Country Livin' Store Set Review

Welcome to another review by AznSensei towards the newest addition in April 2013: The Country Livin' Store Set.

This particular set is pretty much a combination of both Build/Buy and CAS that is themed towards living in the countryside. Included also is a brand new premium content object never before introduced in The Sims franchise (I believe so?). It is called the Fowl and Feathers Chicken Coop and I will discuss that later in the blog also.

This 25-item count set includes not only the brand new premium content, but 10 build/buy objects and 14 CAS options, which is more than just YA/Adult. The price of this set is currently 1250/1500 Simpoints until 4/18/13 and the price breakdown is below:

Chicken Coop: 600 Simpoints
Female Child Top: 50 Simpoints
Female Child Bottom: 50 Simpoints
Female Elder Outfit: 25 Simpints
Female Elder Shirt: 25 Simpoints
Female Elder Sweater: 25 Simpoints
Toddler Outfit (Both Genders): 50 Simpoints
Elder Male Outfit: 25 Simpoints
Other CAS: 7x75 Simpoints = 525 Simpoints
Pantry Decor: 50 Simpoints
Lights and Decor: 5x25 = 125 Simpoints
Dining Chair: 75 Simpoints
Sink: 75 Simpoints
Picnic Table: 100 Simpoints

Total Individual Item Cost: 1875 Simpoints
Set Cost: 1250/1500 Simpoints

Savings: 625/375 Simpoints

Personally, it seems like a normal price and it's up to you guys to decide if getting a bunch of new clothing, some decor objects for your dining room and a brand new premium content is worth it. The 625 Savings on the early bird discount seems normal as the past "regular" sets (Not the Venue or World) have been close to that amount of savings for the entire set. Therefore, it's just another savings and I think it was worth the savings, considering the stuff that comes with it.

The theme of this set does seem lacking as the build/buy objects are just a small amount. Personally, I do wish they would stop mix-and-matching the CAS and Build/Buy as we could have gotten a fleshed out Dining/Living Set or a bunch of more clothing options. The country theme is a nice change of pace also, but again it does seem like a common theme as it can be found in multiple Expansion Packs, even the base game themselves. Therefore, this is a nice small addition to the already same theme we have had already.

For the Build/Buy portion of the set, I do feel like there are a couple of easter eggs within the set itself. First off is since we are getting a Chicken Coop, we are given a milk jug decor. It "could" be a hint towards cows in the near future, or even a full-fledged Farming Expansion Pack that may happen in 2014. Who knows! All I remember is that I did a survey about the Farming Expansion Pack and it seemed pretty good from what I read. Other than that, the supposed "Love Set" is also hinted in one of the shelf decor with the heart and everything (Assuming some individuals might think of it as a teaser). I will go more in-depth about the Build/Buy Mode later in the guide.

For the CAS portion of the set, there is some great joy given in this set. First off, it's not focused on just the Young Adult/Adult Category. Instead, MULTIPLE age groups have been included, especially ELDERS! Unfortunately, teens have been shafted in this set, so only Toddlers, Children, YA/Adult, and Elders get some new clothing options. While there isn't a huge clothing selection for all age groups (meaning at most 1 outfit for each age category) it's just simply amazing that the store team finally includes more than 1 age category in a set. I will showcase more later on in the guide.

Fowl and Feathers Chicken Coop

This new premium content object included with the set itself provides something new to The Sims 3 rather than the typical entertainment, luxury, futuristic, etc. content we have been given so far. While it would be nice to have more farming-related premium content, I just prefer an expansion pack that DOES go in-depth in terms of raising animals. Even though this object showcases and animates as if you are taking care of chickens, please remember that they are just part of the object itself. The chickens don't die, nor can you get them away from the object itself so the only gameplay introduced is tied to the object. I'm sure some players are a "tad" disappointed too that they can't make fried chicken with this coop (but of course, the main purpose of this object is to make fried chicken >.>).

If you let the chicken coop stay until sunrise, then you will hear the chicken cockle as soon as morning hits. It's a nice little sound effect that makes it worthwhile getting this PC Item also.

The Chicken Coop comes with 4 different pre-made recolors of it, so you can choose which style you want and also fully customize on how the coop looks. Of course, you can't customize how the chickens look.

This brand new premium content object is a 3x4 object that has 6 Different interactions:

1. Feed Chickens

2. Ask....

3. Harvest Eggs

4. Play With Chicks

5. Argue with Charles the Chicken

6. Fight with Charles the Chicken

The first option is pretty self-explanatory. Your sim (from Child and Older) can feed the chickens in the two boxes in the bottom left part of the coop and you will see them eat the feed. It costs $5 simoleons, so just be cautious with your wallet if you choose to feed them constantly. Feeding them will increase the possibility of obtaining eggs from the pen, which will be discussed later.

The second option is pretty much asking the chicken jokes. You will have different questions to ask and they can range to multiple endless possibilities. So far the questions being asked are the following:

- Why Chickens Cross the Road
- How Many Roads Must a Chicken Walk Down
- Which is Better: One Horse-Sized Chicken or 100 Chicken-Sized Horses
- Why a Chicken is Like a Writing Desk

and much more..

Although, you won't get any responses and only see your sim interact with the chicken, you will get a moodlet known as the Universal Enlightment Moodlet. It gives you +30 mood and lasts for 5 hours.

The third option involves obtaining brand new eggs. Even though there won't be any eggs when you initially buy the coop, there will be some in due time. If you hover over the harvest eggs option, it tells you how many hours until the eggs are harvested. You can choose to harvest eggs, or leave them there in order to hatch into chickens. Harvesting these eggs can vary and you can sell the eggs, or use them in normal egg recipes. The amount of eggs you get can be random and there are possibilities of different-colored eggs. There is a chance of getting a rare exotic egg and your sim will get the Egg-Static! Moodlet along with a boost in Fun.

If you leave the eggs in there, you have the option to hatch them into chicks, which is adorable and will be shown in the next part.

The fourth option can only be activated if the eggs hatch into chicks. The time it takes for the eggs to hatch into chicks can vary, and I  think it takes around a day for them to hatch. After hatching, your sim can play with the chicks, and it is totes adorable, especially if you have child sims playing with the chicks. You get the Chick Magnet Moodlet after playing with the chicks.

The fifth option is a fun new interaction that is both amusing, and horrible to your sim, should you pursue it. Inside the chicken coop is a horrible chicken known as Charles the Evil Chicken. No one knows for sure whether Charles is really a male or female, but we may never know. Arguing enough with this chicken can lead to the final option given. There are no moodlets given with this, but you can view the result of what the chicken states in your argument. The different comments vary and all may not be said in one entire sitting.

The last option is the Fight with Charles the Evil Chicken. After your sim has gotten in a heated argument with Charles or just wants to pick a fight for no reason, Charles and your sim will get in a huge fight. The result can be either your sim loses or charles loses. Most of the time charles will lose and you will get the Victory Tastes like Chicken Moodlet which lasts 4 hours and gives you +20 mood. After you fight with Charles, there will be a time frame after the fight (normally around 2 hours) in order for Charles to fight again.  Losing to Charles will get you the Chicken Blocked Moodlet, which is a negative moodlet.

Other than that, there are no other moodlets or interactions involved. Pets cannot interact with it, and I hear these make awesome zombie distractions too. I wonder who will win: Charles The Evil Chicken or a Zombie. It's something for you to test out yourself why don'cha? 

Build/Buy

Pretty much the end of this review just showcases the objects introduced in the set along with the recolors that are added. I hope you guys get to see all the designs of certain objects and I think they are "decently" designed. There are a lot of floral patterns in most of the objects and I do wish there was non-stencil version on some of them. Other than that, it was a nice addition to include a country theme.

CAS

The CAS features include only clothing, so one will not find any new hairstyles (which would be nice to add also). The postives in this part of the set is that it includes almost all of the age categories (except teens). I saw more elder options than YA/Adult options so kudos to the store team for introducing this. 

Some of the outfits are classified for both genders such as one outfit in the Child Category, and another in the toddler category. Other than that, most of the outfits are at the appropriate age state. I do wished they added some more bottoms too to go with the tops for the YA/Adult and Elder Categories.

Female

Male

Overall Review

That goes the end of my review, and now I will be giving scores on what I've reviewed so far in regards to this set. 

Price: 8/10 - While it may be the typical discount when it comes to buying a set versus individual content, the price for a 25 item set, including one premium content isn't really bad considering it's almost $10, which is half a stuff pack. We've rarely seen a store set that's under the 1300 Simpoint range so it's a fresh of air when the price was out. I was shocked too at the price tbh.

Theme: 8/10 - This theme hasn't been made into the store in quite some time so it's a nice addition to some of the oldest sets that could incorporate this theme. While the theme of country has been released here and there in multiple expansion packs, there is a limitation on what to add more to the theme and I'm kind of glad the store team was able to figure out and create something that isn't the same boring theme. I'd recommend owning Pets and Supernatural to get that country feel.

Design 7/10 - The design on some of the Build/Buy and CAS is pretty decent, not the best work the team has done and definitely gives me a feeling of deja vu that I've purchased some of the content before, but other than that it was well made and I do wish the mix-and-match thing will stop. I would have loved a 25 item "Furniture Set" or a 25-option CAS Set rather than some of each part. Then I would utilize the set more to be quite honest.

Premium Content 10/10 - The premium content is a huge seller. While it may have not have some features that players would want, it did it's job for something released as premium content and I was quite happy with the result on how it interacts. I do love the morning rooster call feature along with Charles to add some humor into the game. Also the cutest thing that came with this item is the hatching of little chicks. 

Overall: 8.25/10 - I like this set and there were some ups and downs to it, but other than that I enjoyed the PC Item, which is what was the most sought item for me, and I hope to utilize all of the other content. I hope you guys enjoyed this review and have fun with this new set also!