Since I always consult reviews before I spend money on software, I did a lot of checking up on The Sims 3; but during my research, I discovered a wide gap in opinion between the professional gaming sites and the users. The professionals were praising The Sims 3 with every buzzword they could think of, calling it a triumph, a masterpiece, the best one yet, etc. On the other hand, the denizens of Amazon and Epinions were trashing the game, citing everything from gameplay changes that they hated to computers crashing left and right. I was torn. Who was I supposed to listen to in this situation? It was clearly a case where I would have to decide for myself. And I ultimately decided to buy the game.
Now, after spending several hours with it, I’ve reached my verdict. Not only is The Sims 3 a huge improvement over its predecessors, it really is the best Sims game, period. This is an experience beyond anything the series has ever offered. There are so many new options, additions, and tweaks, that it’s impossible to think anything less.
Because The Sims 3 is a life simulation game that has much in common with virtual reality, what better way to start than to insert myself in it? So I did. In Sim Creation Mode I painted a likeness of myself. Physically, he was fat and stubbly. Socially, he was a neurotic bookworm who liked computers.
Determining a Sim’s personality is much more satisfying (not to mention accurate) this time around. Gone are the old days of messing with meters and assigning ‘points’ to determine how a Sim behaves. Now there are personality ‘traits’, which are picked to shape your Sim’s overall persona. Do you want a grouchy outdoorsman who is good at cooking? Or how about an artistic, clumsy coward? There are over sixty traits to choose from, and many possible combinations. The only drawback is that you can’t assign traits that are polar opposites of each other, like having a Sim who is good and evil at the same time, or a couch potato who happens to be athletic.
And then there’s the town. Unfortunately you can’t create your own neighborhoods, but are stuck with one pre-made community, Sunset Valley. This is probably due to programming issues, since the community lots have a number of new interaction options. But that’s all fine print compared to the fact that the town is fully explorable with no load screen in sight. You no longer need a book in front of you when traveling between lots, because the entire town runs in real-time. Getting your Sim out of the house is hassle-free as well as rewarding. There are discount sales in stores, classes your Sim can take to improve their skills, and many places to socialize.
My favorite new feature is universal aging, or ‘Story Progression Mode’. Instead of having to switch between houses to get the Sims in the neighborhood to age, you can choose to focus only on one Sim and have the rest of the town age and progress around them. This is good for players who only like to play one family, and it eliminates generation gaps. In other words, if you have a child Sim then his friends will grow up with him rather than remain kids forever. For those who like things the old way, there’s an option to turn SPM off.
Keeping your Sims happy is now easier than ever, thanks in part to a new feature called the ‘Moodlet’ system. Moodlets are small elements, negative or positive, that directly affect the Sim’s Mood Meter for varying amounts of time. There are hundreds of Moodlets, ranging from excitement over buying new items to depression caused by a dirty kitchen.
In addition to that, the Needs meters, which had to be babysat constantly in past Sims games, now decrease at a slower pace. This frees up a lot of time and allows you to focus more on enriching your Sim’s life, rather than constantly worrying about meltdowns. And if several Needs meters are low, it only takes a few clicks to get them filled up again; the Moodlets take care of the rest.
The player can now take an active role in a Sim’s employment or education. Instead of just staring at an empty house until your Sim gets home from work, there is a panel that is used to control what they do throughout their work day. You can have them socialize with co-workers, work really hard, or kick back in the lounge if they get strained. There are also options related to job performance when your Sim isn’t at work. When my Sim became a patrol officer, an option became available that allowed him to interview townspeople and write up police reports on the computer.
Ultimately, The Sims 3 is well worth its purchase price. This review has barely scratched the surface of what the game is capable of; as of this writing, I still haven’t discovered every corner and crevice. When the expansion packs inevitably come along, I cannot imagine how much better The Sims 3 will get, since the core game is already so amazing.
Final Rating: (****) out of (****)
