The Sims 4: Horse Ranch Critic Reviews

The Sims 4 Horse Ranch has given me the equestrian content of my dreams, with a wide variety of horse breeds to choose from and beautiful riding animations. From adorable little farm animals to artisan wine making, there is a lot to love in Horse Ranch. I am only left wishing it was all a bit less Western.

The horses here are an absolute delight and steal the show, and a large part of that is due to how much attention was given to them. Rather than spreading their resources a little thin, the developer was able to deliver on the main selling point of the expansion. And while it may not be as game-changing as some of the most highly-regarded packs, Horse Ranch shows that sometimes less is more and that having a more focused approach with the right theme can pay off.

Whether or not you're a horse lover, The Sims 4 Horse Ranch is an Expansion Pack worth checking out. Horses lived up to expectations, being beautifully modelled and animated, not being overwhelmingly challenging to manage, and providing plenty of fun new gameplay. The mini goats and sheep add a little extra fun and cuteness as well. The world of Chestnut Ridge is perfect for the new gameplay in Horse Ranch and is one of the most scenic and tranquil worlds in The Sims 4. There was some great new stuff added in Create-A-Sim and Build Mode as well, although I feel some extra stuff could have been included. All-in-all, The Sims 4 Horse Ranch will give you a smooth ride in a classically rustic and tranquil setting.

Like most Sims 4 expansion packs at this point, Horse Ranch isn’t revolutionary in any way. It does add plenty of welcome new content, though, and once again the Sims designers prove they can make one hell of an inspiring neighbourhood. If you’re a horse lover, you’re going to absolutely adore getting to bond with The Sims 4’s newest equine residents.

The Sims 4 Horse Ranch does horses right - better even than many horse simulation games. Horse lovers won't care that the rest of the expansion lacks a bit of substance, when horse care and riding is done so well that it almost comes close to the real deal.

I highly recommend playing the Horse Ranch if you love caring for these animals, want to try out a new Sim experience or enjoy farming simulators. Despite its lack of gameplay, it pairs well with the base game and the rest of the DLCs, bringing in a new wave of challenges. The pack has a lot of potential to open other doors in the franchise, and it’s already made me begin my traditional binge-playing for the next few months.

If you're a horse lover, the The Sims 4 Horse Ranch expansion is a no-brainier. For anyone else, this is one that it might not be a bad thing to skip.

The latest expansion pack has a couple of shortcomings but brings a whole lot of fun. It enriches the game’s world, provides many activities, offers different ways of running a backyard business, and gives a lot of freedom in how you handle the horses.

This latest Sims 4 DLC delivers exactly what it claims to and little more. Were this a Game Pack there would be nothing wrong with that, but with the steeper price tag of an Expansion Pack the areas that barely scratch the surface of what they could be or remain unexplored entirely are more glaring. That being said, Chestnut Ridge is beautiful and several elements of the EP are legitimately fun despite these flaws, and players who have long been clamoring for horses in the game will certainly want to pick up The Sims 4 Horse Ranch - it just may be worth waiting for a sale.

It’s a great escape to the ‘wild west’ countryside, but one without significant bells and whistles.

Ultimately, The Sims 4 Horse Ranch feels more like a Game Pack than an Expansion. If you're mad about horses, then you'll get immeasurable joy from the DLC, and it will be well worth your time just to see your foals take their first steps on your ranch. However, if you're expecting a full-fledged Expansion with everything that comes with that, full neighbourhoods, activities, storylines and more, you may feel disappointed.

The Sims 4 Horse Ranch is unfortunately a wonderful concept rendered almost unplayable due to bugs, and both my Sim and animals getting stuck. The CAS clothing items and Build Mode pieces are fantastic and add a lot to the game, especially if building a ranch or country theme is your jam. Bonding with your horse and the interactions between both your Sim and the animals is heartwarming, and riding is loads of fun. I’d have liked to see more with the Equestrian Center and competitions, not being able to go inside is kind of a bummer and a waste of space. As much as I’d have loved to explore all that Horse Ranch has to offer, I just can’t play it in its current state. I’d love to adjust my review at a later date if things improve.