The recipe for a good sequel isn’t
exactly a simple one.
Academy Award-winning film director
Robert Zemeckis once said sequels are more difficult to make than originals,
particularly in terms of meeting audiences’ expectations. We want a sequel to
be the same as the original, but not too similar. We want them to be different,
but not too different.
We’re like five-year-olds who
simultaneously beg for cookies and candy, almost impossible to please no matter
which we’re given.
But a challenging recipe doesn’t
excuse a poor product. Electronic Arts’ Sims Studio added too much familiarity
and not enough innovation to MySims Kingdom DS, resulting in a game that feels
remarkably stale.
You start by creating your character
– options are scant, but I was able to create an accurate MySims caricature. These charming, hyper-expressive characters are the strength of the MySims
brand.
Your newly made character is dropped
into a kingdom decimated by a villainous Sim with a vaporizer. By royal decree,
you’re given the task of repairing the kingdom by rebuilding homes, planting
gardens and generally playing fix-up. You’ll also run errands to increase
citizens’ morale.
Sound familiar? It should. Substitute minor story elements and narrative pleasantries, and you’ve got a
carbon copy of last year’s MySims.
Unfortunately, the similarities
continue. And where changes have been made, they actually detract from the
overall MySims experience.
Because the focus of MySims Kingdom
DS is on improving a kingdom, creating objects with which to decorate it is your
primary goal. You’ll need new homes, fountains and gardens throughout the
kingdom, and like in the first MySims, you’ll create them from essences and
blueprints.
This was fun in MySims, but this
time, it’s a convoluted chore.
You’ll acquire blueprints mostly by
playing mini-games with other Sims, most of which are shockingly mundane and
control poorly. Once you’ve collected blueprints, you’ll need essences with
which to build, collected nonsensically from surrounding objects with an
extraction gun.
Aim at a fence to draw fire
essences. Aim at a tree to draw water essences. It makes even less sense when
you’re actually doing it.
Drop essences into a magic mixer
with your stylus, scribble rapidly on the screen and presto! You’ve made a
heart-shaped garden. Or sometimes, a telephone booth. You’ll often have to
experiment to figure out exactly which essence combinations result in which
objects.
The main problem with this process? It’s just not any fun, and because there’s no tutorial, you’ll spend a lot of
time wandering around trying to figure out what to do. Even afterward, you
won’t be entirely sure.
MySims was fun because it was
intuitive. This one? Not so much.
Strangely enough, the DS version of
MySims Kingdom actually has more in common with last year’s game than it does
with its Wii counterpart. In fact, a “kingdom” subtitle doesn’t even seem
applicable to the DS version, an entirely different game from the more enjoyable Wii title.
From a technical standpoint, MySims
Kingdom is sound on the DS hardware. Though it lacks the polish and vibrant
colors that seem to leap from the Wii version, it looks very pleasing and boasts
some visual charm.
The controls, however, are a
different story entirely. MySims Kingdom controls similarly to Nintendo’s
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. Your character follows your stylus, and the
further away your touch, the faster your Sim runs. This works well, but some of
the mini-games are disasters.
Though its addition seems more an
afterthought than a crucial feature, MySims Kingdom allows players to share
designs and play mini-games wirelessly on the DS. As boring as some of the mini-games are, others are actually enjoyable with friends, and the addition is
appreciated.
I visited EA in September for a
MySims Kingdom preview. After a detailed presentation of the Wii build, the
writers in attendance were asked to huddle around a DS running the portable
version for a brief demonstration.
Most of us couldn’t even see the
screens, let alone how it controlled, and no one really seemed to care. I
couldn’t help but sense the DS version was more of a “me too” cash-in than a
significant alternate build, and playing the final retail version hasn’t done
much to change that.
MySims Kingdom doesn’t do anything
objectionably wrong, but neither does it provide a new hook compelling enough to
justify a $30 purchase. Even the most ardent MySims fan would be better served
to skip this game in favor of the fun Wii version, which at least feels like a
sequel.
On the Nintendo DS, this kingdom is
just a bit too familiar.
|
Review Scoring Details for MySims Kingdom |
Gameplay: 7.0
Touch-based and traditional controls are available, and it’s great to have
the option. Both work well in-game, but a few of the mini-games suffer.
Graphics: 7.5
You won’t find the polish and detail present in the Wii version, but MySims
Kingdom looks appealing, colorful and expressive on the DS.
Sound: 7.0
The same kind of bouncy and generic background music you didn’t notice in
MySims has been carried over for the portable sequel.
Difficulty: Easy
MySims games are known for charming characters, addictive customization and
rewarding tasks, not really for being challenging.
Concept: 5.0
Early in the game, King Roland tells you that Lyndsay and Buddy are busy
elsewhere, alluding to events happening in the Wii version. While they’re off
having fun, you’re doing the same things you did in MySims.
Multiplayer: 6.5
Wireless communication allows players to share designs and play mini-games. The mini-games aren’t great, but the functionality is appreciated.
Overall: 6.0
MySims Kingdom doesn’t do anything objectionably wrong, but neither does it
provide any new hook compelling enough to justify a $30 purchase.
