There really isn’t anything you can’t do in The Sims 4. With expansion packs adding vacation spots, idyllic towns, ski resorts, the perfect country cottage and so much more to the game, it really does allow us to act out our best life. The latest addition to the extensive catalogue is The Sims 4: Horse Ranch Expansion, and it’s a delightful celebration of all things equine.
The Sims 4: Horse Ranch Expansion adds the new world of Chestnut Ridge to your game. Where Cottage Living brought the quintessential British countryside to The Sims, Horse Ranch brings the countryside of the American midwest. Think barn dances, ranches, and cowboy cut jeans. There’s everything you need here for your sims to embrace a ranch lifestyle, right down to a whole new selection of clothes. Get ready to fully embrace double denim.
Chestnut Ridge is a gorgeous town, and the pre-built houses ready to move into are simply adorable. The Sims’ pre-installed designs have come a long way since the first house of the Goths, with each building packed with an incredible amount of detail. Even the cheapest one bedroom, one bathroom house exudes charm. The public lots, too – there’s a park, a country and western bar and a nightclub – are wonderfully designed and great fun to hang out at. But as nice as Chestnut Ridge is, it’s obviously not the main focus of Horse Ranch Expansion. That’s of course the horses themselves.
Move into one of Chestnut Ridge’s ready-to-go houses and you’ll find a stable already prepared for you. It’s empty, so a quick phone call to the horse sanctuary will allow you to adopt your first horse. More than just a pet, your horse is a member of the family, even going so far as to have their own icon in your family menu. You can’t monitor their individual needs like a human sim, but hovering over them will give you their general mood.
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Caring for your horse is an absolute joy, and there’s an extensive interaction menu that allows your sims and horses to bond. You can of course pet, hug and groom your horse, but you can also talk to it, and gossip about the latest stable rumours! Riding is, of course, an option too. If you have some obstacles set up around your ranch, you can practice jumping and more. The more you practice, the better your sim and horse will get – learning a new skill in the same way they would with singing or cooking, for instance.
You’re not confined to your home lot with your horse, either: you can ride your horse into town, visiting any one of Chestnut Ridge’s community lots with them, offering new ways to interact with sims and the world at large. And horses aren’t the only animals that The Sims 4: Horse Ranch Expansion adds. You can also occupy your ranch with the most adorable miniature sheep and goats, which can be sheared and milked if you want to turn your ranch into a working, money-making farm.
Like most Sims 4 expansion packs at this point, Horse Ranch isn’t revolutionary in any way. It does add plenty of welcome new content, though, and once again the Sims designers prove they can make one hell of an inspiring neighbourhood. If you’re a horse lover, you’re going to absolutely adore getting to bond with The Sims 4’s newest equine residents.
The Sims 4: Horse Ranch Expansion Review – GameSpew’s Score
