The Sims 4 Riviera Retreat Kit is nice but too specific (review)

[@CosmicHero3]

I still love when they gave us a pack for building medieval castles but zero furniture for the pretty shell we make 🙃

[@Chaos_Fairy]

I beg to differ, respectfully. They expect us to read the lore description and use only Princess Cordelia associated furniture because she owned it. Also the Landgraabs gutting the place for whatever reason and the player decorates the castle to cover it up. Oh yes, that Princess who's into pirates and submarines.

[@CosmicHero3]

@Chaos_Fairy valid point, just for me, codelias furniture didnt scratch that itch

[@second_second_]

yeah. and no CAS and gameplay for it

[@Chaos_Fairy]

@CosmicHero3 me either, though I tried. I wound up using a surprising amount of Cats and Dogs but I still wasn't happy my castle still looked like a modern renovation.

[@CosmicHero3]

@Chaos_Fairy i used all kinds of packs lol, realm of magic gets pretty close too :)

[@mumplaysthesims8396]

I got your analogy Satch. My English teacher said the same about my homework once "you gave me the icing, but I want the cake"

[@Kualinar]

It's like a sunday, but without the ice cream, and only half of the dressing.

[@tiffanygilbert8188]

The drink tray is usable!

[@Itzrenaynay]

Bump!

[@driesbaelen2221]

bump!

[@Lyra4ran]

Progress!

[@Jomama-man]

Boosting

[@MarishkaVladimirescu]

Up

[@Zombiezemb]

I think maybe the candle lights were meant to be in the castle kit, but they forgot to add it, so they put it in this one. To me, they look like they are meant to be on the wall of a castle.

[@Jomama-man]

Same thought I had

[@Rabellaka.]

All the rock items in this kit match the swatches in the castle kit. The archway matches perfectly in my half-built castle, and the candle and fountain look great!

[@simsspeler1757]

The candle light should have been in the castle kit! It matches in the castle kit, and feels totally random in this one.

[@crazygamer_1082]

It’s giving “this was in TS3 Island Paradise expansion but after years of Island Living being out. We’re giving you less than one percent of what COULD be in a hotel” 😂😂

[@BelgianDude]

Instead of having an item per wall height (doors and windows), they should make it like the kitchen cabinets that 1 door or window automatically comes in 3 height variants but without each counting as 1 seperate object. That way, EVERY door and window will have a small, medium and tall wall height. Which obviously is a win-win situation as there usually aren't a lot of choices in those bigger walls categories... and it wouldn't impact the pack's content since it would count as only 1 item instead of 3.

[@tofuwaifuu]

Plus, it wouldn’t clutter the catalog so much!

[@amberbouley]

That is a very smart idea. I'm not sure if it could be implemented this late in the game but it would be awesome as a future patch update.

[@reynavaldez13]

the same should be in rugs category. I really like pattern on that one but it is skinny so i can't use that. If we have this "machine cog" like in kitchen counters to choose size for pattern it would be perfect!

[@Maria_Espino]

Also --- the frosting analogy makes PERFECT SENSE. The cake would have been curved walls (for round pools), various stair types (not ladders) that allow your Sims to step into the water, built in whirlpools with swim up entrances, built in bars (like in hotels where you swim up to the bars), more pool trims besides just 1 (same for the 1 ladder), the ability to set a HEIGHT for your pools so you could have slopes from shallow to deep, and for the love of god a real diving board ..... I mean, that's the CAKE.

[@Pressbutan]

I can't believe the Sims team released a kit ostensibly about swimming pools and didn't offer a simple diving board or water slide. What a joke.

[@pyronei]

proud to say ive never bought a single sims kit

[@JinNeptune]

Same I only got the free ones

[@silentSimmer65]

Same lol

[@aero_makes_stuff]

the only kit i ever got was the industrial loft one lol

[@Nicole-kc1vx]

Every single one i've bought ended up being given away for free 🙃 I have learnt my lesson, clearly whatever I like will eventually be given away so I should just be patient.

[@aiciul118]

me too! but i have them all ;)

[@kaylabreu75]

The items are decent but this should be a free update imo

[@Fiemus9]

Cosmetic items is the best compromise we can get from a big shareholder company like EA. If there’s no expensive cosmetics there will be no incentive to be nice big expansion packs. If they don’t start making working expansion packs it’s shitty but for the future of the sims cosmetic micro transactions is literally the best chance we have for getting good gameplay packs

[@ajanasso7356]

Ngl, I really like this kit. Not going to buy it, but the style is really pretty.

[@KierstenFaith101]

and still no pool slide...

[@lirpa2300]

Or swim up bars. They could of added hammocks or double chair loungers for multiple Sims to sit together, round loungers even cabanas. But knowing them, they would have claimed that would have been too much for a kit.

[@taniabailey77]

I know! I mean, can't we have just ONE slide?!

[@second_second_]

@@taniabailey77 Even kids don't have slides.. why only toddler. but at least we got toddler's slides..?

[@leontineketting97]

I haven't thought of hammocks or double chair loungers but i DID wonder why they didn't added atleast one pool slide in this kit

[@kgreenough66]

Okay, so being from the US, I just can't stop laughing every time when you say "As the Americans say" I absolutely love it!! I am never not smiling after watching your videos!!

[@Pressbutan]

Same. His midwestern accent is so goddamn good. High, tight and nasal-ly. I would pay to see Satch do an entire stand up comedy set just doing impressions of different American regions

[@FaiGal]

The stuff kinda looks nice imo but I'll wait until it's free lol

[@Lindsey34343]

“Ok. These are rocks.” I adore you Satch. This review was actually quite nice of you.

[@djmckay4869]

I wasn't going to buy this kit until I saw this. So many of the items I can see myself using in game. Thanks for showing us this.

[@bookswmadi]

Right! I love the stone wall, the padoga, and yes, the rocks. Plus i play medieval so that weird candle light will work. I'm waiting for a sale to buy cottage living, so i may buy this kit then... we'll see how cheap they make cottage living hebe

[@mymom504]

🤣🤣🤣my first courtyard oasis stuff, Satch you are too funny

[@iamnotjack.whydidichange]

The tray is not fake. You can drink from it. I played with just the base game for a long time and I think you can build a garden area alright with this kit. I continue to not agree with "kits should go well with the base game or it's out of place". The truth is you can build whatever you want in those worlds and I do apprecciate cultural/architectonic diversity. Honestly I wish we had an asian kit with more traditional items or even african. So what if there isn't those worlds in base game?

[@bosoudang]

I agree with the asian and african traditional inspired kit. Im sooo tired of basic/plain furniture in the sims 4! All the furniture is boring, squarish and very western looking. Wheres the prints?! I want cheetah print on my sofas, i want snake prints on my chairs! Zebra prints on my rugs! As a gay man who loves more is more, i want prints, metallic, glitter, very rich colour. Thats why i love the deco to the max kit, but the items in that kit is not enough

[@baniboo]

I think he still has a point. It would be much nicer to build with that style of furniture in a world that actually suits it without having to spend even more money. Ultimately the point is it'd be nice to have culturally and architecturally diverse worlds in the base game

[@iamnotjack.whydidichange]

@@baniboo yes, but that cant be expected from a base game. Sims 1 only had 1 world, sims2 had 3 worlds and I think sims3 only had 1. Sims 4 already has 3. And they were all american, except sims2 veronaville. It is an american game so I understand why.

[@baniboo]

@@iamnotjack.whydidichange in my opinion it can be expected that a franchise evolves in 24 years and would occasionally, if only once a year, expand the game that they want their players to continue playing. literally every other game with micro transactions does it, look at genshin impact, look at any fps game releasing new maps and characters regularly.. EA has very successfully destroyed healthy expectations of their playerbase

[@iamnotjack.whydidichange]

@@baniboo exactly, you said it. "Expand", thats what expansions are for. And please dont speak of microtransactions, those will be the death of the game. Its already bad enough they make us pay so much, imagine if you had to pay a dollar for an hairstyle. I think its fair as it is. Its an american game, so we get american worlds in base game. Because if they did a non-american world, then it would be unfair for everyone else. There had to be like a far-east world, a southeast asian world, an arabian world, a northern african world, a central african world, an australian world, islands world, northern europe world, south european world, central europe world, south american world, a central america world. That would be the minimum to be more or less fair for everyone, but it would be too much for a base game. You would need at least 13 worlds

[@CosimaNonymouse]

Right. Why would they actually fix the game when they can just dish out recolored and re-textured stuff.

[@donwanchu2no]

They should give us a normal diving board like we had in sims 2 & 3. Not in a kit but base game

[@mojyoqueen350]

I must admit, this cake analogy was very good! I'd pay for it to continue, instead of buying that kit.

[@owlwolf.]

TY Satch! Always so quick with a review. Much appreciated! 🥰

[@ShanekayDennis]

Petition to reduce these kits to like $1.99 or something because these are not worth $5 at all. Side note, I really like the swatches and the pedoga (?), however its not enough for me to shell out $5 for it

[@donwanchu2no]

That would be nice but I think its wishfull thinking. I have noticed here in Norway the price for the last 4 kits have gone up. Goth Galore and older are 49kr and the Party Essentials, Urban, and these 2 that were just released are 59kr. (1 usd is aprox 10kr) so that is about a dollar more we are now paying for the newer kits. 🙄

[@marcosmith4764]

If you can’t afford $5 then it’s not for you.. I buy the kits every time they drop and never even notice. I would’ve spent the money on DoorDash anyway. Like what is $5… 🥴 are y’all really that broke. If you can’t spare $5 then maybe you should be doing something more productive than playing video games.

[@ree3492]

​@@marcosmith4764 Keep supporting the bare minimum effort of EA 😍 Thanks for keeping TS4 alive, buggy, lacking and broken upon released ♥️

[@marcosmith4764]

@@ree3492 My game works just fine, Dine Out and all. I think y’all don’t really understand how the game operates or the way it’s coded which gives a lot of the problems y’all have, plus all the mods and stuff people use. I don’t feel like the kits are bare minimum, I love the stuff it adds to the game. I get some of y’all try to recreate y’all reality in game because y’all life sucks in real life, but not everyone is that invested. It’s a whole millions of people that play The Sims that dont even know half of the stuff y’all complain about is even going on. Not everyone who plays Sims follows this stuff on KZbin, that’s just a small community. If you don’t like the game, don’t play it. It’s really as simple as that.

[@ShanekayDennis]

@marcosmith4764 if you spend are able to spend $10 on kits every road map irrespective of the value then this conversation isn't for you innit

[@rebeccamadsen4509]

I would be the one saying "omg guys a new archway!". It never fails that we get a new pack, whatever it is and I feel meh about most items but then there's that one item that would completely change my build experience. In get to work it was the metal stairs for industrial builds, in growing together it was the bath/shower combo, in dine out there was that dingy brick wall paint, in my wedding stories it was the doors... all the time. This archway is amazing. Not as thin as the basegame one but not as medieval looking as the castle estate one. It's perfect😅 Edit: hate that it's just one wall height tho

[@ashleymainmakes]

I wish the torch would have come in the castle kit

[@calliopedanceparty]

Kind of suspect that the kits that work well with the expansions that come out around the same time are something like repurposed assets that ended up getting cut from the expansion

[@bunnyellabell]

it's like they don't have anything actually planned but a single expansion; they make everything for it, then spread all the items amongst 3 overpriced and empty packs.

[@Christine-49]

Great analogy. Makes total sense. Also, I live in St. Louis, MO and at our zoo, we have an area for the elephants called Rivers Edge/ The rock formation you were building looks just like that area in the zoo. So maybe that will give some people other ideas for using the rocks besides for pool areas. Those wall candle lights look like they belong with the castle kit. Maybe they forgot those in that kit and chucked them into this one.

[@name_undefined]

If EA releases another damn pack instead of actually addressing the massive list of things they ACTUALLY need to work on I’m going to feed myself to the Mother Plant.

[@clotildeturner8900]

I thought kits were the decoration - icing. lol love your analogy lol I agree with the curtains and archway size

[@nathanjames9246]

All of the kits have potential, but they're never enough. The idea is nice but cc creators do better all of the time. For example Harrie and Felixandre break their packs into different parts e.g. the Orjanic set. I see each of their parts as a kit equivalent, but when you have them all, they create a full pack. Kits are missing the full picture, you have to rely on other packs for the kit to be worthwhile.

[@nicajb778]

Agree, house of harlix is my go to all the time. And its FREE! If I have extra I donate a little. I'd rather give my money to them than buy a sims kit lol And if France is the theme Felixandre's Chateau collection is really nice

[@alyssaharris7072]

ngl, even though this kit is super random and really struggles to stay on theme, I still might buy it. I NEED THOSE ROCK FOUNTAINS.

[@Simventure77]

I was excited about all the rocks in this kit 😊

[@lil-mumma-adventures]

Your giggle gets me every time ay ❤

[@samuelcp179]

I love love love your analogy, made me laugh so much and agree they could have gone further! But I do think the aesthetic of everything is gorgeous and actually really cohesive of the Riviera look ☺️ as always love hearing your thoughts!

[@leontineketting97]

this kit screams "my wedding stories" which comes with a world called "Tartosa" and i'm loving this kit already🤣😍 i love the other kit but i like this one a little more because i've always wanted more pool options and now i can build something which have more pools in it😍😍 (i wished it came with a poolside slide though)

[@annareifer2249]

ok, tbh, I really love this kit. I will probably just use the most stuff for everything I build 😂

[@brionyhall4250]

The tiled wallpaper would be good in a kitchen on a short wall, with the wall cupboards reaching the top of the ceiling, because then the tiles look like a backsplash. I do like this kit, but I enjoy building. For me, the build ones tend to be worth it. It’s the CAS ones I never bother with.

[@lukathecatlover1216]

I love your content! You're so funny and fun to watch. You make my days better, thank you!

[@1MsEmilyb]

First time I have to disagree. The kit obviously can be used with just base game. It’s not the same concept but looks great on the base game house in the video. The tile can be used in kitchens and the drink tray does work. Also it is just a kits it’s not supposed to make a whole house.

[@bunnyellabell]

if they just hadn't created kits at the last minute, this could've been a stuff or game pack with some actual content. i think that's the real underlying issue lots of players have with the kit situation.

[@1MsEmilyb]

@@bunnyellabell well we have kits now. And this is one. It’s not supposed to fill a whole house and it’s probably going to add to future expansion packs.

[@SilverInAWorldOfGrey]

I love the analogy rant 😂🙌🏽 Your energy and vibe are fantastic btw 🫂😊 I have been thoroughly enjoying all your content.

[@Hatsunepuffball]

Tbh I think kits are great for what they are but they’re not great compared to their price

[@magicmonster6877]

Half of this stuff will go with the castle kit

[@Rabellaka.]

Yes! The rocks, rock wall, arch, and fountain match the Castle Estate swatches, and the curtains and candle fit the aesthetic.

[@ilovebeingme9573]

Omg yes about the wall heights. I loved this video ❤

[@e.my.]

weirdly enough this is the first kit I every bought and I’m OBSESSED 😂 love the crazy wallpaper and floors and I think it works really well with the Courtyard Oasis Kit because that one has the peach swatches too

[@second_second_]

wanna look at how it looks like when paired with courtyard oasis. i love courtyard oasis

[@e.my.]

⁠looks really nice :)

[@MissisChannel]

I LOVE this kit! ALL my builds have pools and the inflatable the fountains alone make it worth it the pergola is lovely too.

[@truetaylee]

Love your honest reviews!

[@AJ-tiltagirl]

Satch, that cake analogy was spot-on! (And super clever😉)

[@ajacobs8886]

The analogy is so good. I think the items in the kit are very pretty

[@evestree]

I really love this decor theme! And agree that they should give multiple sizes and styles to each object! I Always choose to watch your reviews first!! 😂 you get straight to it ❤love ya satch! ❤❤❤

[@NathanRichards-rg8sg]

The drinks thing is functional 😊

[@regishel]

Can't wait to see your Bistro review, it's probably the second time Ever I considered if I wanted a Kit DLC, because it looks like something out of The Show EastEnders that I like, it could be kind of fun to try to build the Queen Vic pub from EastEnders. Maybe I'll ask for a Christmas gift if the kit is good🤷‍♀️

[@jupiterthree5228]

You're SO right about the frosting. I feel that way about most packs. It's just some packs come with frosting and eggs but nothing else.

[@Lovlyb35]

The drink tray is useable too

[@lovelyviruz]

The drink stand actually is usable.

[@apj0406]

As a Spanish girl I personally love it, although yes it is specific

[@devlinaofdestiny]

The drinks tray is actually usable btw! The glasses are quite nice

[@ajharris78]

The drink tray is usable. I saw it in another review.

[@samsmith9370]

The sims DESPERATELY needs an Araban-inspired world!

[@CrystalHickerson]

I actually kind of like this. Thanks for showing it to us.. It's kind of nice. Nice little stuf for outside. I'm liking just about everything I'm seeing. So yay!

[@Orenjen]

i actually love this one it's giving French Riviera and I've just been to Nice and honestly it's on point for that vibe, i just HOOOPE the expansion world is French themed! Like the French countryside & medieval villages such as Gourdon, then the castle kit would work there too! And with the cozy bistro kit, again, v French. Love it, just hope the expansion pack ties it all together like I'm hoping

[@xxxxxx-rm1vd]

Honestly, Satch is the only sims youtuber I watch because love his vibe

[@simsspeler1757]

This kit gives access to several items that are locked behind more expensive DLC: the firepit, the pool floatie and the functional drink tray. That could make it worth while for some simmers. I think it goes very well with tartosa or even selva dorada if you want a pool there. The torch should have been in the castle kit.

[@Inuyasha8185]

I like the style but I wish it had more items. I always feel disappointed how there is very few items. Why I wish kits will have a sale.

[@annekeener4119]

The drinks tray is functional. You can use it to serve drinks.

[@jessicaloveshiking]

The drink tray is functional Satch

[@1992salala]

the drink tray is functional. U can serve mint citrus nectar

[@Essylrui]

something like this should go in a bundle for the price they are selling it

[@Rabellaka.]

I love this kit, and the swatches match the Castle Estate Kit. Other than the candle wall light, I don’t think they should have been combined or anything, I’m just extremely impressed that they have two different packs with matching swatches! As a builder, I have lots of ideas for the waterfall rocks, and I’ve already used both kits in a shell challenge I’m working on. Plus, working drinks tray!!! Why couldn’t they do that for the Party Essentials kit?

[@BrycenStone]

I bought this just for the pool rock fountains...love them 😊😊

[@anklebiter.0o]

i mean, sure, in an ideal world kits would match base game to some degree but i’d say most of the player base doesn’t just use base game, whether that’s because of cc or packs. i think it’s good that they make packs like this that definitely don’t match base game but do match other packs.

[@sarar3385]

The first wall swatch is giving me vibes from sims 3 world adventures. It reminds me of the Egypt world. A lot of this pack reminds me of world adventures.

[@sarhahillsburg5142]

For anything in Sim4 that they want me to buy i always ask, "Can i get the same if not more and better quality from CC for free? Yes? Then EA has failed."

[@V-Bug]

Thats a great analogy for all Sims 4 kits

[@BrokenDollyTV]

i don't expect much from ea, ever. so for low expectations, this is charming.

[@mandragore4006]

I like this both kits... warm atmosphere, perfect for idleness !

[@MuirlySims]

The kit is very French. The fire pit is useable, the drinks tray is usable, and there are two pool trims with this kit. It's specific because (and this is pure speculation) I have an inkling that the new world is going to be based on France, which means that the two kits will work very well with the new world (if I'm right). Would I have rather they give us a more fleshed out stuff pack instead of two kits? Yes. Am I mad about it? No, because these are actually pretty decent for kits. The artists did a great job.

[@Vee_Xx7]

11:31 I love his humour 😭😭

[@sillylittleash]

i'd love to see a french themed world for the romance pack

[@JusticiaGrand]

Because we got two Mediterranean kits plus the road map was Mediterranean inspired, I think we will get an Italy or south of France inspired village town. Or something Greek inspired as an expansion pack world.

[@VoidDaddy]

I get the cake analogy, but I also think it's kinda nice to get all over the place kits that kinda ties a few packs together... Although I'm a firm believer that those candles would fit better in the Castle Kit XD

[@s.p.pepper459]

I only have a few kits, but I have this one and really love it. But I don’t mind building a pool area that has a different style from the rest of the house. And as I don’t have seasons, all my gardens are sunny and the mediterran style does fit 😂

[@michellem2926]

I feel like the mix of modern, rustic and old fashioned fits with the "french riviera" vibes, but it doesn't fit in with TS4. It's very typical french or mediterrenaen richer neighbourhoods, to have these really old buildings with modern furniture. But also the wallpaper you liked look sooo similar to the neighbouring house, so we clearly have something similar in the base game!

[@wumbology6072]

At first I was like “that’s a lotta rocks, what does this do for me?” But I love watching this review so I know what’s up before I buy!

[@Agustin9191]

I am gonna buy it, you convinced me, it looks nice

[@blondeee]

I think the style and most of the items are really cute, but they could do more honestly. If I want cute furniture, I can get cc 😕.

[@carmenphoon]

Why can't they just give us a pool slide already??

[@leontineketting97]

that's also the first thing that came in mind, i mean this kit is based on (swimming) pools my first reaction *why can't we have a pool slide?*

[@Martina_BCJdesign]

I spend so much time trying to make those darn natural pools with grotto streams, and adjusting fountain sprays takes forever....this just saves me so much time xD I have a Mediterranean style house with items from 4 expansion packs and a couple kits cause I still didn't get over Sims 3. But I mostly build, for 24 years now since Sims first came out 😅 So I guess it's more for builders. I've seen on lilsimse video that the tray is usable, haven't tried it myself yet but it looked cool.

[@ChaoticMoira]

I totally agree about kits not having enough stuff and the door heights. But I do like the kit. The new interaction with the pool float is a pleasant surprise. I can mix these things into the worlds I have. I do agree though that kits often tie in with other packs despite what they say. I think the next world could be latin based. Likely beachy as well. Both go with the romance theme. Ugh, I just want a new city..

[@thecryptidGrey]

I actually really like this kit and I think everything's quite versatile, I can see myself using something from this kit in every build! It's just as you say, they really limit themselves. I hardly ever build on the lowest wall height, so the arch and curtains are useless- which is disappointing, because I think the curtain is my favourite piece- and it really is a bit disjointed, especially with the table setting stuff. I'll get it, but I def won't be paying for it!

[@KdSims]

I’m actually liking this kit. I definitely see myself using this. Right now, no. Maybe in the future. Wish they included different wall height for the door and more floor texture.

[@_emoboii_]

love you satch!

[@kate98856]

EA is trying to imitate with some Kits what mod creators do. Only unlike mod creators who, if they create a collection in a specific style, create entire sets that can be used to create an entire plot, not just one room. And the rest is left.

[@RavenG.est95]

I love that cake analogy.

[@livski3295]

I wonder if the two kits are going to fit into the world we get in the expansion? Riveria and Bistro feels very France

[@jessicahatter6518]

I want Above Ground pools in TS4!😩

[@fridawarnemyr6025]

This kit would look great with the castle estate kit. Lots of pieces here would work with that one.

[@shatyrajones494]

Just my opinion, I like this kit. I've been trying to rebuild the Sims 4 worlds, and this would look great in my Tartosa overhaul. The more build items, the better

[@omnibubbles]

@11:57 this is what The SIms 4 is, an abomination that gives you sweet promises. A box labeled: cake inside but it's just a icing bag~ so you can create your own journey to build your own dream cake. The fact that EA is so blind to what we actually want and refuses any constructive criticism of any DLC is just sad. I loathe the bubble of positivity that pats EA's back, I don't know many other Simmers that are like you and it's refreshing.

[@Ivi_T]

I just hope that the world gives us an environment to implement both of these kits.

[@BennyBoy_Alpha]

Satch the drinks tray is functional.

[@SatchOnSims]

really??

[@driesbaelen2221]

@@SatchOnSims Yes!

[@Nicole-kc1vx]

Are there new drink selections? Or is the drink selection the same from the patio stuff pack?

[@mermaidqueen9881]

It's true and the drinks are cute!

[@Ginasbeautypalette]

Thats not a fake drinks table. It works

[@NinjaCakkey]

Lovely cake analogy. 🍰