The Sims 3
The word that springs to mind in The Sims 3 is ‘more’. We’re talking more of the sort of thing that so compelled the Sims faithful the last time around and, to be honest, that left others cold and wondering what all the fuss was about. Anyway, think ‘more’...
This notion of extra-ness slaps you in the face from the very outset too, with a vastly expanded Create-a-Sim utility. Character customisation is nothing new these days, so The Sims 3 ramps things up several notches by festooning players with more options to muck about with pretty much every outward attribute of their Sim – a few inner ones too. This begins with gender and age, of course, and there are six stages of Sims’ life to select, starting at giddy toddlers and going all the way through to doddering pensioners. After that comes the near-infinite minutiae of choosing hairstyle/colour, face shape, skin tone, body morphology, stature and so on. And that’s before you get started on the innumerable clothing, make-up and accessory choices on offer. They’re all tweakable in terms of colour and pattern too.
Moving onward, or should we say inward, things get a little more interesting. Players get to pick personality traits from a selection of over 60, with options to make your Sim better in social, personal or professional situations, as well as funnier, luckier, more ambitious, a bigger hit with members of the opposite sex etc. Choice of personality traits is crucial in the successful attainment of a longer term Lifetime Wish too, so it’s perhaps worth bearing in mind that toddler Sims are granted just two traits while only fully grown adults get the full complement of five. Likewise creating a Sim who is an antisocial geek won’t get you very far down the road to becoming, say, the leader of the free world. But there’s much fun to be had here. Particularly in creating a family of complete character opposites and standing back as they bicker and fight like the Big Brother household.
We’re getting ahead of ourselves, though, and your Sim or Sims need a home in the default ‘burg of Sunset Valley first. Here again you’re faced with more options than you’d find a stick long enough to shake at. The myriad choices for flooring, wall covering, furniture and fittings are all contained in a pleasingly straightforward user-interface. For the sake of expedience – as well as sanity – it might be wise to pick the fully-furnished option when you first set out.
Once settled it’s on with the business of, er, just being. As previously mentioned the long-term ambition of any Sim is attain his or her lifetime goal. Getting there is as complicated with everyday tasks, ad-hoc occurrences, gainful employment options and amusing social interactions as have made the series rightly famous. Fulfilling your Sim’s interim ‘Wishes’ gently prods them in the general direction of their ultimate goal and there are ample opportunities to earn vital ‘Wish Points’ along the way. These are distinct from the Simoleon currency of the game and can be spent on improving physical attributes or capabilities, including such useful talents as speedy housekeeping or the reputation for throwing parties of legendary proportions. At the more expensive and elaborate end of the scale it encompasses the ability to knock up the odd painted masterpiece and personal teleportation, among many others.
We’ll get into all that and more in greater depth in our review, two weeks hence. Meantime The Sims 3 is turning out to be a very polished product that, in spite of its bewildering scale and variety, is as straightforward or minutely involving as you want it to be. So far it’s been fun all the way, too. Review on the 5th, then. Assuming we ever leave the pleasant environs of Sunset Valley for long enough to write it...
