Review: Sims 3 and World Adventures
So the Sims 3 is the latest in the franchise. Incredible graphics and customization upgrade, a lot of freedom to run about the town, and new personality traits so I can finally have a family-oriented kleptomaniac evil genius... Who likes to fish.
It's early with this new set of games, so it's hard to tell just how good it is. The core game doesn't offer much other than the "ooh, shiny" aspect of new graphics and game play. But if you're used to the motive system of the Sims 2, then it's a bit harder to get used to. Immediate motives are done away with, and the needs can now be filled to last for a few in-game hours rather than just slowly deplete until you need to address it.
It's fun, in that "I need to waste an afternoon" sort of way that all first releases of the Sims are.
The first expansion pack does add a bit of variety to it. If compared to the Sims 2, "World Adventures" adds a bit of the Sims 2 "vacation" and "freetime" expansions, but not much. Standing on its own, the expansion is pretty interesting so far (though I'm only getting my feet wet with it right now).
There are three generic destinations: generic Europe (with primary French aesthetic, but elements of England and Germany), generic Asia (primarily China, but brushing Japan, Taiwan, and Korea aesthetic), and generic Middle-East (Egypt, primarily, but clothing aesthetic to cover most Middle-Eastern ideas).
Basic idea is to take advantage of that ability to run around the town maps and properly explore. The new locations have the tombs to explore, and a new "visa" system that lets you gain more events the more time spent in the vacation destination. Sort of like the "find the secret location" thing from the Sims 2 vacations.
Of course, the whole expansion has finally allowed me to built an Egyptian tomb in my basement, complete with Anubis torches, wall panels, and hieroglyphic pillars. So I, and my gothy Sim, am happy with it.
Overall, if you can run the Sims 3 and have the room for the expansion, I do recommend it. Just to get the use out of the full game. Sort of like how I recommend buying Okami for the Wii just to get some use out of the thing.
Also, it's going to be completely irrelevant to anyone reading this since I don't keep contact with anyone from my hometown area, but the EB Games of Brookdale in Cornwall has the nicest staff on the planet. They were helpful, professional, knew what they were talking about, and went out of their way to help me find what I was looking for every time I've gone there. It's a nice change from the staff in the city.
It's early with this new set of games, so it's hard to tell just how good it is. The core game doesn't offer much other than the "ooh, shiny" aspect of new graphics and game play. But if you're used to the motive system of the Sims 2, then it's a bit harder to get used to. Immediate motives are done away with, and the needs can now be filled to last for a few in-game hours rather than just slowly deplete until you need to address it.
It's fun, in that "I need to waste an afternoon" sort of way that all first releases of the Sims are.
The first expansion pack does add a bit of variety to it. If compared to the Sims 2, "World Adventures" adds a bit of the Sims 2 "vacation" and "freetime" expansions, but not much. Standing on its own, the expansion is pretty interesting so far (though I'm only getting my feet wet with it right now).
There are three generic destinations: generic Europe (with primary French aesthetic, but elements of England and Germany), generic Asia (primarily China, but brushing Japan, Taiwan, and Korea aesthetic), and generic Middle-East (Egypt, primarily, but clothing aesthetic to cover most Middle-Eastern ideas).
Basic idea is to take advantage of that ability to run around the town maps and properly explore. The new locations have the tombs to explore, and a new "visa" system that lets you gain more events the more time spent in the vacation destination. Sort of like the "find the secret location" thing from the Sims 2 vacations.
Of course, the whole expansion has finally allowed me to built an Egyptian tomb in my basement, complete with Anubis torches, wall panels, and hieroglyphic pillars. So I, and my gothy Sim, am happy with it.
Overall, if you can run the Sims 3 and have the room for the expansion, I do recommend it. Just to get the use out of the full game. Sort of like how I recommend buying Okami for the Wii just to get some use out of the thing.
Also, it's going to be completely irrelevant to anyone reading this since I don't keep contact with anyone from my hometown area, but the EB Games of Brookdale in Cornwall has the nicest staff on the planet. They were helpful, professional, knew what they were talking about, and went out of their way to help me find what I was looking for every time I've gone there. It's a nice change from the staff in the city.