The Sims 4’s new Cottage Living expansion is all about the rural life and arrives this month • Eurogamer.net

What better way to enjoy the summer months than an escape to the countryside for some idyllic cottage living? And what better way to do it without the inconvenience of ever actually having to leave your house than with the Sim’s 4’s latest expansion?

The Sims 4: Cottage Living, which arrives on 22nd July, is the tenth full-scale Expansion Pack (and 42nd bit of paid DLC) to launch for life sim since its release in 2014, and – as its name very much implies – is all about cosy cottages and rustic charm.

Unsurprisingly, top of the list of features coming in Cottage Living is the ability to settle down in a charmingly rustic new abode. Here, players can befriend the likes of wild rabbits, foxes, and birds, while also raising their own animals – including llamas, chickens, and cows for wool, eggs, and milk respectively – in order to start their journey to self-sufficiency.

For those willing to get their hands properly dirty, it’s possible to grow fresh ingredients – think watermelons, aubergines, pumpkins, mushrooms, and lettuce – for use in new recipes like Yorkshire pudding and beef wellington. Seeds can be purchased from the nearby Henford-on-Bagley, an idyllic modern-day village that serves as the expansion’s new neighbourhood.

Here, you’ll find a rural pub – The Gnome’s Arms – alongside a convenient grocery stall, and Crumplebottoms’ garden booth for those seeking out horticultural advice. There’s even a weekly fete, known as the Finchwick Fair, hosting a rotating roster of competitions that give villagers the chance to present their best pies, vegetables, even chickens for judging.

Elsewhere, there are new pastimes including cross-stitch (with over 34 designs to choose from) and jam making. The latter enables players to whip up 16 different varieties of jams, custards, and veggie concoctions – all of which can be popped into the new picnic hamper for those moments when you fancy taking to the hills and nibbling among nature.

Check out Cottage Living’s official reveal trailer above to see its additions in action.

The Sims 4: Cottage Living Expansion Pack comes to PC and consoles on 22nd July and will cost £34.99. Anyone who purchases it by 2nd September will get three bonus items: a rustic rideable bike, a gnome statue, and a lighted tree.