The Sims 3
The Sims and The Sims 2 are two wildly popular simulation games by Maxis which I have been playing for years. If you’re unfamiliar, educate yourself.
I am very, very excited that the third edition of the game, The Sims 3, is coming out on February 20th 2009, just a few short months from now. On the official website there is a sneak-peak video of what the game looks like and loads of information about what it will play like.
In this version of the game, sims can explore the rest of their neighborhood while still under your direct control. This is the big new feature. This means that other sims will be on automatic while you play that one, and they will age at the same rate. I have to admit that in The Sims 2 it did bother me that sims in the same neighborhood who were supposed to be the same age would suddenly be years apart, but I am also not sure about this feature. Will they be having entire lives without my playing them at all?
I always find it a relief to send my sim off to work or school and not have to worry about them for a few hours so I could concentrate on their family members. It seems that now you will have to actually get your sims to work in a car or on foot instead of just telling them to get into a car. They can also work overtime and take work home with them. I don’t know how I feel about that as far as my gameplay goes, but kudos for trying to simulate real life more closely.
Sims will be a lot more physically customizable in this version, which seems to be a trend followed from the first to the second versions as well. I see this as continued improvement.
The Sims 3 will sell for $49.99 for the normal version and $69.99 for the collectors’ edition which includes a plumb bob (read: floating green diamond) USB drive key chain, sticker sheet, downloadable European sports car and tip and reference sheets. I know I’m getting one, how about you?
