all available upgrades to the bed drastically reduces the chances of breaking and gives your Sim a better night's sleep.
Tiny Home Residential
Our favourite thing about this stuff pack is the effect that using the features has on gameplay. By changing your lot type to 'Tiny Home Residential' you'll unlock a host of benefits for your Sims. Complete unique challenges, indulge new whims, and build relationships faster than usual thanks to being in close quarters with others. Your bills are lower, too!There are three categories of homes you can build on these lots, restricting your space but giving you other additional benefits like moodlets and faster-growing plants if you can rise to the challenge:
- Tier 3: Small Home (65-100 tiles)
- Tier 2: Tiny Home (33-64 tiles)
- Tier 1: Micro Home (4-32 tiles)
Beyond the placement of these tiles, you can run wild with your outdoor space, growing your own veg, adding extra seating outside etc. For this reason, we've found the Tiny Livin Stuff Pack works really well alongside the Seasons expansion pack - lots of outdoor decor you can put to good use!
Gameplay
Alongside the perks and challenges that come with the use of a Tiny Home Residential lot, we found other ways that our game could become really spicy, adding an extra layer of difficulty. For example, placing Sims with the neat freak and slob tendencies together in a small space soon gets out of hand. Loners aren't great at living in close quarters with outgoing types. Outdoorsy and athletic Sims soon become restless and feel couped up.How difficult you make it for yourself is up to you - why not add kids and pets into the mix and see if you can handle the heat in a cramped space? Not for the fainthearted...
Our Verdict
Overall, while there are a couple of little bugbears, our Tiny Living Stuff Pack review is ending on a positive note. The pack present fun new design challenges and echoes some of the amazingly efficient tiny living spaces we've seen in real life. The gameplay perks make living in these little spaces worth it, and encourage you to make better use of the outdoor space on your plot too.If you love The Sims 4 but want to mix your game up a little, the Tiny Living Stuff Pack is for you.
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