Following a recent preview of EA's upcoming expansion pack and an eye-opening exclusive interview with its developers, I'm thoroughly convinced that Life and Death might just be the best thing to ever happen to The Sims 4. Not only does it add a variety of fans' long-requested features to the game, but it also brings an entirely new layer of depth with a beautiful blend of both fantastical elements and nitty-gritty realism.
It also offers a throwback to the series' quirkier past - even the title itself is reminiscent of the iconic Tombstone of Life and Death from The Sims 2, a coincidence that production director Dave Miotke describes to me as a "happy accident." There are plenty of intentionally placed references to look out for, too, and the overall vibe that the expansion carries is just generally akin to some of the past titles' own beloved, bizarre energies.
Blast to the past
It's true - Life and Death leaves little need for mods to spice things up, transporting me to my past when I'd obsessively play The Sims 2 and 3 without ever even considering any external downloads. The packs and base games were enough to keep me satisfied for hours on end, but The Sims 4 has been a different story. Up until now, anyway. I've always felt that the series lost some of its charm in 4, as it lacked the weird flair of its predecessors.
Life and Death is all about embracing that odd energy that for so long defined The Sims, and I'm so here for it. It doesn't shy away from the taboo or the wild deaths synonymous with the series, bringing everything from bucket lists to murderous ravens. As Miotke tells me, fans can also expect "to find plenty of Sims 2 lore in this pack." There's a certain sprinkle of realism to the expansion, too – the very sprinkle seen in the series' past titles.
That's what I've always loved about The Sims – its ability to strike a balance between the strange and the real, something Life and Death does well. Miotke describes it best:: "It's not just about ghosts and death, but it's also kind of dealing with death and some of those more realistic life elements." For every spooky bit, there's something serious like the new funeral, grief, or will systems.
There are even "rainbow bridge" references for dead pets – an inclusion that personally makes me tear up a bit. I recently lost my childhood dog of over 14 years, but I haven't yet had the strength to let him properly age up and pass on in-game on my real-world-inspired save. Now, I just might. That crossover between reality and virtuality is what has always set The Sims apart from other games, and Life and Death reflects it more than any other pack to date.
Grim's grand glow-up
Grim can be a boss, a friend, a foe, and even a father – yes, a father.
The most notable highlight of the pack for me, however, is a character long known by all Sims stans: the Grim Reaper himself. Before Life and Death, he wasn't all that interesting in The Sims 4. He would appear sporadically upon a Sim's untimely death, and while I always tried to have my Sims rizz him up, it never quite worked as he was as much a Townie as an NPC could be. He's so much more now thanks to EA's latest expansion, though.
Grim can be a boss, a friend, a foe, and even a father – yes, a father. Sims can try for a baby with him and their children will then come with a special "Grimborn" trait that marks them as his kids. Alongside the trait is a scythe-shaped birthmark indicating their otherworldly lineage, a marker that can carry over for a few generations. Grim sadly isn't all that involved as a father, though – he "isn't the most attentive," admits Miotke.
"Grim's kind of a turtle," the dev explains. "Maybe like Zeus in Greek mythology – he has a lot of kids." There's no telling whether Grim "has favorites" among his children, either, as he doesn't spend much time with them. He's busy running a soul-harvesting business with Sims helping him out in the pack's new Reaper-themed career, after all, he's still as elusive as ever. "Grim's a mysterious character," says Miotke. "It's really hard to know what Grim's thinking."
That's because, despite the extra depth he packs in Life and Death, Grim is still an unplayable character – but I can, er, live with that. As producer Morgan Henry tells me, he's still a "unique character," albeit one with "a lot of fun, new interactions." You can challenge him to basketball matches, hopscotch competitions, and more to save a Sim's life. Be wary of doing so, though, as Miotke jokes that Grim doesn't always play fair.
A multioccultural experience
If you want a famous werewolf spellcaster ghost, you can have one.
Enough about death, and more about ghosts. How do they work in Life and Death, and in what ways are they different than they used to be? They feel much more alive, despite being dead, and they can work to wrap up any unfinished business from their former lives. You can opt to have Sims reborn through the miracle of reincarnation afterward or keep them trucking on as ghosts through the game's brand-new skill tree.
It's much like that of the other occult Sims, with powers and branches that you unlock over time through good or bad deeds. How does it line up with the other occults – can mermaids, vampires, and werewolves become ghosts? Yes, Miotke confirms: "While ghosts have a full power tree, it does not stop or impede you from your other occult power trees as well, so you can have a vampire with full powers and also have corresponding ghost powers."
Miotke alludes to all sorts of "fun combinations and stories that you can tell when you pair these [powers] up." If you want a famous werewolf spellcaster ghost, you can have one. Life and Death coexists nicely with other packs this way, and it's one of my favorite aspects of the new expansion. I prefer everything in-game to mesh together seamlessly and with EA's new plan for The Sims 4 to be its go-to "legacy" game, it's all the more appreciated when it does.
All in all, I'm incredibly excited for everyone to get their hands on Life and Death. It marks the beginning of something new for The Sims 4 as the first of its expansion packs to come after the company's announcement regarding no Sims 5 and paid community-created mods, and it couldn't be a better start than it already is. There's plenty to make it stand out as an expansion pack, a plethora of long-awaited features, and one much-needed glow-up for Grim.
Need something to play while you wait for Life and Death? Here are 10 games like The Sims 4 to check out now. Or check out our list of the best Sims 4 expansion packs to buy right now.
