The Sims 4 Castle Estates & Goth Galore Kits Review

WAHOOOO! The Goth Galore Kit is FINALLY here!  And, of course, a new building Kit called Castle Estates.  These Kits were highly anticipated and came from the Road Map Announcement called “Cause a Sensation.”  The Castle Estates Kit and Goth Galore Kit came out on January 18, 2024, so we will look at these two new Kits and how the community is reacting to them in this Kits Review.

Initial Reaction

My initial reaction was much like many other Simmers: “Finally!”  Sure, we have CC that covers all this content.  However, we still needed EA content for these areas.  If you are a PC Simmer, you have the option of CC… Console Simmers do not, so new content can be a big deal.  I am excited to try out these Kits to see what they are all about, as these were highly anticipated Kits.   I am with many Simmers who are like, can you really make a small castle??? Or are all the lots built with this kit going to be 64×64.  Another thought I had. Castle-themed ranch… So many options with these Kits!

Community Reaction

There has been loads of talk on social media about these two Kits! The initial Community Reaction has been the usual mix of excitement and criticism.  Which is to be expected and is the typical response with Kits.  Console players seem super excited as this is very new content they have not had access to.  PC Simmers are a mix between; this is totally new content, not what they expected, and we have CC for that.  So, let’s charge on with the Kits reviews!

The Kits

Last week, The Sims announced their first two Kits of the new year.  These Kits are part of the ‘Cause a Sensation’ January – April Road Map.  The video in this Road Map announcement is in the form of a jewelry box.  This has a lot of Simmers speculating what the upcoming content could be.  The first two Kits are the Castle Estates Kit, which was ‘leaked’ in the EA App, and the Goth Galore Kit.  You can see the accessories I labeled in the announcement video’s screenshot below.

Screenshot from The Sims™ Road Map Video | Twitter/X

The two Kits were the most voted-on Kits when a poll was submitted to the community for feedback in the Spring of 2023.  If you didn’t get a chance to vote, the simple survey was for a Create A Sim (CAS) Kit and a Build Kit.  The options for the CAS Kit were between Rainbowcore and Goth; Goth won (think Enid and Wednesday fashion style, but Wednesday won).  The building Kit options were between a castle-themed Kit and a futuristic-themed Kit, and the castle Kit won.

The Sims™ Castle Estate Kit Image from EA.com

Many Simmers are very excited about the Castle Estate Kit as it is a building content Kit vastly different from the other Kits we have had.  From reviewing and following the Simming Community’s reactions to the Kits, Simmers looks pretty pleased with the Castle Estates Kit.  The only negative response on the Castle Estates Kit I have seen is that some Simmers think it could be difficult to create large lot builds.  Simmers also wonders if the Castles will look good in the worlds available, as most are very modern.

The kit includes twenty-five new build items.  These items include wall paint, floor tiles, doors, archways, stairs, fencing, and other building items.  So, an entire Kit to build you Sims their own castles.  Castle builds are always popular on TSR, so I cannot wait to see what Simmers build with this Kit!  With the swatches of this Kit, it appears to pair well with the Get Together Expansion and the Vampires Pack.

The Sims™ Goth Galore Kit Image from EA.com

The Goth Galore Kit does not seem to be in the style many  Simmers had wished for, leaving many in the Simming Community calling it the ‘Emo Kit.’  Between the two Kits, I see more of a range of reactions with this one.  Simmers seem to be either FINALLY or, meh, not my thing.  We did not have much of this content type from EA, so anything works.

The kit has twenty-four new Create A Sim (CAS) items. They seem to be a variety of Y2k Punk and Death Metal Goth, which would pair well with the Grunge Revival Kit and Werewolves Game Pack.  Keep in mind it is just a Kit, so item number is limited, and Goth fashion is its own entire section of fashion, so there is no way to fit ALL of it into a Kit.

This Goth Galore Kit hits the basics and has a lot of crop tops, which fit a more modern grunge/goth theme.  The boots and all the detailed straps and layers give me y2K Goth Punk vibes. However, many of these pieces are versatile and usable for different looks when combined with other content.

Final Personal Thoughts & Reaction

My view comes from the angle of someone who downloads and works with lots of CC.  I do not play on a console, and I do not play the base game.  I also live the Goth fashion life, so I know Goth fashion VERY well.

🏰 Castle Estates Kit 🏰

I really like the new content items in this Kit.  I feel that the options available with this Kit will allow Simmers to make some really lovely builds without CC.  Non-CC lots are popular, so this Kit helps those Simmers and Console Simmers.  Of all the Castle Estates Kit items, my favorite is the windows.  I like the option for the double windows with the artistic design on the top.  The windows feel completely designed and have a lot of details that tie in the entire Kit nicely. And… they stack evenly on top of each other!

As much as I adore the windows, the biggest plus for this Kit is the number of swatches and variations in the swatches you can mix and match.  For example, the walls all have a solid, dirty, or worn stone and an even more aged stone for most colors.  So I think you could use the more aged stone at the bottom of a lot and the cleaner version towards the center.  Which adds another level of detail to builds.

➡️ If you are a CC User and are looking for MORE content on this theme, check out TSR’s Ye Medieval Artist Collab HERE

🥀 Goth Galore Kit 🖤

Even if the Kit is not what I expected, it still provides excellent base goth clothing items such as mesh sleeves, a layered choker, and other goth staples accessories.  There are so many sub-genres to goth, so I understand if the team couldn’t fit them all in this Kit. Nonetheless, this is a fun Kit for those wanting to dig into their alternative side in The Sims.

I may regret this later, but I like some new makeup.  I do not like the runny eyeliner, but I like the other two makeup items.  The dark lipstick is lovely; it’s matte and pairs well with all clothing items in the pack.  The eyeshadow is also an excellent base piece that can be paired with eyeliner or be used solo.  The Sim in the social photo has the eyeshadow and lipstick on and looks great.

➡️ If you are a CC Simmer and are looking for MORE GOTH content, check out TSR’s OH MY GOTH Collab HERE or The Modern Victorian Goth Collection HERE

Summary

For console players, Kits are essential, so they are a huge deal.  Console players cannot download CC and mods like PC players.  After looking at what is available for Non-CC Simmers, The Castle Galore Kit is a significant addition.  The Goth Galore Kit depends on your style and what options you would like in your game.  If I did not use CC, these Kits would be epic, as they were very much needed.

We have to look at Kits as added content for options for Simmers to add to their playability.  Does that mean you have to buy them? No.  They are additions.  These were the top-voted Kits that the community wanted, and they are not bad at all, so I am not mad that they are in my game.  The Castle Estates Kit is on par with the Courtyard Oasis Kit.  The Goth Galore Kit would be in my top three favorite CAS Kits, after the Fashion Street & Pool Side Splash Kits.

Keep up with more Sims stuff and what I’m up to at @TSR Jezi.

If you are looking for more pack review blogs, check out the following – For Rent Expansion Pack Review, Snowy Escape, Grunge Kit, Oasis Courtyard Kit, Basement Treasures Kit, Cottage Living, Poolside Splash Kit, and Incheon Arrivals & Fashion Street Kits.