The Sims 4 Life & Death Was Inspired By This European Country

The Sims 4‘s latest expansion pack, the scary-good Life & Death, is arguably one of the most exciting expansion packs the game has yet seen. After the announcement that The Sims 4 would remain the core game for The Sims, there was a general sense of concern about the future of the game and whether its scheduled content releases would make up for the base game’s lack of luster. However, thanks to the Life & Death expansion pack’s extremely generous amount of brand-new content and gameplay features, it seems as though The Sims 4 has been saved, at least for the moment.

Life & Death has introduced an abundance of new gameplay features, including the ability for Sims to conduct funerals for the first time in the history of the franchise. The expansion pack has also introduced a Bucket List as well as a four-stage grieving system, and there is even an option for Sims to become playable ghosts. Life & Death has introduced the new world of Ravenwood, which includes three neighborhoods: The Whispering Glen, Crow’s Crossing, and Mourningvale. Each of the three neighborhoods within the world of Ravenwood contains their own unique features, but they all share one commonality: every neighborhood in Ravenwood has been inspired by the home of Dracula, Transylvania in Romania.

Examples Of Romanian Gothic Architecture In Sims 4 Life & Death

New Neighborhoods Use Real Romanian Architectural Tradition

In The Sims 4, the world of Ravenwood and its contents have been predominantly inspired by the architectural foundations that can be found in the Transylvania region of Romania. The establishments in Life & Death have been strongly influenced by the Romanian Revival style, otherwise known as Neo-Romanian and Brancovenesc style. The late 19th century phenomenon was the result of architects trying to establish a unique architectural style for Romania. Characterized by trilled arches, architectural features grouped in threes and tiled ceramic and metal roofs, the Neo-Romanian style was ultimately a revival of medieval Romanian architecture which contained folkloric and religious symbols unique to Romania.

The influence of Romanian Revival architecture is very apparent in Life & Death‘s Ravenwood, with multiple buildings in the game presenting some of the main characteristics of the style. In Crow’s Crossing, players can find a glorious castle which seems to have been inspired by one of the largest castles in Europe, Corvin Castle, a Gothic-Renaissance castle in Hunedoara in Romania. There is also a building in the same neighborhood reminiscent of Cantacuzino Castle, which is situated in the Romanian mountain town of Bușteni. Many of the buildings available in Ravenwood feature the signature Neo-Romanian tiled roofs, and residential lots like The Marigold Château feature the classic trilled arches at the front of the building.

The Sims 4 Doesn’t Shy Away From Real World Inspiration

A True Life Simulator

For the last ten years, The Sims 4 has continuously released a stream of content packs which have contained neighborhoods inspired by real-world locations. The expansion pack of City Living introduced city life to The Sims 4, featuring the world of San Myshuno, which was inspired by places like San Francisco and Tokyo with their cultural festivals and apartments. In Get Together, Windenburg displayed architectural establishments reminiscent of those in Northern European towns.

Players could experience the spotlight in Del Sol Valley with the Get Famous expansion pack which mimicked Los Angeles and Hollywood. Ultimately, The Sims 4 has always derived its architectural inspiration from real-world sources, and the addition of Romanian architecture is a very welcome addition thanks to Life & Death.

Source: The Sims/YouTube

The Sims 4

Released

September 2, 2014

Developer(s)

Maxis

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

Engine

Proprietary Engine

ESRB

T for Teen: Crude Humor, Sexual Themes, Violence

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