Thanatology of life and death can pioneer skills

The latest expansion pack for The Sims 4Life & Death radically changed ghosts in the game. While one of the main points of the expansion may have been revisiting this long-standing occult species, EA and Maxis also made sure to add a ton of new content to the expansion. One of the more interesting additions is Mastery of Thanatology, which at first seems like a typical new skill, but can serve as a template for supernatural skills in The Sims 4 going forward.

Life and Death has been available to the public since Halloween. In addition to the thanatology skills and ghost enhancements, the expansion pack added two new careers, a new world called Ravenwood, several new festivals, and the standard additions of new Create-A-Sim (CAS) and build-and-buy items.

What is thanatology?

Skills of art The Sims 4 either five or ten levels. The Thanatology skill falls under this first camp, which is usually reserved for career skills. For example, the medium skill featured in the Paranormal Stuff Pack has five levels and is the main aspect of the freelance paranormal investigation career.

Like the medium skill, Thanatology is the main skill needed to enter the two new Life & Death careers – Reaper and Undertaker. Undertaker is a standard rabbit hole career like many others The Sims 4 base game, a total of ten levels. Simmers choose which career branch they would like to progress to level five. In comparison, the Reaper career is similar to the other DLC careers, with an entirely new location and gameplay.

Thanatology is the scientific study of death and loss, which makes the inclusion of skills understandable, especially with DLC for The Sims 4 tends to add at least one new skill in each expansion pack. However, Thanatology is quite different not only from the other career skills of the five tiers, but also from the other skills presented in the game's DLC as a whole.

How thanatology stacks up with other supernatural DLC skills

Previous supernatural packs have added skills that pale in comparison to thanatology skills. The Werewolves Game Pack does not add any skills for its occult species, while the Vampires Game Pack introduces the “Vampire Lore” skill. Despite the unremarkable fifteen levels, developing the Vampire Lore skill is pretty boring. Sims can develop this skill by learning Vampire Secrets on the computer, asking others about vampire history, and reading Vampire Books. This last method requires Sims to have at least a second skill level to unlock their first book, which can be purchased on the computer.

Developing the Vampiric Lore skill can lead to mastery of occult species of vampires and cures for vampirism, but the gameplay of this skill itself is mundane and repetitive. In comparison, the Thanatology skill requires players to try a list of different techniques before mastering the skill, despite only having five levels.

The gameplay for this skill combines the supernatural elements of Life and Death with the basic knowledge and social skills of Sims. Expanding the Thanatology skill requires Sims to look up historical deaths in books, read theories on the computer, read skill books, take a Thanatology skill class or a Thanatology elective for university students, and learn Thanatology with the “Electromagnetic Research Archive Machine”. Reading books and using a computer are typical elements of skill development The Sims 4but using classes through the Discover University Expansion Pack is a little unexpected.

In addition, the benefits of mastering the skills of Thanatology once again combine practical life skills with supernatural abilities. Again, Vampire Story skills pale in comparison to Thanatology, as Vampire Story levels unlock items and potions rather than expanding on existing skills and gameplay.

As previously mentioned, Thanatology is a required skill for the Undertaker and Reaper careers. One key aspect of both careers is talking to grieving Sims. Of course, the Thanatology skill unlocks items similar to the Vampire Knowledge skill, but it also adds a new language and interaction with the Grim Reaper. These aspects of the skill enhance social gameplay The Sims 4 while giving players advantages both for their Undertaker career and beyond.

Thanatology's unique gameplay can benefit other occult types

If EA and Maxis decide to take a more social approach to skills going forward, the supernatural gameplay could be more challenging. Obviously, death is a complex and delicate subject, so EA and Maxis' approach to the subject as a skill is different from its predecessors. However, Art Sims The team should use this approach for past occult species and future additions The Sims 4.

All occult species in the game can benefit from this revival. As part of the base game, it makes sense that EA and Maxis would want to take care of ghosts first. But the old occult species added to the game, such as aliens, mermaids and even plant simulators, can be expanded. Plant simulants are the only occult species included in the The Sims 4 base game, meaning that EA and Maxis will update the DLC if they decide to take this approach. However, Art Sims in the past, the team has revised and added new content to DLC, usually in the form of new items. While this will be a new method of updating DLC, the move will likely be welcomed by Simmers with open arms.

EA and Maxis have made the previous occult species interesting by adding new locations related to those occult species for players to explore. In the case of aliens, the location is Saxim. Although this is one way to include new gameplay for The Sims 4supernatural elements, these areas do not have much replay value after the first exploration. In comparison, the Thanatology skill is an integral part of the Life and Death expansion pack, forcing players to use the skill to some degree to progress, but still see a significant return. This version of skill-based gameplay is something EA and Maxis should keep in mind when adding The Sims 4the next species is of the occult type.

Thanatology is a great addition to The Sims 4a long line of skills. While it's unlikely that a new occult species will be added to the game anytime soon, EA and Maxis should pay attention to fan perception of thanatology when developing a new occult type for The Sims 4.