The Sims 4: Ecological Life is the new expansion of the famous management software signed EA. What are the various objectives of the expansion? Surely as the title suggests, the idea is to pursue a life of sustainability: everything is based on the principles of recycling, environmental sustainability and collaboration within the community, adding new actions and events to the basic video game and, among other things, a new neighborhood is also introduced: Evergreen Harbor.
In this review we will analyze this expansion so current that it is almost impressive (and extremely immersive).
The new neighborhood: Evergreen Harbor
In The Sims 4: Ecological Living, we are always given the option to choose which zone to start our Sims' adventure in. In the case of this expansion, the newly inserted neighborhood shows heavily industrialized areas, some habitable houses and the usual community lots.
It is a barren landscape, with colors in shades of gray which portend only one thing: pollution. At this point you can choose an existing family unit or you can create one from scratch. As soon as the actual game begins, the appears "Neighborhood evaluation": a value that expresses the level of pollution of the scenario. We start with "neutral", that is a balance between healthiness and an unhealthy environment. Our main objective lies precisely in eliminating or encouraging environmental pollution; it's up to us to choose. This opportunity adds a certain dynamism to the expansion in general, making it immediately interesting and curious.
Neighborhood action plans
The primary tool for making Evergreen Harbor (and every other pre-existing neighborhood) an ecological paradise is i "Neighborhood action plans". If in the previous expansions there was a little lack of actions that strongly impact on the surrounding society, Vita Ecologica solves this problem in an excellent way: in fact we will find some improvements apportabili to the neighborhood (eg "Production of clean energy") in order to make it more or less polluted. In fact, it is also possible to undertake modifications that worsen environmental conditions, influencing industry and production aimed at mere profit.
In short, the choice of how to move is up to us: the action plans, however, must have a sufficient number of votes to be approved and to obtain them it is necessary to have influence points. This mechanic didn't convince us at first until we realized there is nothing easier than gaining influence points. Like? Just get your Sim to work, have conversations for our cause, and just interact with the community. Moreover, this mechanism has been implemented in a way that is neither annoying nor long, remaining in harmony with the rest of the daily tasks.
The new skills
Another important aspect of this expansion are skills related to ecology and reuse. In particular, "manufacturing" allows you to create objects from waste, while "effervescence" to produce drinks starting from gardening products. A customization of the objects that had been removed from The Sims 3 is implemented: it is possible, with the use of dyes, to give different colors to the products that can be placed at home or sold. This is a nice return, which was definitely missing in the base game. The ability to sell your products through a flea market is also added, where the goods will be displayed on a table and the Sim will act as a seller. It is a great addition, very realistic and useful for those who want to carry on a game dedicated to the creation and sale of objects.
The new professions
Another important novelty of the expansion are the new professions: it is possible in fact, undertake a career as a civil designer to find the right infrastructural solutions that are also ecological, or specialize in craftsmanship: the latter in particular we found it well thought out, well connected to the other skills to be developed and profitable to be able to carry on a game with a good salary.
The Sims 4: Ecological Life adds an extra bit of realism to the game that, as much as other expansions have tried, has always been lacking. The expansion makes the world around Sims more dynamic, always changing and directly influenced by our choices. A particularly appreciable aspect is the duality between ecological and polluting choices which significantly increases the replayability of the title.
