The Sims 4 Crystal Creations Stuff Pack review: Is it worth it?
EAWith the all-new Crystal Creations Stuff Pack, Sims are able to craft personalized Gemstones and Jewelry, which can be used to give different buffs. But is this pack worth it?
What’s the hardest thing to do in The Sims 4? If someone asked that question, then, truthfully, I’d say taking care of my Sims. For the longest I can remember, I’ve not been keen on relying on cheats in the game, as I find that having the “perfect” life for my Sims can get boring quickly.
Seeing my Sims start off from zero and work their way up in their career to become successful feels incredibly rewarding. The tradeoff is that maintaining their happiness and necessities is a real challenge. Mainly because the starting furniture can’t always keep up to recharge my Sim’s needs when they have so little time.
So, when I discovered that The Sims 4’s latest Stuff Pack, Crystal Creations, could provide various buffs to Sims in the form of customizable Gemstones and Jewelry, I was thrilled. Here’s my impressions on how it all plays out.
The Sims 4 Crystal Creations key details
- Price: US$9.99
- Developer: Maxis
- Release Date: Feb 29, 2024
- Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation, Xbox
An addicting and rewarding gameplay loop
EAThe Sims 4 Crystal Creations Stuff Pack introduces a new Gemology skill along with a new crafting table, which lets your Sims craft Gemstones and Jewelry. The best part? All these items are fully customizable!
Right from the table’s interface, you can select which shape you’d like to choose for your dazzling piece, along with the Metal and Crystal used in it.
The shape and Metal are purely cosmetics, determining the appearance of your Gemstones and Jewelry — whether that be earrings, necklaces, and so much more.
What matters the most here is the type of Crystal you’re using. Each Crystal provides different buffs, and there are plenty to choose from.
Certain Crystals can be used to maintain your Sim’s moods and increase their skills, while some of them have wacky effects, like being able to summon the Grim Reaper or change the weather altogether.
Additionally, the shapes and Metal also have a seemingly similar amount of options, giving you plenty of combos to choose from overall.
I was pleasantly surprised that the premise of this gameplay structure has hooked me in a way that no other Stuff Pack has thus far.
For what seems like a small addition, compared to more gameplay-heavy packs, Crystal Creations helps to add more depth into my Sims’ lives.
Not only do these sophisticated pieces feel so rewarding to craft and look good, but Sims can also gift them to their loved ones, which is excellent when building relationships. And storytelling purposes!
When it comes to the overall gameplay, I highly appreciate this pack’s versatility, as it’s not just restricted to certain aspects of the game. Instead, just any Sim can enjoy its effects, even the occult ones.
I also find it better that the Crystals or Jewelry pieces need to be charged using a particular Crystal grid to maintain their buffs. To me, this helps them feel not too overkill to have around, as I’d imagine things would get bland pretty quickly if that’s the case.
Things do get a lot more interesting the higher your Gemology skill gets, though. For one, you’ll be able to unlock more variants for your Gemstones and Jewelry, adding to the customization options.
There’ll also be an option to craft a Crystal Tree seed at level 3, which will grow into a Crystal Tree that lets you harvest Crystals at the convenience of your home.
Not only that, but you’ll also get some traits related to Crystals, one of which will give you more money when selling them.
So, even if you’re not constantly making new pieces to display around the house or your Sims to wear, it’s nice knowing you can get some passive income going!
Decent CAS additions
EAThe cosmetics are decent in this pack though nothing spectacular. There may not be a lot of options, but Sims do get a few new hairstyles, with some having an accessory attached to them. You’ll also find new accessories – earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and more, fitting with the pack.
I find the overall CAS aesthetics to somewhat give off academic and supernatural-ish vibes. But there are also a few other clothing pieces that look cozy, which I think can blend well with other packs.
Charming build items
EAI’m by no means a good builder in this game, but I love the build items that give off dark academia vibes. Matching the pack’s theme, I was able to find several tables and even a wall-mounted cabinet to display all kinds of things, whether jewelry, gemstones, or other decor.
My favorite of all is the mini Terrarium, which looks pretty clean and helps the room look more lively. I also appreciate some items that enhance the whole Crystal and Jewelry-making vibes, like the Crystal information poster and magical-like motif rug.
Verdict: 4/5
Overall, Crystal Creations feels almost like a game pack. There might not be a lot of new clothing or hairstyles in CAS, but the build items and gameplay shakeups alone make up for it. This Stuff Pack also doesn’t just feel like another activity my Sim can do, as the entire crafting process feels rewarding and the gameplay doesn’t feel limited. Plus, the customizations are plentiful!