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The Sims 4 has always been about the joys of life, but every life eventually comes to an end. With the focus on the afterlife in The Sims 4: Life & Death expansion pack, players now have more meaningful ways to say goodbye to their beloved Sims than ever before.
This expansion introduces the option to organize formal funerals for deceased Sims, a plan that can be influenced long before they even pass away if they leave behind a will. You can gather family and friends at the cemetery to bid farewell by holding a funeral in The Sims 4.
How to Hold a Funeral?
When a Sim passes away in The Sims 4: Life & Death, the Sims left behind can organize a funeral to celebrate the life of the deceased. Regardless of how much time has passed since the death, any Sim can create a funeral event for any ghost with whom they share a relationship, as shown in the Relationships tab. Ghosts of loved ones appear after their passing, allowing you to plan a funeral whenever your Sims feel ready to say goodbye.
Interestingly, you can hold multiple funerals for the same Sim.
To start planning a funeral, you can go through your Sim’s phone in the Social tab or access the calendar below their portrait. The event planning screen will pop up, where you’ll select Funeral from the menu of options. Be sure to choose the departed Sim from the provided section and a hosting Sim, usually the one planning the event.
In the event-planning screen, assemble a guest list of up to eight additional Sims, and consider hiring an entertainer if you wish. You can also hire Mourners to add more attendees, with up to four mourners for each funeral. Next, set a dress code and color from the Guest Attire menu at the bottom of the Plan an Event screen. While not mandatory, having a specific attire theme can enhance the occasion.
How to Score Higher at a Funeral
The next step in planning a funeral for a Sim in The Sims 4: Life & Death involves choosing funeral activities that will take place during the event. Although it may seem unusual to care about the “quality” of a funeral, you wouldn’t want to send your Sims off without making it memorable, right? Like other social gatherings in the game, funerals also have goals to achieve.
After selecting the activities for the funeral, you’ll receive goals related to these activities to complete, all of which contribute toward the funeral’s final score. Pick however you see fit to honor the deceased Sim, but make sure you choose at least three activities, although selecting more is encouraged for a richer experience.
Funeral Events in The Sims 4: Life & Death
The final aspects to finalize are where and when the funeral will take place. You have several options, such as holding it at the departed Sim’s home lot for a more intimate setting or opting for the Eternal Rest cemetery located in Crow’s Crossing in the Ravenwood world introduced in this expansion. The cemetery is equipped with various decor and has many vacant grave sites and crypts for interment of the deceased’s remains.
At the Funeral
Once everything is set, you will commence the funeral at the appointed date and time, which is marked in your calendar with a floral casket icon. A reminder will be sent an hour before it starts, urging you to go to the location for setup. Use the Build/Buy catalog to prepare for the funeral, crafting a somber atmosphere with various memorial items to honor the deceased during the event.
At the funeral, you will need to complete goals related to Funeral Activities to earn points throughout the occasion. The objective is to lead at least seven Funeral Activities while the timer counts down. Make sure to mingle and pay tribute to the departed in the manner you have chosen since each action will contribute to the overall score. Remember, the ghost of the deceased will be observing!
After the funeral concludes, the Sim who organized it will receive rewards based on the event’s score. They will also stay on the lot to collect the urn or tombstone. When you’re ready, you can inter the remains at a gravesite, whether in the cemetery or on your home lot, or you may choose to place them in one of Ravenwood’s various crypts.