“Versatile, Foundational Features & Flaws” – The Sims 4 For Rent Review

The Sims 4 For Rent Expansion Pack adds versatile, foundational features that can be used to extremely creative ends, but a lack of cohesiveness in some areas and an epidemic of set pieces and rabbit holes hold it back from its full potential. For Rent isn’t so much about outright new objectives and activities in the way DLC like Get Famous or Snowy Escape are; it instead focuses on introducing new frameworks that can be iterated upon, like the Clubs system of Get Together. Depending on a particular player’s gameplay style, this may be a positive or a negative, and those who prefer more structured releases may find this one falls short.

One of the biggest critiques of The Sims 4‘s last Expansion Horse Ranch was that its depth felt more like that of a Game Pack than an EP, the largest form of DLC for the franchise. It’s hard to say if For Rent fully avoids this same pitfall – elements like its renting mechanics and robust set of new Traits and Aspirations certainly do, but other areas like the world of Tomarang and somewhat lackluster new clothing don’t. For Rent does many things right when it comes to an Expansion Pack, but often when the game is riding the high of a positive feature, it’s quickly brought down again by lack of detail.

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Create A Sim

When compared to some strong CAS offerings in recent memory, it’s easy to find a good portion of the options in For Rent somewhat bland and directionless. There are some beautiful Southeast Asian-inspired pieces – particularly dresses – and a handful of other standouts like an ornate tiger tattoo, some great female hairstyles, and cute toddler outfits. However, it just doesn’t offer the same allure as something like the extremely diverse and stylized pieces included with the High School Years EP, often looking more reminiscent of basic base game attire.

Five new Traits and four Aspirations help relieve the sting of this considerably, though, with several fun new inclusions. Sims can now be Nosy, Generous, Cringe, or a Child of Tomarang, and Elders specifically can utilize the Wise Trait, a first for the age group. Nosy and Cringe both add a host of fun interactions, and Cringe Sims cannot die from becoming hysterical, which is a creative touch. There are two rental-centric Aspirations, Five-Star Property Owner and Discerning Dweller, as well as Seeker of Secrets – which ties into the Nosy Trait – and Fount of Tomarani Knowledge, which is based around the game’s new world.

Build & Buy Mode

One of the most exciting parts of Build and Buy is its inclusion of several interactive objects. Standouts include a pressure cooker, a kettle – a massive upgrade from the overly-powerful Tea Magic Personal Brewer – hopscotch routes, and a marble ring. Radiators and air conditioning units function similarly to fireplaces and the thermostat, and water heaters and fuse boxes can malfunction, all of which help add to the overall rental unit vibe the EP tries to cultivate. There are also many pieces that are useful for more building-oriented players – things like pillars, windows, awnings, and floor patterns are all stellar, though it can sometimes be hard to find matching swatches.

Tenants & Landlords

The Sims 4 For Rent gives an extreme amount of flexibility on what a multi-residential lot can look like, allowing areas to be sectioned off and assigned either to individual units or declaring them a shared space. This means that while a rental property could simply be apartments, it can also be a duplex, a spare bedroom, a backyard shed, a block of tiny homes, or anything else players can conceive of. Lots can have up to six separate residences, and each can be customized with Traits and Challenges. Additionally, residential rentals can be placed anywhere – a welcome relief after High School Years limited its schools to Copperdale.

As a landlord, much of the gameplay revolves around waiting for situations to arise, like repairs that need to be made or rules that are being broken. Each unit receives a rating based on its size, amenities, environment, and maintenance, which determines the maximum amount of rent that can be charged. Some issues like hauntings and curses are sillier and tap into the game’s cartoonish side, and a somewhat gruesome – but fun – new death comes in the form of black mold. It was never a secret there would be loading screens between residences, but mentions of them being shorter than usual didn’t ring true in my experience.

These screens were annoying both when playing as a landlord, as it made checking in on tenants tedious, and as a tenant. Much of the new elements on the resident side of things come in the form of building community – bonding with neighbors, using shared spaces, and throwing the EP’s two new events, Pool Party and Potluck which, while not groundbreaking, are still a fun touch. Arguably, a large amount of tenant gameplay comes from the narrative players are crafting, like a lot’s design and a Sim’s relation to their neighbors. This can sometimes make things feel aimless, but the overall mechanic is a great jumping-off point.

Snooping Sims

One of the biggest highlights of the entire For Rent DLC is the introduction of snooping and secrets. There are two main ways a Sim can discover another’s secret: eavesdropping at their door, or breaking said door down with a crowbar and rifling through their belongings themselves. Once a secret – each of which is incredibly specific, detailed, and amusing – has been found, Sims can either raise their relationship with the other by promising not to expose them, or blackmail them for Simoleons, which has a delightful amount of drama potential. Kleptomaniac Sims can also swipe while they snoop, which makes the timed Breaking and Entering event even more fun.

The Sims 4’s For Rent’s World Of Tomarang

The world of Tomarang consists of two neighborhoods – Morensong and Koh Sahpa – with nine lots total: a lounge, a park, two residential rentals, two homes, and three blank lots for building. Both Morensong and Koh Sahpa have a few rabbit holes as well, with the former containing a temple and fish market and the latter containing a secret beach cave and tiger sanctuary. Compared to the Dungeons & Dragons-esque minigame from Horse Ranch‘s cave or the underground tunnel exploration of Werewolves, Koh Sahpa’s showing is considerably weaker; sneaking into the sanctuary or entering the cave only offers a single choice prompt to the player before it’s over.

The Southeast Asian inspiration behind Tomarang and its aesthetic comes through clearly and beautifully, and the contrast between the calmer, more natural areas and a busier, slightly more urban community offers a nice variance. However, The Sims 4 is a habitual offender when it comes to crafting gorgeous locales consisting mostly of set pieces instead of interactive objects, and Tomarang suffers from this in spades. This is perfectly exemplified by the Night Market, billed as one of the area’s core features – out of 12 stalls, only three are actually interactive, which is not only disappointing from a gameplay standpoint, but also makes the nightly event feel much less lively.

Final Thoughts & Review Score

For Rent does a great job of adding foundational mechanics, gameplay conducive to storytelling, and even fun crossover with other DLC, like the ability to use stands from Home Chef Hustle at the Night Market. However, there are some promising features that have their shine diminished by feeling like half-measures – swimming to a hidden cave is exciting until the activity inside consists of a single prompt, and Home Chef Hustle‘s crosspack tie-in is great, but it would be even better if it also included the ability to sell crafts from Nifty Knitting or Eco Lifestyle, for example.

The world of Tomarang is beautiful, and there are several meaningful cultural inclusions like recipes and furniture that will undoubtedly help some players better reflect their own life experiences in-game and tell more meaningful stories. The EP may not add as many impactful features as a release like Growing Together, but the renting mechanics will help bring creativity into entirely new places both in terms of building and gameplay. The Sims 4 For Rent is by no means perfect, but it nails its titular feature and adds more overall creative potential to the game than many other recent releases for the franchise.