Explore The Sims 4 Life & Death: New Gameplay Features Revealed & My Thoughts

The Sims Team are gearing up to launch their next expansion pack on 31st October 2024. The theme and the release date seem like the perfect match and now, the community have an even better idea as to what’s to come.

A few weeks ago, The Sims 4 Life & Death reveal trailer. It’s been an expansion pack highly anticipated by the community for some time now. There have been various hints in recent in-game content and some speculatory information shared on the internet just before the official confirmation.

With that aside, the team’s reveal in the lead-up to today’s gameplay trailer suggests that it’s shaping up to be pretty good. So let’s check out some of my favourite moments from the new trailer!

The Sims 4 Life & Death Gameplay Trailer

If you haven’t already seen the new trailer, you can catch it right here!

A Whole New World

First introduced in the reveal trailer, we got another look at the upcoming new world. During the trailer, we got our first proper glimpse at the new world including the number of lots that we’ll be seeing. While we didn’t see specific lot information, Builders get your ideas ready!

There looks to be a total of fourteen lots (including the Reaper’s Lot in the top left of the screenshot) spread across three different neighbourhoods and one secret neighbourhood. Even without the lot dimensions, you can still get a good idea of roughly what they will be like. There seems to be a good mix of both larger and smaller lots too which I really like.

I can’t help but wonder if Ravenwood was inspired by The Sims Makin’ Magic just ever so slightly too.

Soul’s Journey: Part 1

Have your Sims fulfil their wildest dreams and accomplish a variety of experiences before the inevitable happens. Of course, you can always finish what you started in the Afterlife.

Own That Bucket List

Go on, make the ultimate bucket list and have your Young Adult Sims (or older) complete them for even more fulfilment in life!

The Return of Nervous Subject

A familiar face made another appearance in both the reveal and gameplay trailer. Those who have been players of The Sims franchise may recognize this Sim as Nervous Subject. While not technically confirmed, I think we can all agree as a community that it is them, maybe just reborn for The Sims 4.

It’s Not Game Over Until I Say It’s Game Over

Game Over or New Game Plus?

This change will certainly open up even more gameplay possibilities. I mean, who wouldn’t want to become a playable ghost?

A Souls Journey (Not a New Dark Souls Expansion)

Unfinished business? No problem, with these different tasks and the Ghost Mastery you’ll be able to finish what you started, just as a ghost!

Become the Master of Ghosts

Become the Ghost Master and learn different skills to help you in your adventures as a ghost.

Rise Like a Phoenix

This is actually a feature that I’m curious about. Especially if you are more of a storyteller. This could also, to a degree, redefine some of the current Legacy Challenges that we have at the moment.

Essentially remaining the same Sim as you were once before just reborn in a new way. Experiencing things your Sim has never experienced before. Additionally, being able to choose which age you come back to as well as carrying over certain skills and reward traits will certainly be interesting.

New Career Path

Become a Grimterm and take part in the new Reaper Profession. This will certainly be an interesting career to play through. It appears that the building showcased in the gameplay trailer is the secret lot or what the trailer called the Netherworld Department of Death.

Honouring Lost Sims

Within the new expansion, there will be a number of ways that your Sims will be able to honour and remember their loved ones. From memorials and gravestones to funeral ceremonies and more. Based on what has been shown in the two trailers and the recent blog post, there will be a lot of customization around this aspect of the new expansion.

Overall Thoughts

It goes without saying that The Sims 4 Life & Death Expansion explores themes and experiences in a way we haven’t really seen before in the game. While aspects of the new pack will have been featured in The Sims games past and present, it has never truly been in as much depth as what this new expansion appears to be bringing.

There are certainly many highlights throughout the gameplay trailer. Although I haven’t spoken specifically about some aspects of the pack such as Traits, Aspirations and some of the finer details. Not forgetting new Woohoo locations, new death type and not only romancing Grim but starting a family with Grim.

I definitely feel there’s a lot more than meets the eye with this pack. Not to mention how other packs will work with The Sims 4 Life & Death. There’s obviously the option of playing as a Ghost which will be interesting to see the game from a slightly different Occult perspective compared to what we know ghosts are like currently.

While there’s still lots to discover, I feel this will be a pack I’ll be picking up around launch. I’ve really been enjoying creating my own stories with my Sims in my current save file, and it’s been great fun focusing on aspects of the game that I often overlook as well as family gameplay. On the other hand, though, I feel this will be a good pack for builders too, especially to expand in some build styles and lot types.

What are your thoughts on the upcoming expansion pack? Let me know in the comments below!