The Sims 4 Cottage Living

• Available on PC, Mac, Xbox, Playstation
• Solo game
• Published by Electronic Arts
• Developed by Maxis

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Cows, llamas and other animals to send your Sims 4 to the farm! Discover what's new in The Sims 4 Country Life expansion, videos and game images.

Features

The main new feature of The Sims 4 Country Life expansion is the ability to raise farm animals: poultry, cows, llamas and more!

Cows and llamas

To start farming, you need to install an animal shelter on your plot of land, which you can buy in Purchasing Mode.

Construction requires a 9x10-tile space for the building itself, but especially for the surrounding area, which your pet will be able to walk around in. He won't be able to leave this area. You can build a small fence around it to make it more realistic.

Once you're ready, click on the shelter to buy an animal.

You'll be able to choose between a beige or white llama and a brown or spotted cow.

Please note that each shelter has a capacity of one animal. So you won't be able to have a calf or a baby llama. You can upgrade to add an automatic food dispenser (requires 6 shelter upgrade coins) or a "life extender" (3 shelter upgrade coins). Shelter upgrade coins can be obtained by offering to help other Sims, bringing them their groceries for example. They'll thank you with these coins.

Back to our sheep, or cows in this case. Once purchased, the animal will leave the shelter. All you have to do is check that the pen is clean and that it has enough food.

Your animal's needs are displayed by hovering over it. You'll also see the quality of the milk or wool, if you have a llama.

If you let your pet's needs deteriorate for too long, they'll simply go away. While we're on the subject of bad news, your pets can also die of old age. You can extend their lifespan by improving their shelter or using treats. And if you never want to see the Grim Reaper hanging around the pen, you can disable aging in the game options.

Throughout your pet's life, you can interact with it. You can wash him, feed him, collect his milk or wool and carry out various social interactions.

Cows mean milk. You can milk your cow by clicking on it. The milking result will depend on any treats you may have given the animal.

If you've chosen the llama option, it works the same way. You'll get wool you can use for cross-stitching or knitting if you have the Tricot de Pro kit.

If you don't want your pet any more, you can trade it in by clicking on the shelter. You can get meat, ingredients, simflouzs or treats. Your Sim will feel guilty for having done it, and you'll have a specific feeling.

Poultry

To buy poultry, you'll need to start by purchasing a henhouse.

Once you've added poultry to your plot, click on "Buy poultry". You'll then have a choice of white, brown or black roosters and hens. As well as female or male chicks.

You can put up to 8 animals here. Chickens will come and frolic around the coop. They can even pass through your garden gates if you allow them to.

Like cows and llamas, you can see the general condition of the henhouse by hovering over it. You can see the chicken coop's capacity and level of cleanliness.

Chickens can be fed one at a time by clicking on them, or by selecting the henhouse for faster feeding.

Chicken coops can be upgraded. You can add a fox alarm (3 shelter upgrades), a life extender (2 shelter upgrades) or an automatic feed dispenser (requires 6 shelter upgrades).

Maintaining the needs of your poultry will ensure that you get eggs every day. You can resell them or use them in your cooking. Several types of eggs can be laid:

• Classic eggs
• Rainbow eggs
• Blue eggs
• Golden eggs
• Chocolate eggs
• Obsidian black eggs
• Orange eggs
• Green eggs

[Spoiler] Not all eggs can hatch, only normal, black or golden eggs can, as the latter can create golden or evil hens. Golden hens will seek to improve the quality of plants on your land if possible. Evil hens can repel foxes, enemies and the Grim Reaper.

To collect eggs, simply click on the henhouse and select Collect. If one of the eggs can hatch, click on it in your inventory to hatch it again.

Sweets

You can give your pets treats. This will unlock a variety of temporary bonuses, listed below.

Treat recipes are unlocked as your breeding progresses. From your first adoption, you'll unlock "friendly treats". You can also buy treats from the stores in Henford-on-Bagley. When you buy them, you'll learn the recipe so you can reproduce them at home.

The foxes

Foxes roam freely around the world. They'll be attracted if you have the "Wild Foxes" field challenge, or if you have a chicken coop at home.

When you meet one, you can befriend it. Once you've reached a certain level, you can ask it not to steal eggs.

When they visit a henhouse, foxes can get into a fight with the roosters in the barnyard.

The rabbits

Like foxes, rabbits are wild creatures. They roam the countryside, but you'll find them particularly at Bramblewood Forest.

Once at home, if you make friends with it, the rabbit can help you in the garden by eating weeds and fertilizing your plants!

Another advantage of becoming friends with a rabbit is the possibility of unlocking a rabbit shelter, which will bring small animals into your home.

Pet clothing

Your pets can wear little outfits, hats, scarves, sweaters and other garments that will give you the most stylish breeding!

Giant vegetable plantations

With The Sims 4 Country Life, you can build your own farm. But farms mean plantations. While the Gardening skill itself hasn't particularly evolved with this expansion, there are new things to plant: giant fruits and vegetables.

Giant fruits and vegetables are planted in one of the new garden plots available for purchase in Buy mode.

You can place the classic seeds in it but especially seeds that will give oversized crops. There are 5 types of seeds:

• Mushroom seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Lettuce seeds
• Watermelon seeds
• Eggplant seeds

A packet of seeds will fill the plot square you have placed (3x3 plants each).

As with other plantings, be sure to water the plants regularly, and remove any weeds, mildew or insects.

To accelerate plant growth, you can apply fertilizer. Click on the plot and you'll have a choice of several.

• Worry Less Fertilizer: Eliminates weeds and keeps insects away
• Vitality fertilizer: Improves plant health and fruit quality

Canned food

Canning allows you to preserve (you may have guessed it) the vegetables and fruit you've harvested on your farm. The foods you can preserve depend on your level of cooking skill. We'll be taking a closer look at this new feature over the next few days.

The picnic

Your Sims can now go to town with their food under their arm, in a beautiful wicker basket instead of hiding it in their inventory.

Baskets can be purchased in the Purchase Mode for 80 simflouz.

Then click on the basket to place the food you want to take with you.

You can then sit quietly at a picnic table or on the ground to eat your meal.

The point-of-cross

Did your Sims enjoy knitting with the Pro Knitting kit? They'll love cross-stitch!

To get started with this skill, purchase the cross-stitch kit in purchase mode and place it on your plot.

Then click on the cardboard and select the size of the circle (small, medium, large) and what you want to make. The more you progress, the more designs you will unlock.

Your creations can then be displayed on furniture.

The commissions

To become part of this small village community, you can help other Sims by running errands. Several Sims can benefit from your help, such as the shopkeepers, the pub owner or the creature keeper. Let's take a look at his example to find out more about these errands.

If you go to Bramblewood Forest, you can meet a certain "Guardian of Creatures" in his little house.

By clicking on the house, you can explore it or focus the camera on the janitor. It's possible that he's gone away for a while to tend to his garden or go for a walk in the woods.

By clicking on the guard, you can see the interaction for selecting commissions.

These missions will allow you to obtain various rewards, such as upgrade parts for your shelters, treats or ingredients.

Agricultural fairs

Every Saturday there's a fair in town! There are in fact several types of fair, all of which can be seen in the calendar.

There is a fair for each animal (cow, llama, poultry) allowing you to compete for the most beautiful animal, the best milk, eggs or wool. With the possibility each time of winning a prize symbolized by a ribbon.

To take part in the fair, put the items you're going to use (giant vegetables, cows, etc.) in your inventory and go before the judges to display your creation.

If ever you feel that the ribbon may be passing you by, you can bribe one of the jurors for 250 simflouzs. Success is not guaranteed.

The new objects

The new items arriving with the Vie à la Campagne expansion pack are, of course, reminiscent of the countryside, greenery and plants - in short, classic green settings that I'll leave you to discover.

New features in Create a Sim

As in recent years, this expansion brings a host of new hairstyles and outfits, mainly for simettes, with a country theme of course! The check pattern is in, and it's got to be said that it looks pretty good on our little characters!

Note that the different hairstyles available for adults are also available for children!

Feminine

Hairstyles

Accessories

Tops

Bottom

Complete outfits

Shoes

Men

Hairstyles

Beards

Accessories

Tops

Bottom

Complete outfits

Shoes

Toddler

Aspiration Keeper of the countryside

By reaching the maximum level, Sims unlock the "Talk to Nature" trait, which makes it easier for them to develop relationships with animals, making them live longer. Rabbits and birds bring more gifts, and Sims unlock new interactions with plants. Last but not least, shopping delivery is free and their bills reduced if they live in Henford-on-Bagley.

Character traits

Loves animals

As the name suggests, this trait will make your sim go gaga over animals. The more time you spend with them, the better you'll feel.

Several interactions are unlocked with this trait to give love to your pets, dance with them or even play music for them.

Lactose intolerant

With the Country Life expansion, recipes now display whether or not they contain lactose. This means that Sims with the lactose-intolerant trait will get sick if you try to give them a taste. To be precise, they'll be delighted at the moment of eating, but the damage comes later with flatulence, a rapidly dwindling cravings gauge and a very uncomfortable state of mind.

Our review of The Sims 4 Country Life pack

Can you plant cabbage? - by Alex - October 24, 2021

Rating: 5/5

This pack has been eagerly awaited by the community, and is sure to delight many. The animals are fun to play with, the world is pleasant but a little empty, and the outfits and objects are classic but fit in well. 

News and game guides

You can continue reading about The Sims 4 Country Life expansion pack, you can read the Henford-on-Baglay village guide or take a look at the game news!