The Sims 4: Horse Ranch Preview — A Yay and a Neigh
When the Maxis team first announced the reveal of The Sims 4: Horse Ranch, my first thought was, ‘Heath Ledger would have loved this.’ My second was, ‘Dang, I can actually make a really gay Western if I wanted to.’ Both of these thoughts (though mostly the latter) excited me.
The world of Chesnut Ridge introduces players to a world where, even a cursory glance around, allows you to see the familiar visual imagery of the Wild West setting that has served as a backdrop for so many films, tv shows, and video games. There are the dusty old roads, the iconic batwing doors you’ll see in any old saloon, and, of course, there is plenty of cowboy-esque clothing. It isn’t all just gunslingers and lasso dancing, though. Production Director JoAnna Lio and Lead Producer George Pigula from The Sims 4 team told us through an off-hand preview that there are Native American inspirations involved too, such as new food recipes like Wild Nut Soup and Three Sisters Chilli.
And, of course, that’s not even to mention the fact that The Sims 4: Horse Ranch does exactly what it says on the tin by giving you the option to, you guessed it, have your very own horse and a ranch. A horse ranch, if you will. A big day for all the horse girls and boys out there!
But if we’re being honest, the main thing that we’re all here for is the horses, isn’t it? If that’s the case for you, then you’re in luck because this expansion exactly what you’re looking for. The level of depth and research the team over at Maxis has put into making these horses 1) feel unique in both appearance and gameplay and 2) a significant part of the family cannot be understated.
Where to even start? There’s a near-overwhelming amount of customization options for your horse, from its snout to its tail, and you can even try your hand at giving it an accessorized horn if you’re looking for a more whimsical, unicorn steed. And if that’s not your thing, who doesn’t want to put a nice floppy hat or flower hat on your new horse friend? What may tickle horse fans out there though is the 30+ variant of breeds for your horse, such as Appaloosa, Mustang and more. So much more that I wasn’t even personally aware that horses had that many breeds because, as far as my horse knowledge goes, a horse is simply a horse.
Alongside customizing the appearance of your horse, players will be able to select up to 3 different traits, and all of them are unique to horses, meaning that these traits cannot be found in other animals such as cats or dogs. We didn’t get the opportunity to have a look at what those traits were exactly, but considering how weird, wacky, and wonderful The Sims 4 traits can be, it wouldn’t surprise me if you can have some pretty quirky horses. After all, like cats and dogs, they’re considered part of the family, so you’re going to want them to be memorable.
That’s right, horses take up a slot in your household the same way as any other Sim or animal would, which doesn’t seem like too big of a deal. But if you’re planning to have a horse for each family member, you’ll find that you’ll reach your Sim limit in neigh (sorry) time at all. Really though, this is probably for the best as horses are a lot more work than your regular cat and dog. Not only will they need to be kept in their very own pen in the ranch area, but you’ll to make sure they are entertained, groomed and fed. There’s also the whole getting rid of horse manure too, otherwise, you’ll find their condition will quickly deteriorate. Of course, if you’d rather not have to deal with looking after a horse 24/7 (because trust us, they will take up a lot of your time), you can hire a farmhand to help you out.
But you will want to hang out with your horse as much as possible, if not only to build up your relationship. There is a horse riding skill that you’ll only be able to improve by training and riding your horse and, the more you practice and strengthen your relationship, the less likely it is for your horse to buck you off your saddle. This is particularly important for those players who want to take their horse riding to the next level and enter competitions to win those big-buck simoleons, with separate competitions demanding different things from both you and your horse in order to win.
And, for when you’re tired of being surrounded by just horses, there is still plenty to do on the ranch. Not only can you design your own to the fullest, such as creating your own sign that welcomes you inside, but you’ll be able to further your skills in other ways while working. Namely with nectar making, a process where you chuck fruit into your nectar press, slip off your shoes and get to making some sweet, tasty wine. Much like horse riding, the more you practice, the higher your skill in nectar making improves and, if you really give it your all, you’ll even be able to sell your nectar too. I can imagine this skill — and ranch life in general — would go hand-in-hand with Sims who value farming and looking after livestock, like chickens and cows.
Of course, you may be wondering if there’s much reason to purchase The Sims 4: Horse Ranch expansion if you’re not at all interested in horses or farm life in general. To that, I say this: not really. It’s undeniable that The Sims 4 team put a whole lot of effort into the creation of horses, from their appearances to their personalities, but if you aren’t the least bit bothered about them or ranch life, then there’s very little reason to get this DLC. The new world is gorgeous, the addition of new cosmetics (plenty of plaid, a win for us gays) is great, and the added farm animals like goats and sheep are downright wonderful, but this expansion is far more niche than, say, High School Years or Seasons. Being niche is not a bad thing at all, but whether this expansion is going to be a yay or a nay for players is entirely dependent on what they’re looking for, and it it isn’t the ol’ ranch life, then this is going to be a miss.
But if you are that kind of person who wants to live out their rural life fantasy, coupled with other The Sims 4 expansions like Cottage Living and Eco Lifestyle; crack open that wallet and get ready to saddle up. It’s time to live out your rancher dreams.
The Sims 4: Horse Ranch will be available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on July 20.
About The Author
