The Sims 3 Review and Rating

Truly one of the most unique franchises out there, the Sims has launched massive online communities and has a huge fan base.  That’s not too shabby for a game that doesn’t have any shooting, doesn’t feature fighting, and doesn’t even have any puzzles to solve. 
EA passes the Maxis mantle to its Redwood Shores development studio for the latest installment of the widely popular life simulation Sims franchise.
Is that third installment interesting and unique enough to keep gamers interested or is it just more of the same?

Yes the Sims 3 is prettier but the most unique gameplay feature is the simultaneous increase in the player’s ability to micromanage your little electronic people yet avoid (to some extent) the niggling biological necessities and bodily functions that dragged down the action in the first two games.  This allows players to really get down to where the fun is: playing god to your little electronic minions.  So, do you choose the path of benevolence and help your sim achieve a lifelong goal or do you deprive them of material things and watch them suffer?  The choice is up to you and either way, it’s never been so much fun.

Gameplay

Though a lot of joy comes from being able to do what you want with your sims without having to toe the line and answer to some higher moral story or convoluted plot, one of the biggest criticisms of the previous games was that they had no story at all.  Sims 2 tried (and failed) to address this with the Fears and Aspirations mechanic.  However, that left most players trying dutifully to avoid the negative.  In the Sims 3, EA chose to focus on the positive with their new life goals and daily goals.  A life goal is just that, something that your sim wants to achieve before they die--say your sim wants to become famous or live a life of danger as an international man/woman of mystery.  This is assigned during the last step of sim creation and players should feel free to pursue this goal or leave their sim unfulfilled.  There really isn’t any penalty for not shooting for the proverbial stars, however, there are rewards available if you help your sim along the way.  By choosing rewarding career paths or giving your sim the education they need to fulfill their dreams, players are granted reward points which they can use to purchase “upgrades” such as the ability to always throw a killer party or the Iron Bladder perk which enables your sim to free themselves from the toilet forever!
The daily goal works in a similar fashion but on a scaled down model.  Your sim’s daily goals may include spending time with the sim they love or earning a skill point in a certain field. 

Both sets of goals allow players near-total autonomy while having the framework of a pseudo-story to work within.
Another great innovation that is really a game changer is the integration of a living neighborhood around your sim.  Whereas before the world ended at the edge of your lawn (and perhaps began again at the beach, the mall, or the pet store depending on which expansion pack you purchased) this time, the world is waiting for you the minute you step outside your door.  Take a stroll to the beach, stop off at the store to buy some hot new thing, or even go to your local library to brush up on your skills.  It’s all there, and all waiting for you without the necessity of loading screens.  It may seem like a small thing but it adds a level of realism and immersion that was sorely missing before.

You now also have the ability to control your sim while at work—somewhat.  While there’s still no direct control of your sim during their workaday life, you can give you sim direction before they leave for the day.  For instance, you can instruct them to focus on improving a certain skill while toiling away and this way get paid for improving your character.  Other options include impressing the boss in order to increase your chance for promotion or searching out other job opportunities such as entering into contests and such.  While the lack of control during the workday is still a main gripe on the fan forums, this tiny addition is actually quite powerful if used correctly.

Sims 3 also offers players a level of customization previously unheard of.  Walls and furniture can be placed at angles, terrain can be landscaped, you can even sample colors and patterns from nearly any surface in the sims universe and add it to your house and clothing!  (Think of polka dot vinyl siding or ball gowns with brick print or concrete shorts!)
That level of customization also extends to your sim as well.  With a huge number of sliders, color wheels, and tweaks, you can make a sim that look pretty much exactly like you want it to.  And, by choosing five personality traits from over 60, you can make your sim act like you want them to as well.  Feel free to recreate yourself or create the self you’ve always wanted to be—let your imagination run wild.

Graphics

Graphically the Sims 3 is definitely a step up.  While it won’t compare to photorealistic shooters or puzzle games, it’s a pretty game.  The character models a great with just a touch of cartoonishness to them and their movements and animations are both fluid and comical at the same time.  You should never be afraid to zoom right in and get close to the action.

Sound

The sounds are pretty much what you’d expect from a sims game, great sound effects, corny music, and a bunch of Simlish gibberish that can be annoying if listened to for long periods of time.  I remember in Sims 2 the little buggers kept shouting out “the Clam!” for no apparent reason, though I’m sure it means something totally different in Simlish, and you’ll find a lot of that here as well.  However, it’s not something that’s going to keep you from enjoying the game with so much else to do and see.

Value

There’s a huge amount of value packaged in this system friendly game.  Not only can you spend hours playing and replaying various scenarios and even entire lives, you can create multiple sims, multiple families, and even edit the neighborhood.  One of the best parts about the Sims franchise is the huge amount of user created content and the ability to easily enable expansion packs.  Though the offerings are still a little slim, I wouldn’t be surprised if in the near future you could find pretty much anything you ever wanted for your sim (version 3.0) online.

Final Verdict

In the end, The Sims 3 is everything we loved about the first two games and then some.  Improved AI, cooler graphics, more jobs and social interaction capabilities make the Sims 3 every bit as addictive as its predecessors.

Pros:  Great graphics, easy on even older systems, wonderfully deep levels of customization and micromanagement.

Cons:  Perhaps too much micromanagement, annoyingly cheerful soundtrack, no pets or vacation packages as of yet (look for expansion packs in the future.)


Overall Score: 9/10