The Sims 4 Cottage Living – The Village and World

Thanks to the EA Game Changers program I had the opportunity to play the new expansion pack The Sims 4 Cottage Living for about a week.
I only had Base Game and Cottage Living, and the software I had is not yet final, so there might be slight changes before release. We try to keep our reviews objective, so you can make your own decision, but any opinions in the review are our own.
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Henford-on-Bagley

The theme of this pack is not just farming, they actually made it a little ‘smaller’ than that. It’s country side living, where you get to grow your own crops, keep chickens and some live stock. But nothing grand like a heard of sheep, tractors or huge farming lands (don’t worry, there is still 1 64×64 lot). The world is heavily inspired by the English country side, where you will find small cottages, streams, foxes, rabbits and it’s green and in the town, where everyone knows everyone and helps out everyone. In the image below you can also see all the lot sizes (and gallery image obstruction), which ones have pre-made family in them, and neighbourhood information. Click on it to enlarge the image.

Villagers

New in this world, is that it actually has a Mayor, not only that, also a designated Garden shop owner, grocery shop owner, pub owner and grocery deliverer.
They are villagers that will help give you information, and also have a sort of new feature, errands.
Agatha and Agnes Crumplebottom are the garden shop owners. They will not die of old age, and will stay around in your game. Agnes will even put a stop to your indecent behaviour in public. If you in some way get rid of Agnes or Agatha, or add them to them to your household, a new Agatha or Agnes will be spawned. They are immortal.
The town will always have a mayor, but it will not always be the same Sim. Once she is no longer with you or becomes a playable Sim because you added her to your household, another Sim will take her place as mayor. The same thing happens it the other roles in the village.
You can’t become the mayor, garden shop owner, or grocery deliverer yourself though.

Errands
You can help villagers with errands to earn some cash as well as collectibles/produce. These errands will help you discover people and features in the world. Like finding wild harvestables, meeting wild animals, and meeting villagers.
The errands you run for the villagers progress as you get to know them, and new errands will pop up.
You can have 3 errands active at the same time. It’s your choice if you do 3 errands from 1 villager, or spread them out between them, either way 3 is a max.

They’re a good way to learn more about the town as well as the people. And of course, you get some nice items out of it a well, like Livestock upgrade parts. (you need those to upgrade your chicken coop or animal sheds with auto feeders or fox alarms.

Garden Shop

Agatha and Agnes Crumplebottom run the local garden shop. You can find the shop next to the large grass field in the neighbourhood Finchwick. The things they sell in this shop will rotate daily, so you can check the shop every day for new produce during their opening hours from 9am to 7pm.
They sell animal products, like treats and wool, flowers, under ingredients you can find canned food and some harvestables, miscellaneous they sell random stuff like garden gnomes, gardening books, cross-stitching hoops and fertilizers. And last but not least, they sell seeds, specifically the oversized crop seeds.

Grocery Shop

The Grocery shop is run by Kim Goldbloom when you start a new save. Shop hours are the same as for the Garden Shop, from 9am to 7pm.
They sell (cook) books, fish, fruit, ingredients (like sugar, flour, milk but also herbs and small oversized crops) and vegetables. The contents of this shop also rotate daily, so if you are looking for a specific item, you might need to check on different days.
You can also sell your own produce in this shop. And if you do this on Saturday during a fair, you will even sell it for a 10% premium. On all other days you sell your produce for the same price as you would in your inventory.

Creature Keeper

The Creature Keeper is a villager that lives in Bramblewood. He (starts out as a he, but this can change in your game if you have aging on for NPCs) is more in touch with nature and the animals. This is the place where you can buy animal clothing for your chickens, llamas and cows. but also for the wild animals, the foxes and rabbits or request them being made if you have llama wool.
You can find their house across the ruins in Bramblewood. Click on the house to find the creature keeper if they are not visible.

Neighbourhoods

There are 3 neighbourhoods in Hendford-on-Bagley, each with a different theme within cottage living. Finchwich is the village center, Bramblewood is the woods and Old New Henford is the farm area. All three neighbourhoods have swimable spot as well as fishing spots.

Finchwick

Finchwick is the village center, so to speak. This is where you will find the weekly fairs (every Saturday) and also many of the locals hang around here.
Click on shops in town, to window shop. and if you click on the shop with the clothing in the windows, you can even change your outfit. Window shopping will give you a buff as well.

Fairs
Every Saturday from 3:30pm to 9:30pm (they actually lasted longer in my game.. not sure if that was a bug) there is a fair on the grass field in Finchwick.
There are 5 different types of fairs, Llama fair, Chicken fair, Garden fair, Cow fair, and Oversized Crop fair. At each of these fairs you can enter 2 types of animals or items to enter in the competition. For example, on the chicken fair you can enter 1 chicken and 1 egg, cow fair 1 bottle of milk and a cow, etc.

Old New Henford

This neighbourhood has the more farm like scenery. The lots are a little larger, and it is also the home to the largest lot: 64×64.
This neighbourhood looks very spacious compared to the others.

Bramblewood

Bramblewood is the more woodsy area of the world. Here you will find the most wild animals and you can find the Creature Keeper here.
The waterfall and the views from on top of the hill are beautiful. This would be my choice to start a new save in.