How To Complete the Stuck in Their Shadow Scenario

In The Sims 4, players can challenge themselves by completing Scenarios, which contain a story and missions. Each Scenario features a different Sim, story, and set of challenges that also help players learn how to play certain aspects of the game or provide new ideas for players to try in their own worlds.

The Stuck in Their Shadow Scenario in The Sims 4 presents an interesting problem. The Sim in question, Nova Curious, finds herself wanting to join the Tech Guru career, but a figure from her past who has always outshone her also works at the company. With the two competing for the highest position, players must make careful choices to ensure they come out on top.

How To Complete the Stuck in Their Shadow Scenario in The Sims 4

When players first launch the Stuck in Their Shadow Scenario in The Sims 4, they must decide what World and house to place Nova in. The good news is that this choice is really just a matter of taste. If there’s a World that players prefer, then they can place Nova there. Players can be as involved or uninvolved as they wish when setting up Nova’s living space.

Once Nova has moved into her new home, players should immediately focus on her Aspirations. By completing them, players can earn Rewards that they can then spend on traits or bonuses. Players should consider purchasing two buffs to help complete the Stuck in Their Shadow scenario faster. The first is Night Owl, which gives Sims a buff to learning skills at night. The second is Esteemed Entrepreneurial, which helps Sims get promoted faster.

The Night Owl trait costs 1,000 Reward Points, while the Esteemed Entrepreneurial trait costs 2,000 Reward Points. By completing Aspirations, Sims can earn Reward Points, allowing players to unlock these traits, or buffs, for their Sims.

With those tips in mind, the first phase of the Scenario begins, and it throws the Sims right into the fire. Keep in mind that each scenario has multiple endings. This particular guide will follow the Haters Gonna Lose ending. To get the Enemies to Lovers ending, players should focus on being nice to Lewis and becoming his girlfriend.

How To Complete Phase 1 of Stuck in Their Shadow in The Sims 4

The first phase of the Stuck in Their Shadow Scenario in The Sims 4 has players setting up Nova in her Tech Guru career. The first thing players should do is navigate to their phone and have Nova take a job in the Tech Guru career, as it will allow her to meet the “antagonist” of the story. The objectives in this particular phase are as follows:

• Join Tech Guru Career
• Achieve Level 4 Programming Skill
• Answer Mysterious Phone Call
• Get Promoted to Project Manager
• Control Anger
• Become Focused

There are also optional objectives that players can either complete or not. Completing them can set up certain endings, so if there is a specific ending that players wish to achieve, then it may be worth completing these optional objectives, too. The optional objectives include:

• Keep Nova’s Needs Satisfied
• Lock Laptop

After joining the Tech Guru career, players should start working on their programming skills. Not only is it a main objective, but players will also need to reach Level 4 in Programming to satisfy the requirements for a promotion to Project Manager.

To boost Nova’s performance at work and get promoted faster, click on the briefcase symbol while she’s at work on her profile picture. Then choose the “Work Hard” option. It will boost Nova’s performance, which will put her on the path to a promotion a lot faster.

At some point, Nova will receive a phone call from a mysterious caller. It’s Lewis Sancho, an old classmate who used to compete with her. Even at school, he always managed to do just a little better than her. It turns out that he works at the company that Nova just joined. He makes it pretty clear that he will make it hard for her to advance in her career.

This call makes Nova pretty mad, which prompts the next objective. Nova has to Control Her Anger. There are a few ways that players can satisfy this objective. These include:

• Take an Angry Poop
• Take a Cold Shower
• Calm Down in a Mirror

Once she’s calmed down, players will receive a new mission. Nova needs to become focused. Doing more programming practice can help keep her focused, since she naturally gravitates toward that. If players are struggling, however, they can spend more Reward Points to buy a Focused Potion in the Rewards Shop. This will automatically make Nova Focused after drinking it.

From there, players just need to keep Nova happy and doing good work to get her a promotion to Project Manager. In the meantime, players can tackle those optional objectives. Keeping her needs satisfied is self-explanatory. When locking her laptop, players just need to click on the computer, go to security, and then select the “Lock Computer” option.

Once Nova gets her promotion to Project Manager, the next phase begins.

How To Complete Phase 2 of Stuck in Their Shadow in The Sims 4

After receiving the Project Manager position, the next set of objectives drops. These main objectives include the following:

• Get Promoted to Development Captain
• Go To Work Feeling Confident
• Answer Call from Lewis

There are also numerous optional objectives that can determine what ending players receive. These optional objectives include:

• Buy Bed with Comfort 6
• Buy Shower with Hygiene 7
• Buy Voodoo Doll
• Mod a Video Game
• Get Reward Trait
• Make Virus Plug In

Shortly after coming home from work, Nova will receive another call from Lewis. Apparently, he received the promotion, too. He’s decided to celebrate by buying a bunch of new furniture. This prompts Nova to do the same. These objectives are technically optional, but since players will be waiting a bit for a promotion to Development Captain, it may be worth purchasing them.

Players only need to purchase a Bed with a comfort rating of 6, but it may be worth going a bit higher to have Nova’s sleep recover as fast as possible. This will allow Nova more time to study programming. Another optional objective players should consider is the Voodoo Doll. By having one, players may be able to use it to unlock a certain ending at the end of the scenario.

Whether players decide to buy new furniture or not, Nova will need to work on her programming skills to get her next promotion. Since one of the optional objectives is to get Nova a Reward Trait, it’s worth grabbing the Night Owl or Esteemed Entrepreneurial trait if the player hasn’t done so already. Finally, players can take care of two things at once by having Nova make either a Video Game Mod or a Virus Plugin, since both tasks will also improve her programming skills.

Once players get Nova to Level 5 Programming, she’ll be in a good place to get her promotion. Players will need to work on their performance next. Additionally, they’ll need her to become confident before heading to work. The best way to become confident is to have Nova Psych Herself Up in the mirror right before she leaves for work.

After Nova gets promoted to Development Captain, the next phase of Stuck in Their Shadow begins.

How To Complete Phase 3 of Stuck in Their Shadow in The Sims 4

Getting promoted to Development Captain in The Sims 4 should be a big deal, but there’s a frightening new objective that players will have to contend with first. The main objectives in phase 3 of the Stuck in Their Shadow scenario include:

• Wait for Information About Layoffs
• Be Friendly or Mean to Lewis
• Go To Sleep
• Invite Lewis to Stay or Kick Out

Once more, several other optional objectives can determine which ending players will receive. These optional objectives include:

• Get Distracted by a Hobby
• Bind the Voodoo Doll
• Flirt with Lewis
• Call to Meal
• Reconnect with Lewis

Players will quickly learn that the company wants to lay some people off. Since these rumors can take some time to start, players can take care of the Get Distracted by a Hobby optional objective while waiting. In time, however, Lewis will call and reveal that he was the one who got fired because of the way that he was treating Nova. He wants to come over and talk about it.

At this point, players can choose how they want to deal with Lewis. These choices will impact the ending that they receive. Players can either be friendly toward Lewis and invite him to stay with them while he gets back on his feet, or they can be mean toward Lewis, bind him with the Voodoo doll, and kick him out. Some players may even flirt with Lewis and go from enemies to lovers.

To bind Lewis with the Voodoo Doll, access Nova’s inventory, then click on the doll. Click the “Bind” option, then click Lewis. Nova will perform the binding ritual from there.

Whatever the player decides, they’ll need to kick Lewis out or invite him to stay in the house. For this particular guide, the player chose to kick Lewis out. After making that choice, players will need Nova to go to bed to begin the last phase of the scenario.

How To Complete Phase 4 of Stuck in Their Shadow in The Sims 4

With Lewis out of the company, Nova can now focus on her career. The last of the main objectives for this scenario includes:

• Get Promoted to Start-Up Entrepreneur or eSports Gamer
• Display Career Reward
• Enable Aura of Career Reward
• Speak to Astronaut Lewis
• Decide Whether To Become an Astronaut or Not
• Choose Career Milestone

The optional objectives for this phase will solidify the ending that players receive. Some of these objectives may not appear if the player has chosen to give Lewis a chance. Similarly, players may have additional objectives to support Lewis. They include:

• Get Fast Internet
• Fight Lewis
• Hack Work Performance
• Mock Lewis’ Outfit

Now, to get promoted to either a Start-Up Entrepreneur or an eSports Gamer, Nova will need Level 6 in Programming. One way to help boost her performance and get the promotion faster is to complete the optional objective, Hack Work Performance. Keep in mind, however, that there is a chance that it will backfire and negatively affect her performance.

At some point, Lewis will call and want to talk about his new path in life. If players invite him over, they’ll discover that he’s become an astronaut and wants Nova to become one, too. Players must decide whether Nova will join Lewis on his crazy adventure or keep working at the career she’s been putting a lot of work into. The choice is entirely up to the player and will play a factor in determining the ending of the scenario.

Depending on the player’s wishes, they can also have Nova mock and fight Lewis or simply send him home. Those who give Lewis a chance will have other options to support him.

In Nova’s inventory, players should see a Career Reward, a trophy. Place it on a desk or table, then click on it to enable its aura. The aura can help Nova get in the right mood before work, further increasing her performance.

Once Nova gets her final promotion, players can decide which direction she wants to take herself. They can either choose to become a Start-Up Entrepreneur or an eSports Gamer. Choosing a career milestone will end the scenario shortly after.

If players followed this particular guide, then they would have received the Haters Gonna Lose scenario ending. If players chose to be kind to Lewis, then it’s possible they received the Enemies to Lovers or Keep Your Enemies Close endings. The main difference is whether Nova became Lewis’ girlfriend.

The Stuck in Their Shadow scenario can offer players a chance to get really in-depth knowledge of Nova’s character and understand her background, especially when it comes to her past with Lewis. With several endings to experience, players can enjoy a unique way to play The Sims 4.