The Sims 4: Life and Death’s Thanatology Could Be a Skill Trailblazer

by

The Sims 4: Life and Death's Thanatology Could Be a Skill Trailblazer

As a long-time player of The Sims series, I must say that Life & Death has truly outdone itself with the introduction of the Thanatology skill. It’s not every day you come across a skill that manages to seamlessly blend social interactions, research, and supernatural elements in such an engaging way.

In the recently released update, or “expansion pack,” for The Sims 4, titled Life & Death, ghostly characters have undergone a significant transformation. While enhancing this established mystical creature was a key aspect of the expansion, Electronic Arts (EA) and Maxis didn’t forget to incorporate an abundance of fresh content within it. One captivating novelty is the “Thanatology Skill,” which initially appears as a standard new skill, but could potentially serve as a blueprint for supernatural skills in The Sims 4 in future developments.

The game titled “Life & Death” has been accessible to players since Halloween. Alongside enhancements in thanatology and ghostly abilities, this expansion pack introduces two fresh career paths, a novel location named Ravenwood, numerous new festivals, and the usual additions of new Create-A-Sim (CAS) items and Build and Buy Mode items.

What is Thanatology?

In The Sims 4, skills can be found at either five or ten levels. The Thanatology skill belongs to the group with five levels, which is usually associated with profession-oriented skills. For instance, the Medium skill, introduced in the Paranormal Stuff Pack, has five levels and plays a significant role in the paranormal investigator branch of the freelancer career.

To pursue either the Reaper or Undertaker roles in the newly introduced professions by Life & Death, one requires the essential skill of thanatology as a foundation. The Undertaker job resembles common rabbit hole careers from the initial version of The Sims 4, comprising ten levels in total. At level five, Simmers can decide which path within the career they wish to explore. On the other hand, the Reaper career bears similarities to additional DLC careers, offering a unique location and new gameplay elements.

Thanatology refers to the scientific exploration of death and grief. It’s a unique skill that stands out, particularly when considering new skills added to The Sims 4 expansion packs. Unlike other skills typically included, thanatology is distinct, not only among the five-tier career skills but also among those introduced through the game’s DLC in general.

How Thanatology Stacks Up to Other Supernatural DLC Skills

Previously introduced supernatural abilities have been underwhelming compared to the thanatology skill. The Werewolves Game Pack fails to provide any skills for its mystical creatures, while the Vampires Game Pack introduces the “Vampire Lore” ability. However, despite having fifteen levels, improving the vampire lore skill feels rather mundane. Sims can grow this skill by researching “Vampire Secrets” on a computer, inquiring about Vampire History from others, and reading Vampire Books. To unlock their first book, Sims must reach at least level two of the skill before they can purchase it on the computer.

Developing the vampire lore skill may lead to mastery of the vampire occult species and the cure for vampirism, but the gameplay of the skill itself is mundane and repetitive. In comparison, the thanatology skill requires players to try out a litany of different methods before mastering the skill despite only having five levels.

The gameplay for this ability seamlessly combines the mystical aspects from the Life & Death expansion with a Sim’s everyday understanding and social abilities. Developing expertise in thanatology involves Sims researching historical deaths via books, exploring theories on computers, reading specialized skill books, attending thanatology classes or electives at university, and utilizing the “Electromagnetic Research Archive Machine” for further study. While reading books and using a computer are common learning methods in The Sims 4, incorporating college courses through the Discover University Expansion Pack is an interesting twist.

Furthermore, the advantages of learning thanatology not only encompass practical life skills but also supernatural abilities. On the other hand, the vampire lore skill seems less significant in comparison because while it provides new items and potions, thanatology enhances existing skills and gameplay.

In my gaming experience, mastering thanatology is essential for pursuing roles like an Undertaker or a Reaper in The Sims 4. A significant part of these professions involves conversing with Sims who are grieving. This skill isn’t just about unlocking items, as it does with the vampire lore skill, but also introduces a unique language and interactions with the Grim Reaper. These features not only enrich social play within the game but also offer advantages that extend beyond the Undertaker and Reaper careers.

Thanatology’s Unique Gameplay Could Benefit Other Occult Types

If Electronic Arts (EA) and Maxis opt for a more socially-focused approach when it comes to skills in future updates, the supernatural gameplay within The Sims could become increasingly intricate. Since death is often sensitive and challenging, EA and Maxis’ handling of this topic as a skill will differ from past iterations. Nonetheless, I propose that they apply this strategy to previously existing occult species and any new entities added to The Sims 4 in the future.

In the game, all mystical creatures could gain from this rejuvenation. Since ghosts are part of the core gameplay, it’s logical that EA and Maxis prioritize them first. However, additional occult species introduced later in the game, like aliens, mermaids, and even Plant Sims, could see further development. Interestingly, Plant Sims are the only other occult species present in The Sims 4 base game, suggesting that EA and Maxis might be updating DLC if they choose this route. However, the Sims team has previously revised and added new content to DLC, usually in the form of new items. This would be a different approach for updating DLC, but one that fans of the game (Simmers) are likely to embrace warmly.

EA and Maxis have made mysterious creatures like aliens more engaging by creating new places for players to discover, such as Saxim for aliens. This is a strategy they’ve used to introduce fresh gameplay for the supernatural aspects in The Sims 4, but once explored, these areas don’t offer much repeat value. On the other hand, the thanatology skill, introduced in the Life & Death expansion pack, is crucial as players must use it to advance their game while still receiving substantial rewards. This type of skill-based gameplay could be something EA and Maxis should consider when introducing new occult species for The Sims 4.

Introducing Thanatology as an enrichment to The Sims 4’s existing skills repertoire is a fantastic idea. Given that introducing a fresh occult species into the game might be unfeasible at this moment, Electronic Arts (EA) and Maxis should pay heed to the positive response towards thanatology when planning the future occult class for The Sims 4.

Read More

2024-11-13 22:24