Riverblossom Hills
"Many Sims have relocated to the quiet, comfortable countryside, in the hopes that life and family can firmly plant their roots in the middle of nowhere. Fresh crops aren’t the only thing growing in the farming community of Riverblossom Hills – love is in the air and many a relationship is on the verge of blossoming. Unfortunately, problems are bound to sprout in a town this small. Things are looking up, but hearts can always turn cold with the onset of winter."
A rural town that ships with the Seasons Expansion Pack and functions as a test neighborhood for seasonal functions and activities. There are a total of seven families who reside in the neighbourhood - the Roths, a clear Expy of the Goths, the Viejos, the O'Mackeys, the Wans, the Greenmans, as well as Leod McGreggor and Alexandra O'Mackey, the latter of whom can be found in the family bin.
While there is no central plot to tie all the various families together, every playable family has some connection to one another, and there is plentiful of implied backstory to explain the circumstances behind some of the Sims' tense relationships. Riverblossom Hills itself is a small, idyllic countryside town that sees cold winters and mild, brief periods of warmth in spring, though its rural charm may not be enough to dispel the bad blood between some of its inhabitants. Tensions abound as winter rolls in...
- Arcadia: Riverblossom Hills is an idyllic and peaceful country town.
- Arch-Enemy: Sandra Roth and Jules O'Mackey are enemies at the start of the game. While it's not explicitly stated what caused this enmity, it's hinted that it started with Jacob Martin, who Sandra is currently dating, and who Jules used to date. A popular fan interpretation is that Sandra may have used Relationship Sabotage to get Jules and Jacob to break up, although this is contradicted by the fact that Sandra and Jacob met after Jules and Jacob broke up. Another possible interpretation is that Jules simply finds Sandra obnoxious, considering Sandra's penchant for constantly talking about Jacob.
- Betty and Veronica:
- Leod is the Archie to Catherine and Betty's Betty and Cleo's Veronica. Oddly enough, there's no hint of any crushes in-game despite the fact that all three women's biographies mention interest in Leod.
- A more straightforward example is Jules as Betty and Sandra as Veronica to Jacob's Archie.
- Continuity Snarl: Riverblossom Hills is infamous for having an extremely inconsistent timeline in regards to several people's ages, such as Sims being depicted on photos being present for events where memories show they would've been younger and so on. Examples include Andrew Martin being an Absurdly Youthful Father to Jacob and Stella and Morty having inconsistent memories as what age their children were when they moved to the neighborhood.
- Hidden Elf Village: A population of PlantSims lives in an undisclosed location somewhere in Riverblossom Hills. Jason and Gabe O'Mackey were the first ones to discover them.
- Scot Ireland: Leod McGreggor is implied to be Scottish, judging by his last name and manner of dressing. The O'Mackeys are implied to be Irish by ancestry, and the aesthetic of the town itself suggests that it might be located somewhere on the British Isles.
- Seasonal Baggage: Of a sort. The town description implies that things may get ugly in the coming winter.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Sandra is the Tomboy, and Jules is the Girly Girl. They both hate each other.
The Greenman Family
"Jason gave up his name and changed his lifestyle for the love of his green-skinned goddess. Despite the love that they share will they be able to raise a happy, healthy child? Can Rose adjust to living in a town instead of the great outdoors?"
Prominent family members: Jason Greenman (née O'Mackey), Rose Greenman, Daisy Greenman
Appearances: The Sims 2
A family consisting of Jason Greenman and his PlantSim wife and step-daughter, Rose and Daisy. Jason and his brother, Gabe O'Mackey, apparently found Rose along with a colony of PlantSims in the hills that gave the neighbourhood their name, and it was love at first sight for Jason and Rose.- Bizarrchitecture: The Greenmans' home is a weird greenhouse compound with private indoor interiors baked into the back of the house. From a practical perspective, however, it makes sense that most of the floorplan is relatively open, since both Rose and Daisy are PlantSims who need sunlight to survive.
- Happily Adopted: Jason is technically Daisy's adopted father, since PlantSims reproduce asexually and, according to memories, he and Rose met after Daisy was born. Though there's no formal in-game adoption of a spouse's child and so they have no line on the family tree, their strong relationship in-game hints at this.
- The Maiden Name Debate: Implied. Greenman is Rose's family name and Jason apparently had to take it as a condition of marrying her, though he seems to not mind it.
- Plant Person: Rose and Daisy
- Rapid Aging: As a Plantsim, Daisy will go straight from toddler to adult.
The Viejo Household
"Can Catherine and Betty cope with the loss of their close friend and face their own imminent mortality or will they find a way to cheat death? Will Andrew and Jacob find a way to fulfill their dreams in the great game of life?"
Prominent household members: Catherine Viejo, Betty Goldstein, Andrew Martin, Jacob Martin
Appearances: The Sims 2
Following the death of their good friend, Linda Martin, elders Catherine Viejo and Betty Goldstein, moved into her house to help her son and grandson. Together, they have formed their own family unit and settled amiably into country life - but Catherine and Betty aren't getting any younger, and they're both drawn to that cute young farmer down the road...- Absurdly YouthFul Father: Andrew Martin, when first played, is in the early days of his adulthood but has a teenage son. Though this could imply teenage parentage, this is impossible in-game and contradicted by the family photos.
- Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: A variant wherein it's not a parent that's embarassing, but rather, a girlfriend. It's implied that Sandra's obnoxious attitude and constant gushing over Jacob is making him doubt the relationship.
- Ambiguously Jewish: Betty's surname, Goldstein, is a common Jewish surname.
- Amicable Exes: Despite breaking up with her before the start of the game, Jacob and Jules O'Mackey remain friends. No reason is given for the break up itself.
- Cool Aunt: Catherine is this to her niece, Cleo.
- Dirty Old Woman: Downplayed. Catherine and Betty aren't shown to be outwardly perverted, but they're said to have an interest in the much younger Leod McGreggor.
- Honorary Aunt: Betty and Catherine to Andrew and Jacob.
- Informed Attribute: Betty and Catherine's attraction to Leod McGreggor. Both are said to be attracted to him, but the relationship panel only shows them as mutual acquaintances.
- Like Father, Like Son: Andrew and Jacob are both into video games and have the same interests.
- Missing Mom: Jacob's mother and Andrew's wife, Elena, died when Jacob was young.
- Multigenerational Household: Catherine and Betty, who are elders, live with their friend's adult son, Andrew, and his teenage son, Jacob.
- Old Flame: May become the case with Jacob and Jules if one is to believe the implication that Jacob is second-guessing his relationship with Sandra.
- True Companions: Linda, Betty and Catherine were all this when Linda was alive.
The McGreggor Family
"Leod McGreggor has a farm... and an orchard. Will he be so focused on gardening that he forgets to cultivate friendships?"
Prominent family members: Leod McGreggor
Appearances: The Sims 2
Leod McGreggor left his homeland and settled in Riverblossom Hills. He has started his own farm but wonders how he will manage without his family.- Call to Agriculture: The reason he moved to the town was to start his own farm.
- Chick Magnet: Betty Goldstein, Catherine Viejo and Cleo Shikibu all show interest in him, but he only sees them as acquaintances at the start of the game.
- Deconstructive Parody: Of Don Lothario. He's got the attention of a lot of women, but unlike Don seems completely unaware of it, and seems to prefer keeping to himself.
- It Runs in the Family: Comes from a long line of farmers and has now started a farm.
- Man in a Kilt: As a sign of his implied native country.
- Non-Specifically Foreign: His actual country is never stated, though most people assume it's Scotland due to his name and clothing.
The Wan Household
"Patricia and Cleo moved to town when Cleo's aunt, Catherine, offered Cleo her old home - which they just finished remodelling. Will they find excitement in this quiet town after the dust has cleared? Will Patricia and Gabe make a life together?"
Prominent household members: Patricia Wan, Cleo Shikibu
Appearances: The Sims 2
Best friends Patricia Wan and Cleo Shikibu moved to the town after Cleo's aunt, Catherine, offered them her old house. Both are beginning to settle into the town, however, and form connections: Patricia's found herself a partner in the single father Gabe, whilst Cleo is smitten with the newly-arrived farmer Leod.- Improbable Age: Gameplay example. Cleo's at the very start of the adult life stage when you first play the Wan household, making her impossibly young to already be working as a Studio Musician (a job you can't attain right off the bat and need to be promoted to).
- The City vs. the Country: The girls were originally working in the city before coming to rural Riverblossom.
- LEGO Genetics: Both Cleo and Patricia's families get hit hard with this. They both look reasonably Asian enough, but strangely, their own ancestors look nothing like them.
- Non-Specifically Foreign: Averted with Cleo and Patricia. Cleo is clearly half-Japanese on her father's side, and Patricia is half-Chinese, half-Japanese
- Mirror Character: Even though Patricia and Jules dislike each other, they're actually not that different, something which the game makes a point of lampshading. They're both interested in journalism and have the popularity aspiration. They even have the same star sign and a nearly identical personality!
- Wicked Stepmother: Due to her poor relationship with her new boyfriend's daughter, Patricia could become this.
The Roth Family
"Having recently moved to Riverblossom Hills has had a wonderful effect on the Roths! Sandra and Xander are doing great in school, Morty found a great job, but Stella seems a bit restless..."
Prominent family members: Morty Roth, Stella Roth, Sandra Roth, Xander Roth
Appearances: The Sims 2
A wealthy family recently moved to Riverblossom Hills from the city. The move was apparently just what the family needed, though it's done little to repair The Roths' marriage.- Attention Whore: Downplayed with Sandra. She's very loud and doesn't hesitate to tell people what she's thinking.
- Bratty Teenage Daughter: The way Sandra's biography is written makes her come off as this.
- The City vs. the Country: Stella is apparently restless from moving to such a small town.
- Dead Sparks: Stella's barely just above friend level with Morty, and doesn't even remember falling in love with him in the first place.
- Deconstructive Parody: Of the Goths. Morty and Xander are pretty similar to Mortimer and Alexander, Stella has fallen out of love with Morty, as opposed to Mortimer and Bella's strong marriage; Sandra being described as loud and boisterous in contrast the quiet, mysterious Cassandra.
- Expy: They are clearly one of the Goth Family.
- Gentleman Adventurer: Morty invokes this trope, being employed in the adventurer career and rather rich to boot.
- Gold Digger: Not outright stated, but a common player theory, given the family's wealth, in combinations with Stella's abysmal relationship with Morty. She's notably one of very few sims who doesn't have the memory of falling in love with her spouse.
- Girlish Pigtails: Sandra has them braided.
- Smitten Teenage Girl: Sandra can't stop talking about Jacob now that they're dating.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: For the Goth Family.
The O'Mackey Family
"After his wife left to become a Dread Pirate, it took Gabe a long time to trust again. Is his relationship with Patricia meant to last? Will Patricia and Jules be able to work out their problems and realize how similar they really are?"
Prominent family members: Gabe O'Mackey, Jules O'Mackey, Alexandra O'Mackey
Appearances: The Sims 2
Gabe O'Mackey was left to raise his daughter, Jules, alone after his wife, Alexandra, left him to pursue her dream career. However, he has recently found new love with Patricia Wan, much to Jules' displeasure.- Absurdly Youthful Mother: Both Gabe and Alexandra's ages are not consistent with having a teenage daughter.
- Amicable Exes: Played Straight with Jules towards her ex-boyfriend, Jacob. Averted in the case of Gabe and Alexandra, who are enemies.
- Embarrassing Relative Teacher: Jules is embarrassed about the fact that her dad teaches at the same high school she's attending. She still loves him, though.
- Give Geeks a Chance: Gabe is a nerdy school teacher who's dating the beautiful and stylish Patricia.
- Family Versus Career: Alexandra chose to pursue her dream to become a Dread Pirate rather than stay married and raise a family.
- Missing Mom: Alexandra walked out on the family when Jules was a child.
- Mirror Character: Even though Patricia and Jules dislike each other, they're actually not that different, something which the game makes a point of lampshading. They're both interested in journalism and have the same aspiration, star sign and a similar personality. It's not clear why they don't get along, though one possible interpretation of their mutual dislike is a case of Too Much Alike.
- Parent with New Paramour: Jules is not happy about her dad dating Patricia. Whether the relationship will go Type II or III is up to the player.
- School Newspaper News Hound: Jules starts out with a want to get a job in the journalism career. She wants to become a journalist someday and plans to write a book on her cousin Daisy.
- Scot Ireland: Their family name suggests Irish ancestry.
