The Sims 4recently released its eighteenth stuff pack DLC, titledParanormal. The new stuff pack focuses on all things spooky, introducing Haunted Houses, psychic Mediums, and much more toThe Sims 4. Players have been anticipating theParanormalstuff pack since the release of community-votedNifty Knitting, where a concept similar toParanormalwas pitched to players in the initial round of voting. The gallery has surged with new Haunted Houses and spooky Sims to aid players in theirParanormalgameplay.
Paranormalisn’t the first supernaturally tied DLC to come toThe Sims 4, but it is the first to debut in a while. Supernatural content is typically tied to game packs and expansion packs, so it was interesting to seeParanormalrelease as a stuff pack. Luckily, this stuff pack has pretty much surpassed players’ expectations, with many sayingit feels more like a game pack than a stuff packbecause of its immense amount of content. However, despite how well it stands on its own, there’s one game pack that will enhanceParanormalgameplay even further.
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The Sims 4: Realm of Magic
Released in 2019 as a game pack,Realm of Magicintroduced players to the world of Glimmerbrook as well as the Magical Realm and added Spellcasters to the game. Witches and wizards werepreviously introduced inThe Sims 3: Supernatural, so it was nice to see them make an improved return to the next generation ofSimsgames.
Realm of Magicadded new Create-a-Sim (CAS) styles and Build/Buy mode items to present players with a fully mystical experience when playing with Spellcasters. The furniture and architectural details included in the pack are in the elegant Art Nouveau style, which had been used in otherSimsgames, likeThe Sims 2, as well. Though the CAS items are formulated to fit a certain aesthetic, the Build/Buy items could actually mix fairly easily with otherThe Sims 4items.
Spellcaster Sims can be createdin CAS like other occults, or players can create Sims and have them ask one of the three Sages to turn them into one. Once the Sim is a Spellcaster, the perks system works very similarly to the one introduced inVampiresor celebrities from theGet Famousexpansion pack. Spellcasters can use wands to cast spells and curses, create potions, have familiars, and even ride brooms as a new form of transportation.
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Why Realm of Magic is Perfect for Paranormal
Spellcasters are already in-tune with magical energy, so they build the “Medium” skill faster than other Sims. This comes in handy if players want their Sim topursue a career as a Paranormal Investigator, which requires mastery of the Medium skill before becoming a licensed investigator. Though it depends on the aesthetic players are trying to create for their Sims, theRealm of MagicandParanormalCAS items also work fairly well together.
Art Nouveau meets boho-chic when these two packs are installed, which can work as a very cohesive aesthetic in both CAS and Build/Buy mode. The seemingly 70s-inspired Build/Buy items fromParanormalcan definitely mix well with the items fromRealm of Magic, especially when players have an eye for building and decorating inThe Sims 4.
Realm of Magicis already fun on its ownthanks to the Spellcasters, andParanormalis fun thanks to the spooky elements added to the game, but combining the two makes a very special supernatural duo.Realm of Magicis by no means required to playParanormal, but it can make the new stuff pack an even more fun and rewarding experience.
The Sims 4: Paranormalis available now for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
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