Vanishing Acts: Understanding the Netherworld in The Sims 4
Releasing a spirit to the Netherworld in The Sims 4 is essentially the game’s way of permanently deleting a Sim from your save file. The in-game description accurately depicts it as giving the engine permission to immediately cull the Sim. Once you release a Sim’s spirit to the Netherworld, they are removed from the save file entirely, making them unrecoverable through normal gameplay. It’s a digital farewell of the most definitive kind!
The Point of No Return: Releasing a Spirit to the Netherworld
The ominous warning associated with this action – that it cannot be undone – isn’t just dramatic flair. It truly means that the deceased Sim completely disappears from the game’s memory. Think of it as permanently archiving them from existence within that specific save file. No amount of pleading, magic, or technological wizardry can bring them back.
Recovery Options (If Available)
There is a single, narrow exception to this rule: If you previously saved the Sim to your library (either individually or as part of a household) through the “Manage Households” option, you can reintroduce them into a new or existing game. However, this will be a copy of the Sim, not the original character with their memories, relationships, and skills intact. It is important to note that they will come back as they were in the moment that you saved them to your library. In essence, you’re importing a template, not resurrecting the unique individual.
Why Release a Spirit?
Given the finality of this action, why would a player choose to release a spirit to the Netherworld? There are a few potential reasons:
- Decluttering: Over time, a Sim’s world can become populated with numerous ghosts, especially in long-running saves. Releasing spirits helps to tidy up the world and reduce the processing load on the game engine.
- Emotional Closure: Some players find it emotionally satisfying to give their Sims a final farewell. It can be a way to mark the end of a Sim’s story within that particular save.
- Starting Fresh: If a Sim’s death was particularly tragic or disruptive to the family dynamic, releasing their spirit can be a way to move on without the constant reminder of their ghostly presence.
- Gameplay Strategy: The game might become laggy, especially on an old computer, and releasing spirits helps free up memory, which improves your gameplay.
The Alternative: Embracing the Ghostly Existence
Instead of releasing a spirit, players have numerous options for interacting with and incorporating ghosts into their gameplay:
- Invite to Household: Ghosts can be added to the active household, making them fully playable Sims with unique abilities and interactions.
- Marriage and Relationships: Ghosts can form romantic relationships with living Sims, leading to unique storytelling opportunities. Though ghosts cannot get other Sims pregnant or get pregnant themselves, relationships can still be a fun adventure!
- Ghostly Activities: Ghosts can possess objects, scare other Sims, and generally create spooky chaos.
- Revival: Through various methods, including Ambrosia (requiring high Gardening and Cooking skills) or the Dedeathify spell (from the Realm of Magic Game Pack), ghosts can be brought back to life.
Choosing to release a spirit to the Netherworld should be a considered decision. It is the ultimate end for that Sim within your game’s universe. Always weigh the pros and cons before taking this irreversible step. The Sims 4 offers various ways to manage and interact with ghosts, providing ample opportunity for storytelling and unique gameplay experiences without resorting to permanent deletion.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I bring a Sim back from the Netherworld in The Sims 4?
No, once a Sim is released to the Netherworld, they are permanently removed from that save file. The only exception is if you saved the Sim (or their household) to your library before releasing them. You can then reintroduce them to the game, but they will be a copy, not the original Sim.
2. What happens if I release a ghost while they are still in my household?
Releasing a ghost that is part of your active household will immediately remove them from the household and send them to the Netherworld. This is the same as releasing them from their urn or tombstone. They are gone for good!
3. Is there a cheat to bring back a Sim from the Netherworld?
Unfortunately, there is no cheat code that directly revives or recovers Sims released to the Netherworld. Once they are gone, they are truly gone. However, you can use cheats to create a new Sim that resembles the deceased one, or load a previous save file if you have one.
4. What’s the difference between banishing a ghost and releasing them to the Netherworld?
These terms are often used interchangeably. Banishing a ghost using an interaction on their urn or tombstone is the same as releasing them to the Netherworld. Both actions result in the permanent deletion of the Sim from the save file.
5. If I move a ghost to a new save file through the Gallery, is that the original ghost?
No. When you save a ghost (or any Sim) to the Gallery and then introduce them into a new save file, you are essentially creating a copy. The original Sim in the original save file remains in its original state. Releasing the original Sim to the Netherworld will not impact the copy.
6. Can I resurrect a Sim after I’ve released them to the Netherworld by using Ambrosia?
No. Ambrosia and other resurrection methods only work on ghosts that still exist in the game world. Once a Sim is released to the Netherworld, their ghost no longer exists, and therefore cannot be revived.
7. Does releasing a spirit to the Netherworld improve game performance?
Potentially. Removing ghosts from the game world can reduce the number of active Sims that the game engine needs to track, which can lead to a slight improvement in performance, particularly on older or less powerful computers.
8. If I have a family tree in my game, will the released Sim still appear in it?
The released Sim will likely disappear from the family tree as well. Because they are completely removed from the save file, their existence is effectively erased from the game’s records, including genealogical data.
9. What are some alternative ways to manage ghosts in The Sims 4 without releasing them?
- Ignore them: Ghosts will eventually fade away on their own if you don’t interact with them.
- Move their urn/tombstone to a secluded location: This keeps them out of sight but allows you to interact with them later if desired.
- Add them to the household: This allows you to control their behavior and prevent them from causing mischief.
- Revive them: Using Ambrosia or the Dedeathify spell can bring them back to life, resolving the ghost issue entirely.
10. Can I control which ghosts appear in my game?
To some extent. You can influence which ghosts appear by interacting with their urns or tombstones to strengthen their connection to the physical world. Ghosts of Sims who had strong relationships with living Sims are also more likely to appear. However, you cannot completely control which ghosts haunt your lots.
11. Does the manner of death affect what happens when you release a Sim to the Netherworld?
No. Releasing a Sim to the Netherworld has the same effect regardless of how they died. Whether they died of old age, laughter, electrocution, or any other cause, the outcome is the same: permanent deletion from the save file.
12. Can I back up my save file before releasing a Sim to the Netherworld just in case?
Absolutely! This is an excellent practice. Regularly backing up your save files allows you to revert to a previous state if you regret a decision, such as releasing a Sim. To back up your save file, locate the Saves folder in your The Sims 4 user data directory (usually found in Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4) and copy it to a safe location.
13. Is releasing a Sim to the Netherworld considered “canon” in The Sims 4 lore?
The Sims 4 doesn’t have a strict, overarching canon. Releasing a Sim to the Netherworld is simply a gameplay mechanic. Whether you choose to interpret it as a final farewell or something else is up to your personal storytelling preferences.
14. If I share a house with a ghost on the Gallery and someone downloads it, does the ghost get deleted for them?
No. When someone downloads a house with a ghost from the Gallery, they are receiving a copy of the ghost. If you then release the ghost to the Netherworld in your game, it doesn’t affect the copy in their game.
15. Are there any mods that allow you to retrieve Sims from the Netherworld?
There might be mods created by the Sims 4 community that introduce this functionality. It’s worth checking websites dedicated to Sims 4 mods. However, be cautious when installing mods, as they can sometimes cause conflicts or instability in your game. The Games Learning Society is a great resource for learning how to create your own mods. More information about the GamesLearningSociety.org can be found on their website.
Releasing a spirit to the netherworld is a serious decision that could have irreversible impacts on your Sims 4 gameplay.