With the release of The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy we’ve not only bore witness of the introduction of a new world and a new gameplay system to The Sims 4, but become privy to the first instance of the two (yes, two!) new kits that were bundled with in its premiere release. With this unprecedented event, you know the team at Sims Community is here to give our two cents on whether these new kits are as regal as The Sims Team want you to believe they are.
You could say I’m here to…spill the tea? Badum tsss
You can learn more about The Sims 4 Silver Screen Kit and all of it’s contents in another review already up on the site. It’s a quite princely, if I do say so myself. Both The Sims 4 Silver Screen Kit and The Sims 4 Solarium Tea Time Kit are currently available to purchase now for 4.99$ USD if you don’t want to snap them up with the latest expansion if you’re waiting for a sale.
If you are interested, and want to enjoy the splendor of The Sims 4 Royalty and Legacy along with it, be sure to snap up The Royalty & Legacy Grand Bundle as it (and it’s included bonus digital content) are only available until March 15th.
Pack Description – At a Glance
Where else to start but from the official pack information? It reads;
The Sims™ 4 Tea Time Solarium Kit. Gatherings in Glass – Design a social space that is not quite outside, and yet still separate from the daily bustle of your main house. With windowed walls, a flowering trellis, a discrete speaker shaped like a rock, and furniture fit for a garden or sitting room, you’ll craft the perfect spot to spill the tea with friends.
Tasteful & Tasty – An elegant tea party requires a beautiful space, good conversation, and – of course – tea, as well as other refreshments. This collection features a delicate tea set and treat tray that are both functional and lovely to look at, as well as a new banquet table.
Build Buy Objects Catalogue
In the new Kit we’re given 25 new assets to incorporate into our gameplay. Four of these items also come with accompanied gameplay functionality so if you are intrigued by this new kit, it isn’t just a pretty face, their the whole package.
Everything here is perfectly suited for the creation of a lovely sunroom, but I know you creatives out there can probably thing of other applications of the contents of this pack.
Objects Overview
Object Swatches
Solarium Doors
Open Solarium Doors
Solarium Window
Solarium Panel
Solarium Double Window
Solarium Double Panel
Garden Party Dining Chair
Lavish Lace Tea Table
Garden Party Dining Table
Victorian Tea Trolley
Heirloom Tea Tray
Flora Flourish Stand
Brew-Tanical Bliss Rug
Bountiful Banquet Table
Brew-ti-ful Blossoms
Tasty Tea Time Treats
Gourmet Delight Display
Garden Party Parasol
Secret Garden Trellis
Rock ‘n’ Roll Outdoor Speaker
Petal Paradise Fountain
Solarium Column
Solarium Serenity Roof
Our Review of The Sims 4 Solarium Tea Time Kit
Credit where credit is due…this pack is gorgeous. Despite everything, I feel that The Sims Team has being upping their asset making game in the years since release. The comparison between older base game content and the ones that have come in the last few years proves that, and The Sims 4 Solarium Tea Time Kit is no exception. I love it when The Sims Team allows themselves to fall headfirst into the campiness of a concept. Sometimes things don’t need to be completely contemporary; sometimes? They can just be a bit fun.
Which this pack very much is. The Sims Team were trying to go for a “Elegant, but make it whimsical” vibe that I personally find very charming. It’s all very twee without cresting over the hill into the realm of being too much.
I am also pleased that the pack has gameplay functionality. It isn’t all just pretty things for decoration. There’s substance. Something tangible that will have you actually remembering the name of the pack instead of just “binge purchase 14# for this month.”
Which perhaps is a bit of a heavy word when it comes to a kit, but there’s something.
Though, I have some reservations.
Is “tea time in a sunroom” really worth 4.99$ USD? It’s a very cute concept, yes, and the items are lovely, but this doesn’t truly scream “essential purchase” all-caps, with exclamation points on top.
It feels like it was (and, honestly, it could very well be) a cast off set of concepts for The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy. All the swatches co-ordinate near perfectly with the color story specific to the expansion pack. If you hold up the assets of Solarium Tea Time Kit and Royalty and Legacy together? You’d think it’s all part of the same pack. They’re pretty close. Too close.
Of course, you could argue that it was made to co-ordinate with The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy…which, okay, sure, but why? Why make a kit to co-ordinate with a pack? We all remember the uproar around The Sims 4 My First Pet Stuff, but it also seemed to have turned a decent profit, so who knows. It just feels somewhat odd to make two fresh kits that just so happen to mesh well with a fresh out of the oven expansion. I mean, The Sims 4 Castle Estate Kit very much exists, but isn’t included in the bundle.
My concern isn’t really for the Simmers like me who pre-ordered and/or bought the bundle before the cut off date. It’s more for the principle of it all. Yes, the bundle is a good deal in my eyes, but there should be a balance. So it feels a bit unfair to a kit as part of a limited time bundle as it feels like artificially halving the content of the expansion. So, there’s that.
“Is she done yapping yet?” You all, probably
But, in terms of the kit in it’s entirety? I would it’s lovely as part of the bundle, or on sale. While it feels like a lovely extension to The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy‘s roster of content it is far from essential. The pack, by default, comes with it’s own tea set, and a variety of other packs also have snack trays and banquet tables. The hero items here are just a cute twist on an old concept. Enjoyable, but average. I personally wouldn’t have bought this kit if not for the bundle, though I do like it now that I have it.
The ultimate decision on what you need or don’t, as ever, falls in your hands, dear reader. I just hope I was able to give you a broader perspective before you wipe out your debit card and have to remember those three numbers on the back.
Have you already picked up The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy Grand Bundle? Or are you just letting it mellow till a sale. Let us know in the comment section down below, and always know that The Sims Community will keep you up-to-date on The Sims 4 and other LifeSim games! Make sure to check out our other The Sims 4 Kits reviews if you’re still down for a read.