Where would I get food? Where was the bathroom? How would I shower? The answer to most of these questions was “in the ocean.” The lot comes with a house made from an old shipwreck, with a small place to sleep and eat there’s a gas stove that cooks grilled cheese and a toilet that seems to work, but that’s it. This was followed by a brief logistical rum down (typo, I’m keeping it) of all my Sim’s basic necessities as it quickly sunk in how difficult this would be. My journey began, as most commitments to off-grid living do, with a lot of hemming and hawing and wondering what my Sim would do for entertainment without any electricity. How do you even play The Sims without appliances or a fully equipped bathroom? I moved my ex-celebrity chef Sim from her palatial hometown mansion to a small plot of undeveloped paradise to find out. Most of them, however, don’t actively work against the player. Most lots in The Sims 4, especially those from content packs and expansions, have a trait that defines what to expect when visiting that location. It removes both electricity or running water, which presents an intriguing premise if you’re a seasoned player. To support your Sims’ dream of becoming a beach bum, one specific parcel of land in Sulani presents an all-new challenge, Off the Grid.
It’s also, as I found with a new lot type, the perfect way to ruin their life. It’s an ideal means to break up your Sims’ suburban routine.
Polynesia-inspired flourishes are everywhere, from the “Child of the Islands ” trait to tiki elements like artwork and furniture, while lots are imbued with Elemental Spirits or Volcanic Activity and teeming with coconut and pineapple. Derived from several preceding expansions in earlier Sims games, Island Living also features the return of the Mermaid life state, and introduces the Conservationist career, while adding other fun summertime activities like building sand castles, looking for buried treasure and snorkeling among the dolphins. Entitled Island Living, it takes the Sims to the beautiful tropical paradise of Sulani, where they can sunbathe, snorkel, collect seashells and otherwise live the titular, beachy life. The latest expansion for The Sims 4 is here and it’s a great one if you like the look of wicker beach furniture.