The Sims 4 Lovestruck caused a lot of drama in my Sims household – and it was delicious drama indeed. This new expansion pack is focused solely on romance, introducing new interactions, a dynamic jealousy system for Sims, a new date-friendly world, an in-game dating system, and of course, the return of the classic The Sims-era heart-shaped bed.
They’re all small-scale additions to the world of The Sims 4 in Lovestruck – and while that contributes to a lack of grandeur and scope for the pack overall, everything this expansion offers is wonderful. If you’re looking to introduce a more personal, dynamic relationship system where romance feels earned, and every action in a relationship has consequences, this is the pack for you.
You won’t find anything game-changing here – as a reference point, prior expansion pack For Rent genuinely felt transformative – but with incremental tweaks to interactions, Lovestruck arrives packed with dramatic potential.
Kindling romance in Lovestruck
My foray into Lovestruck began with a new group of budding singles (with individualised turn-ons, turn-offs, and romantic boundaries) moving to the town of Ciudad Enamorada, a new location with plenty of greenery and flowers, and opportunities for cute dates. There’s a fun nightclub space in this town, as well as a lounge that feels great for meet-cutes. Beyond this, what’s most appealing about Ciudad Enamorada is that it has massive 50 x 40 land lots for grand palaces, so you can move your Sims to this location, and let them live out their dreams of livin’ large.
Once settled, I let each Sim take off on their new, whirlwind romances – with some quirks to test the capabilities of Lovestruck‘s new systems. One of my Sims, Trinity, had no romantic boundaries whatsoever, and was open to polygamy. Another was open to polygamy, but did have romantic boundaries. My third Sim was not open to discussing romantic boundaries, and was set in their beliefs. This paved the way for some layered, juicy romantic interactions that ended (mostly) in tears.
Setting out dates in Lovestruck is a simple, fun process with the new in-game Cupid’s Corner app. It’s a lot like Tinder – you get an image of a Sim, as well as some of their hobbies and turn-ons / turn-offs, and an indication of whether your Sim might be compatible with them. You can save your matches, and then use the app to text or organise a date, if you wish. You can also go on a Blind Date, to try your luck at a random match.
Initiating contact will send your Sim on a first date, and they’ll then be able to get to know their potential beau, and initiate flirtatious contact. Like any event, these dates are goalposted, so you’ll need to complete certain interactions for them to be successful – and once they’re completed, you’ll have the option to continue your romance, or pick it up another time.
While you could already go on dates in the base version of The Sims 4, the addition of ‘get to know you’ dates in Lovestruck makes these romances a touch more personal. You’ll really need to spend time with your potential partner, and learn more about them, before you can effectively interact. There’s also some added spice to these interactions, with new opportunities for shared activities and romantic moves.
Read: The Sims 4: How to level up the Romance Skill
The Costume Trunk is a nice addition in that regard – this is a new item that allows your Sims to play dress up together, with a variety of funny and flirty costumes adding a “roleplay” element to any burgeoning romance. You can dress up as a sexy pirate or fairy, and gain a flirty moodlet from new interactions, or you can go for a racier eggplant or peach costume.
If you’re really feeling funny, the Costume Trunk does include EA’s canon Star Wars costumes, so you can dress up as Darth Maul and Darth Vader to have a steamy smooch.
Further additions, like a blanket you can sit on and that aforementioned heart-shaped bed, are also great for pushing along a romance. Extra decorations also add flavour. I particularly like the new rose-themed wallpaper, and there’s some nice artwork that helps to set a romantic mood.
Romantic Boundaries add much-needed spice
Of all the inclusions in Lovestruck, the most significant is the arrival of romantic boundaries. In allowing for Sims to have multiple partners, and different stances on jealousy, Lovestruck adds layers to its relationships and personalities. One Sim might be okay with multiple partners, easing the burden of loyalty, and the potential heartbreak of cheating. Another Sim won’t be.
That means you’ll need to get to know each of your Sims’ partners and their desires, and have more meaningful conversations about consent, and how to form healthy boundaries. It also complicates traditional relationships, as any Sim with a mind to flirt with another can inspire a sudden break up, and an immediate red romance bar, filled with anger.
Romance is far more delicate with this expansion, and in just two interactions, a relationship can change dramatically. For those looking to create a genuine narrative in The Sims 4, with genuine human touches, it’s a very neat complication – and one that makes Sim life far more exciting.
It’s in these interactions that Lovestruck makes the most difference. As mentioned, it’s not a particularly robust expansion pack, and it doesn’t introduce mechanics that should be considered outright “new.” Rather, it expands on existing features and provides new possibilities, allowing you to live out dramatic new tales, complete with racy, steamy, complex romances.
Three-and-a-half stars: ★★★½
The Sims 4 Lovestruck
Platform(s): PC, Xbox, PlayStation
Developer: Maxis
Publisher: EA
Release Date: 25 July 2024
A PC code for The Sims 4 Lovestruck was provided by the publisher for the purposes of this review. GamesHub reviews were previously rated on a five-point scale. As of 29 July 2024, they are now rated on a 10-point scale.
