- Simulation
- 2009
- Buy the Game
Reviewed by Jason Thompson
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h, “The Sims.” Look how much you’ve grown. You started out as one of the most addictive virtual dollhouses ever created. Tons and tons of add-on packs were created for you and soon enough you spawned a sequel that sported a new coat of paint, attempted a new game engine of sorts… and had tons and tons of add-on packs. You had a miserable time during your online tenure, and your console outings have mostly been less than favorable. But on you go, though your creator has long since abandoned you for “Spore,” a game which has had its own myriad bungles, glitches, and mishaps. And so here you are again, recreated with the magical title, “The Sims 3.”
This is an event that should have been more exciting, but perhaps enough time has passed since this series’ inception that we don’t have to feel bad if we’re not as bowled over as the first couple times around. “The Sims 3” is more about tweaks than it is about being an actual full-blown sequel. Sims character creation is deeper and load times have pretty much disappeared. No longer are Sims confined to one chunk of a neighborhood. Pre-furnished homes are now a thing of the present. And what would a sequel be without some sort of microtransaction nonsense?
That’s right, the future of “The Sims 3” lies not within just the player’s imagination, but through buying extra crap for your creations through the goodness of Electronic Arts. Whether or not this is a plan to try to do away with add-on packs is anyone’s guess, but my gut instincts tell me it’s not. So sure, go ahead and buy some clothes and furniture and all the rest with more of your own actual money. After all, who would want to completely enjoy a game straight out of the box in this day and age? We have become so accustomed to only getting a fraction of the action anymore that not buying the virtual portion of your game to truly make it complete would certainly leave us all feeling empty.
But that’s what it’s ultimately come down to here. Spending more money on a game that should have been done and ready to completely enjoy as soon as you take it home. Of course, the microtransactions aren’t required to fully enjoy the game, but just as an incentive, Electronic Arts does set gamers up with 1000 spendable points after they register their game. Wow, just think what all those points could buy. Maybe a better toaster, some tires, an ugly statue, or some pointlessly naughty item to watch your Sims have virtual lovin’ in.
At the end of the day, “The Sims 3” is pretty much nothing more than an expanded version of “The Sims 2.” Player models look pretty much the same and while some other things have been changed, such traits as replacing zodiac signs and a new “Wishes” component of the game attempts to give the Sims even more “real” mannerisms, the fact of the matter is that no one who previously didn’t like this series is going to feel any reason to run out and buy this one. And honestly, had I been given the chance to purchase this on my own, I probably wouldn’t have. “The Sims 3” is average at best and at this point the cracks are beginning to show. The novelty has undoubtedly worn off, leaving us to realize what we should have back when the first entry into this series came out: real life is much more interesting and compelling than a virtual clone of it. Especially when watching your Sims sit around and be just as bored as you being bored watching them.
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