The
basic formula is still exactly the same as it has been for 9 years now;
you create a family of people and control them through life. You can
make them or destroy them and it is still the same fantastic, addictive
fun. After all these years I still don't know why it's so addicting to
watch a little computer person go to the toilet and watch TV when I do
those things daily, but oh well. The Sims has always been very
customisable and this game is no different; you can make your Sims look
exactly how you want them too, you can furnish their house and you can
build your own community lots. The gameplay and structure really hasn't
changed and it means that The Sims 3 keeps the same addicting gameplay
we've come to know and love (or perhaps hate).
By Tom Acres - Systemlink Blog
The thing that
keeps the game from feeling a little bit stale are the new features
which really improve the overall game. The biggest addition is that the
towns where your Sims live are now fully, living, breathing towns where
all the Sims run about going about their daily business in time with
the Sims you are playing as. It is completely seamless too and there
are now no load screens at all once you get into the game. You can now
get to a community lot within seconds or just walk around town freely
if you like. It makes the game much more manageable and less of a
chore. You know longer feel like your wasting the day away looking at
loading screens which could go on for minutes in The Sims 2. Another
big improvement is the way in which you can customise your Sims
personality in the form of traits. You can make your Sims exactly how
you want and this will dictate how they will behave from mental traits
such as genius or crazy, to physical traits like athletic or slob. This
makes the Sims even more alive than ever before and you can now rely on
them to go about their business without you guiding them by the hand
24/7. The final big improvement to the game is the user interface. It
is far more easy to use and streamlined for quick and easy access
wherever you are in the town.
An
out of game feature that I've spent a lot of time using is the new
movie editing tool found on The Sims website. You can record clips in
game and then edit them into a movie on the website and it works in a
similar way to Lionhead Studios' The Movies from a few years ago. It's
very easy to use and upload your videos for sharing and it adds even
more lifespan and customisation to a game with limitless values of both
those things.
The
presentation of The Sims 3 is as good ever with a great UI design and a
very polished look overall. Despite this, the graphics themselves don't
look to of had a huge upgrade from The Sims 2, although this is
forgiven because of the seamless towns avaialble to you. The framerate
was a nightmare in The Sims 2, but that is also much improved here. The
sound effects are typically Simish with crazy dialogue and music tracks
on coming from the in game TV. Overall, The Sims 3 has a very polished
presentation.
The
Sims 3 doesn't reinvent what makes The Sims so great, but the new
additions improve the game significantly to make for a much more
enjoyable experience whether you're playing for 30 minutes or 4 hours
at a time. If you have never liked The Sims, then you will still hate
The Sims 3. However, if you've played The Sims 2 to death and need an
excuse to get back involved, or you're still as addicted as ever, then
The Sims 3 is a must buy.
By Tom Acres - Systemlink Blog