Tomorrow February 27th, the new game pack titled "Into the Jungle" will be released, taking Sims to exotic new destinations. Thanks to the EA Game Changers program, I had the opportunity to preview and play the content over the weekend.
Outfits
Additions start right in The Sims Design Tool with outfits in multiple styles for women and men. The first brings a "colonial" side and exploration with natural shades, sand or khaki, for an adventure in the jungle.
As not everyone comes to visit this country to risk their life, there are also tourists. There, it's very colorful and garish, often too short, all that's missing is the big sunburns to look good!
Finally, the last clothes are specific to the culture of the new zone inspired by the Amerindians, Selvadorada. The patterns are very flowery, in pastel colors, often blue or yellow / orange, with very light fabrics (it's hot and humid there).
Objects
A large amount of items are added in this pack with, to start, five ready-made pieces for lazy people who just want to enjoy a beautiful interior of Selvadorada: a bathroom, a kitchen, a bedroom, a patio and a living room.
You will find most of the classic objects, in the style of this beautiful region with orange and bluish hues. The pieces of furniture, in wood, more or less raw, adapt particularly well with the simple objects of "Dogs and Cats" if you also have this game pack I advise you to try the mixtures. There is also everything to recreate the atmosphere of jungle and nature, with archaeological objects (stones, broken pots, statue ...) and various natural elements to stick on the facades (plants, flowers ...) .
Here is my modest home using mostly items from the kit.
Selvadorada
To get there, it goes through the phone, then taking a vacation.
Once there, you will have three important areas to note:
- the ruins to the north full of secrets
- Puerto Lama market: where there are buildings to rent, a bar, a museum and the market where you can buy useful items
- the jungle of Belomisia: two buildings for rent, as well as the park from which the explorations start
For rentals, you will have different choices, depending on your budget, from 228 / day for the smallest house (with 1 single bed) to 717 / day (with 8 beds) for the largest (with intermediates at 618 and 554 ).
skills
The competence Archeology Acquired by digging into the ruins of the jungle, as well as by studying a book that can be bought from local merchants (a great way to start elsewhere) or by studying archaeological remains (including those that can be placed in the houses). By upgrading this skill, it offers the opportunity to authenticate the recovered objects which also become of better quality (which allows them to be sold at a higher price), to teach archeology, to refine gems, to extract elements of gems, to write books on the subject ... At the maximum of competence, a research institute regularly sends objects to be authenticated: an excellent source of regular income offering between 3000 and 4000 each day for less one hour of work.
La Culture selvadoradienne is developed by talking to locals in the area, offering knowledge about the jungle and good tips to facilitate its exploration. This unlocks a special salute, a dance step, chords on the guitar ... Among the useful things, the inhabitants of Selvadorada will give an antidote in exchange for ancient bone dust, necessary in case of a scorpion bite.
Exploring the ruins
Before leaving, it is essential to acquire utilities on the market place where sellers make their products available. As the stock is renewed regularly, I really advise you to stay close, while discussing with the locals to increase your competence of the Selvadoradian culture, and to buy everything that passes on the tables during several cycles (except the souvenirs for tourists).
Particularly useful, in order of priority:
- Omiscan Machete : the most useful item because loss is common in the jungle, while it is used to clear your way in the jungle, but also to defend yourself or to recover lost objects during the action phases. I'm leaving with three or four machetes now.
- Fire-resistant foam : extinguishes a fire, which often happens when trying to unravel the traps of the temples. Insofar as it is fatal, it is imperative to keep some in your inventory.
- Bottled waterfall : Raises the Sim's hygiene gauge. As exploration takes time, and hygiene will drop to zero after a fire even extinguished with moss, when it is not while sleeping in the bushes, you need a good little stock aside so that it don't be uncomfortable.
- Liquid energy : Raises the Sim's energy gauge. There are bushes in the ruins, but the nights are not comfortable, sooner or later the Sim will tire too much, a small can will allow him to go up the slope and avoid falling to the ground.
- Ready-to-eat Grilled Cheese Sandwich : food without expiration period. There are often fruit trees to collect food; in a temple, there was even a bar (where I was able to hire a keeper to stock me up on food and drink), but it is better not to count on it so take a good stock of sandwiches (also with a few more items). perishable for the start of the adventure).
- Vampyr Bat Bait : diversion to use in case of bat attack.
- Fleur Guzmania Pollenis : diversion for bees and hornets.
- Drake Firefly Extinguisher : avoids the aggression of certain insects.
- Doctor Parker's spider repellent : sprayer against all 8-legged critters.
- Insulating powder : repels electric insects.
Before you go, think about who you'll take to meet your Sim's entertainment and social needs during the expedition. If you take another Sim, you will have to plan something to ensure his needs as well, so sandwiches, liquid energy and the waterfall. Otherwise, I personally opted for my dog, although I almost always have to go to the vet afterwards to treat him for various illnesses, the most common being the squirrel bite (yes ... don't search, Cactus n is not very good).
Your team is ready and the stock is done, direction the park at the bottom left, it is the only access to the jungle, then cut down the vines and brambles that prevent you from passing. As you go, you will progress in the jungle and encounter random events with several choices depending on the material in your possession, the chances of success increasing according to the skills of the Sim (DIY, gardening or charisma most of the time).
If you manage to pass, you will come to a new area with passages blocked by brambles. I advise you to clear this in a very logical way, always taking a left for example, and then going clockwise. In each area you will find several piles of stones and dirt in which you can search for archaeological remains and gems.
At one point, you will finally arrive at the temple, the final objective of the exploration, where there are also places to search but unfortunately also doors blocking the progression. While it is still possible to rush into the heap, it is best to first turn off the trap by interacting with the mechanisms on the side. There are four possible choices, 1 will work, the other 3 will cause negative side effects for the Sim. By studying the mechanisms, depending on your level in archeology, you will recover more or less information.
After several doors unlocked, it's the final treasure with lots of nice rewards!
Conclusion
Adding a lot of elements, this game pack is teeming with things to do and mysteries to uncover. However, you will need to be patient and not be afraid of losing Sims in the process. The jungle is dangerous, very dangerous, and everything can change quickly.
Archeology is a fun addition, although a bit repetitive after several hours, as the objects found are not very varied in the end. But this opens up access to a reliable and sustainable source of income, as well as the opportunity to create, for example, an archaeological curiosity shop (which works very well!). Selvadoradian culture is on the other hand more limited, even if it grows on its own just by participating in the life of the region.
I had a great time on this game pack, which kept me busy for several days without realizing it! To end well, a small video of montages of good times complementing the one made in the temple:
