The Sims 4 Werewolves Review

In a move that can only be described as a long time coming, The Sims 4 Werewolves finally introduces werewolves to this generation of The Sims franchise. The game pack adds on to the occult previously introduced in other games and expansion packs of The Sims 4, bringing in unique gameplay, objects, and a new location - all of which are fun to explore initially but end up hitting the same repetitive notes after a while.

The Sims 4 Werewolves Tail Waggin' Create A Sim Items

Being a game pack, it's expected that The Sims 4 Werewolves will have an emphasis on gameplay above all else, but the included CAS items really knocked my expectations out of the park. The new clothes fit in perfectly with the atmosphere of Moonwood Mill, but most of them also function as great additions to the overall clothing catalog.

The new tattoos and body scars are great modifications for all Sims, not just werewolves, and make for some great storytelling opportunities. There are a few new pieces of jewelry that are cute and come in a decent amount of color options, but I do have one tiny complaint - all the rings go on the left hand, so it would have been nice to see the same ring options for the right hand too.

Building Just Got Grungier In The Sims 4 Werewolves

Previously, The Sims 4 released a lot of packs with very polished decor, so it's nice to see Werewolves bring some grunge and dirt to Build/Buy mode. The various furniture and decorations included in the pack are all run down and heavily used, making them perfect for not just werewolf dwellings but for any build that needs an extra element of grime.

According to the lore of the pack, Moonwood Mill used to be a lumber mill town which is why many of the buildings and build/buy items have an industrial feel to them. The library is by far the coolest example of this, as it's an old industrial space reclaimed as a library with plenty of opportunities for Sims to work on a variety of skills.

While most of the new furniture is impressive, there's one standout piece - a shelf specifically designed to display the new relics that can be found throughout Moonwood Mill. As your Sims delve deeper into the history of the town, the shelves have special slots for each collectible that can be found via exploration. It's unlike anything previously included in The Sims 4 and adds a unique way to display and decipher the unearthed items.

Initially, it was a bit disheartening to see that Moonwood Mill only consists of 5 new lots, but after hours of gameplay I'm happy to report that the world feels a lot bigger than it is. The underground tunnels and respective werewolf hangouts - the Moonwood Collective and the Wildfangs - are available no matter what lot you're loaded into, which helps make the world feel accessible and easy to explore.

The Sims 4 Werewolves One Note Gameplay

The werewolf behavior in The Sims 4 Werewolves is spot on, with lots of new interactions with other Sims as well as the world around them. The ability system for werewolves is similar to vampires and well thought out, with options to tame the beast within, let it run wild, or finding a balance somewhere in between. Temperaments, shaped by Sim behavior, help foster a sense of uniqueness in each werewolf with 22 different options total. The NPCs included in the pack, most notably the bad tempered yet still somehow romanceable Greg the werewolf, are all fun to get to know and continually breathe life into Moonwood Mill.

Unlike other packs, Werewolves has a unique branching aspiration system. Once a Sim has completed the first level, there are four other pathways to choose pertaining to different gameplay paths. It seems intriguing at first, but the magic quickly vanishes when every "branching" aspiration only has one level and a checklist of items that take a longer time to complete than the average aspiration.

In some ways, the longer aspiration levels are great because it improves on the base game's not nearly as fleshed-out aspirations. The biggest issue is novelty, as I can't imagine having more than one Sim finish the Werewolf Initiate aspiration to then choose one of the four branching options. Occult Sims are great for the experience of at least one playthrough, but afterward, it turns into a "been there, done that" situation quite quickly.

Interestingly, the game glitched when my Sim left Moonwood Mill and visited Brindleton Bay, wiping her Emissary of the Collective aspiration progress and making it look like she had to start over. The issue resolved itself when she returned to Moonwood Mill and the progress was restored, but there will probably be a patch soon to make sure that doesn't continue to happen.

The Sims 4 Werewolves Review - From A Howl To A Whimper

The Sims 4 Werewolves gameplay isn't necessarily lackluster, but it just doesn't seem interesting enough to replay consistently. On the flip side, the Build/Buy and CAS items are great additions to the overall The Sims 4 catalog that can be used in a variety of different Sims and builds. Occult can be hit-or-miss in The Sims, but Werewolves checks all the right boxes - it just may not be enough to keep me howling at the moon.

TechRaptor reviewed The Sims 4 Werewolves on PC purchased by the reviewer. The pack is also available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.