The Sims 4 Snowy Escape – Sentiments and Other Gameplay Features

Thanks for the EA Game Changers program for giving us early access to the new pack. Because it was Alpha software, it is possible that there are small changes in the pack before release.
For this review we only had access to Base game and The Sims 4 Snowy Escape.
At the bottom of the page you can find an index to our other The Sims 4 Snowy Escape articles.

Sentiments

Sentiments are a new addition to your Sims profile panel. You can now click on a Sim in the relationships tab and open their Sim Profile.
This will show you everything you know about this Sim. Another way to quickly see sentiments is if they are in an active conversation together, the panel at the top will have a little drop down menu showing you active sentiments.
Relationship, career, traits, but also now: Lifestyles and Sentiments.
Sentiments are something new that give depth to your Sims relationships. They are feelings of your Sims towards the other (and vice versa)

If your Sims experienced a nice moment together, then that can appear as a sentiment. Or if something memorable happened, that can turn into a sentiment as well.
Sentiments don’t have to be mutual, they can be one sided. One sim can be madly in love with the other, but the other can be annoyed because they had their trust broken.

Career – Salary Person

This is the only new career in the pack. Japan is known for it’s strong work ethic and long work hours, this career represents that.
The hours are long, you have chances of working late. Your Sims can also feel guilty when they do, and bring gifts for their household. The career has 2 branches, Expert and Supervisor.

If you want to cheat this career, use: careers.promote corporateworker

Other new Gameplay Features

There are some other new gameplay features as well that impact your Sims.

Shoes off

In Japan, but many Asian countries, it is custom to take off your shoes as soon as you enter the house. You either walk around on socks/barefoot or use slippers.
No you can also set this rule in The Sims. To set this house rule you just have to place a sign, you can find it in build/buy and is called “Taming of the shoe”.
Once you place that sigh, the default rule is to take shoes off. In live mode you can click the sign, and change it to either, wear shoes indoors, or wear slippers.

Some Sims might ignore the rule when they’re feeling playful or mischievous. Proper Sims will not like Sims who ignore the rule.

School uniforms

In a lot of countries, school uniforms are common practice. This is also the case in Japan, where much of the inspiration from Mt. Komorebi comes from.
So if your household lives in Mt. Komorebi, child and teen Sims will change into a school uniform when they leave for school.
Sadly, this is not a set uniform per sim, like a work uniform is, but it changes everyday.

Woohoo

The Sims wouldn’t be The Sims, if they have quirky places to Woohoo. There are 2 new places for your Sims to Woohoo.
Hot water spring, this is basically the same as hot tub woohoo, and woohoo in the ice cave, that you can find when you go on the mountain excursion.

New Collectibles

Simmi Capsules are a new collectable. There are 12 unique ones that you can collect, and all 12 also have a special gold version you can collect as well, in total 24 Simmis. Simmi Capsules work similar to the Mysterious Time Capsules, that you don’t know what is in them before you open them. Difference is, that Simmi Capsules come in a few different colours. Green, Blue and Yellow are ones I’ve seen. These also tell you something about the rarity of the Simmi that is in them.

Another collectible are the forest spirits. When you collect them, you get these small paper dolls that you can hang on the wall.
They don’t show up as a collectible in the Household Collections though.

Chopsticks

Since City Living Sims could use chopsticks for certain foods. But now, your Sims can actually set a preferred utensil. If that’s a fork, metal chopsticks, wooden ones or plastic ones, it’s up to you.
The default for Sims is fork though, and eating with chopsticks might cost some Sims extra effort. Click on your active Sim and select Utensil Preference…

Food

With this pack there are about 15 new recipes to find. Some of the foods look really great. You can eat special foods at the festivals, like Crepes or Taiyaki. But at home you can also cook some new recipes, like Onigiri or beef yakisoba. Your Sims will have a few new things to try.
The Hot Pot has 3 new exclusive dishes as well: Oden, Yosenabe and Sukiyaki.

Zen Moment

Your Sims can get into an “Emotional mindful state”. This means they found inner peace of some sort. Finding that Emotional Mindful State can be done in several ways, Relaxing in a hot spring, going on a mindful hike, taking in the surroundings. If you own The Sims 4 Spa Day, there are items and activities that will help gain this state as well, like the massage table.

Deaths

There are also a few “new” deaths. I say “new” because one of them isn’t new per se, but is relevant for this pack.
Vending machine death! A return from previous Sims games. Vending machines appear all around the new world, where Sims can buy food, drinks, collectibles and bits and bobbles. But sometimes the machine just won’t corporate, making your Sim want to shake it. If luck isn’t on your side that day, it might even fall on top of you, resulting in a death.

Falling to death This one is related to the Rock Climbing skill. When your Sim isn’t as skilful as they’d like, they are more likely to fall from the Rock Wall. And they can get injured from that, the injury is a moodlet buff that will show you they are uncomfortable. They will also shake their hands as if those hurt, or show a back aching animation. If your Sim continues to climb even when injured, their fall can result in a new death. So be careful when climbing!

Freeze to death, this is a death that came with Seasons, but because Yukimatsu is a neighbourhood with eternal snow, Sims can Freeze to Death here as well if they don’t dress warm enough.