Reviews

Posted by: jkdmedia

With an immense following and many years of success, The Sims has considerable renown in the genre of social simulation. Much of its popularity is owed to an excellent design, which is not only crafted with outstanding attention to detail, but also goes the extra mile to maintain a genuinely fun atmosphere. The ignorant bystander might find your average play session quite befuddling, and wonder about the strange language the characters seem to be babbling in. Yet as any Sims fan will attest, The Sims is a game that must be played in order to be appreciated.

Continuing the success of the latest version, The Sims 3: World Adventures takes players into further wacky escapades. In true Sims fashion, the outing knocks on cheesy, stereotyped elements of familiar locations – specifically, players will find themselves in France, China, and Egypt. There was a large opportunity here for the developers to introduce educational content to the players, many of whom will be young people who know precious little of world culture. Admittedly, The Sims has always placed fun above authenticity, so most of each region’s activities seem like something out of a Scooby-Doo cartoon.

That being said, much of the new content has been implemented very efficiently. As with previous Sims expansions, there is a nice assortment of trinkets to collect and exotic garments to acquire. However, it is really the addition of new gameplay elements that makes World Adventures shine. Players can develop skills with nectar-production, photography, and even martial arts. Dedicated martial artists can not only enjoy the predictable benefits of their hard work, but learn how to execute a Mortal Kombat-esque teleportation move, as well. Fans of mummy movies will find the tomb exploration quite enjoyable, as there’s some very nice puzzle-solving to be done. The adventures also carry a bit of substance, as they allow you to decorate the home with various souvenirs pertaining to your exploits – not unlike the trophies of Fable 2. It seems evident that the developers looked at many films and games in their search for source material.

Audio is as strong in World Adventures as it has been since the original release of The Sims 3. Of particular note is the music, a somewhat cheap but effective device, which helps drive home the distinct flavor of each region. Graphically, it’s hard to say if The Sims has ever looked better. Intricate use of color and a fairly clean aesthetic makes things very easy on the eyes, and even the bronze lion statues look pretty darn good. Essentially, World Adventures emphasizes new gameplay over simply a few extra collectibles, and that is what makes it so successful as an expansion. If future efforts receive similar levels of attention, Sims fans will have a great deal to look forward to.

Gameplay: 9.0
From one mission to the next, there’s an excellent array of activities to keep your Sim busy..

Graphics: 8.5 
New animations and completely original environments ensure a visually refreshing expansion.

Sound: 8.0
Pretty good atmosphere, although we’ve heard most of these sounds before.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
The puzzle solving is meant to be accessible, but your average gamer might find them a little too straightforward.

Concept: 7.0 
Not exactly inspired in its content or execution, but what’s there is very easy to get hooked on.

Overall: 8.7
With World Adventures, the Sims 3 receives one of its greatest expansions. If you’re a fan of the original, there’s little doubt that you’ll want this in your collection.