There’s enough in The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs to make this one of the best expansion packs you can get to date.

The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs is an excellent — and much-needed — addition to an already fantastic game. The Sims has always been about living one’s best life and this grants more ways to accomplish that. This is the perfect game for any animal lover and the amount of customization in creating and interacting with pets makes for a joyous time. The new Brindleton Bay neighborhood makes for the perfect setting to get acquainted with these furry friends. Aside from some needed technical tweaking, Cats & Dogs is barking proudly as a must-have expansion for The Sims 4.

The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs was the expansion I was most looking forward to, and it did not let me down. With the robust creation tool, the numerous new items, and great ways to play and interact with your pets allows you to make new memories and adds a new layer of depth to the game. With the exception of the veterinary job, this expansion is full of items and great new gameplay potentials, and in my opinion is one of the greatest expansions for The Sims 4.

The Sims 4: Cats and Dog is one of the best expansions yet to come of this generation. These are the most realistic pets we have ever faced and the customization options are infinite. We love Brindleton Bay and the new vet clinic, it's worth the shot.

There’s not a lot about this expansion that reinvents the wheel; the franchise has been around for almost two decades now, and each iteration essentially gives you flashier and more refined ways to enjoy old systems. The animals are realistic, have their own inscrutable temperaments, and sometimes live to frustrate; that’s their charm. You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t love hanging out with cute critters, and Cats & Dogs is yet another great addition to a consistently high-performing saga.

The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs bravely reintroduces a game mechanic from The Sims 2: the player won't be able to control the pets. This feature might be seen as a step back in the evolution of the franchise but it is actually a good design choice that adds more realism and focuses player attention towards the interaction between the Sims and their beloved little friends, creating a well-crafted simulation experience.

Ultimately, the expansion is about the bond between human and animal, and with evolving relationships, dog training, and plenty of toys, it’s hard to put down. It may not have the bells and whistles that some players expected, but Cats and Dogs still gets my recommendation if you’re a pet lover.