The Sims 3
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: EA Play
Platforms: PC, Mac
Modes: Single player
ESRB: T

For those of you who don’t know, I am very much a Sims fan, and the Sims 2 is probably one of my all time favorite games that I still play regularly, even nine years after its release. The Sims 3 is the next Sims game in the series, and takes the foundation that the Sims 2 built and expands on it. However, not everything it expands on is good.

The biggest addition to the Sims 3 is that the neighborhood that your Sim lives in is one continuous map, allowing the Sim to travel wherever they wish, unlike the Sims 2 where there was a set destination to where your Sim would travel. This makes the game enjoyable, but also has it’s setbacks. Having your Sim travel anywhere on the map makes the game seem very much realistic. However, when your Sim is visiting a certain place, like a restaurant, a spa, or their work, you can’t do anything while they’re there. You just see the building, and have to wait until your Sim is done in the building to see them. I personally would have liked it if the developers let you see inside the building at what your Sims are doing, like seeing them do their job or eat at a restaurant.

Another aspect that the game expands on is skill building. Before, you would have to do an activity that is related to the skill you are trying to level up, for example painting and playing music for creativity, or practicing a speech for charisma. Now, you can level up in different ways, including attending classes or reading books on specific interests. I really like this, and it makes leveling up skills easier and even fun.

Careers are also treated very differently in this game. Sims can now get part time jobs, instead of full time, and can also get a job at any of the businesses on the map. Also, while at work, you can control how your Sims work, for example, you can have them work hard, suck up to their boss, study, or hang out with coworkers. Those actions can help or hurt how your Sims job performance is, and whether or not they get promoted. Also, careers expand into different branches, for example a music career Sim can choose whether to become a studio musician or a conductor in a symphony. Also, there are Opportunities that a Sim can do in their job. Opportunities are tasks that your Sims have the option to do that will get them a promotion or money. I love the expansion on the career gameplay, but I still wish that you could see the Sims perform their jobs instead of seeing the outside of the building.

The Create A Sim part is also very different. You can now make Sims unique with hairstyles, clothing, voices, and patterns. Also, Sims can now wear shoes, unlike the Sims 2 where the shoes were with the pants. Also, when choosing clothing for Sims, you can now customize and recolor clothing, which is really amazing.  However, my problem with the way the Sims look in this game is that they all look really bad and ugly, in my opinion. I believe the Sims in the Sims 2 looked way better than in 3. I love the customization aspects, but hate how the Sims look.

Another big addition to the game is personalities and traits. Each Sim has a unique personality. The traits system works by having your Sim pick specific traits to their personality, some of which include vegetarian, hydrophobic, ambitious, and unlucky. These traits determine aspects in your Sims life, for example an unlucky Sim will have items in their home break on them more often than others, hydrophobic Sims will never get in a swimming pool, and ambitious Sims will be more likely to get promotions. You can also choose your Sims favorite type of music, food, and color. I really love this aspect of the gameplay, and is probably my favorite thing about the Sims 3.

The build and buy modes have also had an overhaul. You can now place furniture at angles, where before they could only be straight. Also, the customize option from the Create A Sim is also apparent in the buy mode, allowing players to customize their furniture. However, the biggest problem I have with the entire game is in the buy mode. There are few objects available to use in game, and for a very dumb reason. With the release of 3, EA made a Sims 3 Store, where people can buy objects for the game with real money. It is apparent that they put few items in the game so that people will purchase more items from the store, which doesn’t sit well with me and many other Sims fans.

GOOD: Expands on gameplay from the Sims 2, personality/trait system, customization.

BAD: Sims look weird/ugly, controls, hard to socialize with other Sims, nothing to do/see when Sims visit community lots, less items in game so people buy items.

SCORE: 7/10. I’d recommend people play this game just for the experience. I love the Sims 2 way more as a game, but this title has a lot to offer.