The Sims 3 offers a mixed bag of new and old
There are many different Sims players out there buying this game from years of playing The Sims 2, and I think some of them will be impressed with The Sims 3, while others disappointed.
Create-A-Sim Players: 4/5
If you have an juiced up computer, the graphics are amazing. The customization you can give a sim is also very rewarding; you can now color customize the different parts of a sim’s outfit with virtually any color, and the pattern system they’ve created only increases the amount of customization you can give a sim’s clothing. A sim’s hair coloration is now broken up into four parts, all of which can be set to any color you wish. The only disadvantage I found is that there doesn’t seem to be as many ways to customize the face as there had been in Sims 2; there are some new, different ways though.
Want to know what other people think about The Sims 3? Read More Sims 3 Reviews
House Building Players: 5/5
Because of the new pattern system in the game, building houses now has a new level of customization, making it easier to customize a house’s color and texture to your liking. Another nice thing is that furniture can now be placed at angles, so you no longer have to worry about awkward placement of objects near angled walls. Just keep in mind that since this is the first game, with no expansions made yet, there is a limited amount of furniture you can use. Also, if you’re only interested in building houses, its not as easy as simply clicking on the lot you wish to build, once the game starts; you actually need to be playing your saved household and then exit your household for “Edit Town,” where you can then select a lot to build on.
Neighborhood Building Players: 1/5
If you were big on building neighborhoods in Sims 2, you’re going to very, very disappointed. You can no longer make your own neighborhoods; you are stuck with customizing Sunset Valley (the only neighborhood that comes with the game) or downloading another neighborhood from The Sims 3 website. There are no pre-made empty neighborhoods you can create and then customize and populate. Needless to say, there is no compatibility with SimCity 4 neighborhoods either. You’re stuck with Sunset Valley, and that’s that.
Movie/Story Players: 5/5
If you’re into making movies or stories there doesn’t seem to be big difference between Sims 2. Photo capture now seems to be similar to what the “Print Screen” button does on your keyboard. The quality is exactly what you see on the screen, and the size of the image is as big as your resolution for the game. Video capture options seem almost identical to Sims 2. And like Sims 2, the controls are still difficult to deal with if you’re trying to make smooth transitions. Also, there is no in-game Storytelling option anymore, storytelling is mostly focused online at The Sims 3 website, where there are some neat tools you can use for editing.
Single Family Players: 4/5
If you liked only playing one household in Sims 2 (like if you were into the Legacy Challenge) Sims 3 makes it even more interesting and more realistic with the fact that the entire neighborhood ages around your sim; no more childhood friends always being children, even when your sims have become adults; no more grandchildren out-aging their grandparents because they happen to be on different lots. And not only that, but you can now explore the rest of the world, expanding the possibilities for your sims.
Multi-Family/God Players: 2/5
If you liked jumping between many different houses and creating a complex story between many different households, you may be in for a big disappointment with Sims 3. You’ve ultimately been demoted from being god. You can no longer save individual households for later. Once you leave a household the sims there become NPCs (characters for the computer to control) and continue on their own lives and own story without your help. This may sound odd but Sims 3 is more of a game, and less of a device to tell a huge complex story.
The Sims 2 Console Players: 5/5
For people who loved The Sims 2 for PlayStation 2, X-Box, and GameCube, The Sims 3 plays very similar to those. In fact, The Sims 3 seems like a souped up version of the console Sims 2. For people who hated The Sims 2 console games, well . . . you may not like how The Sims 3 plays.
You’re liking of The Sims 3 is really going to depend on what you did and enjoyed in The Sims 2. And sadly, I have to say this game isn’t for everyone who loved The Sims 2.
More: The Sims 3
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I don’t have TS3 yet, but I actually think it will be a ripp-off.
Thanks for the review. You happen to be dead on with a lot of things I had concluded myself. I am almost disapointed, but I am happy with some elements. The player’s have less of control over editing the sims face as in the Sims 2, and I think for progressing with a series as BIG as The Sims, the limited items included in The Sims 3 is horrible, agian a $49.99 game does not hack it, it’s a revamp version of The Sims 2 and still they leave out the ability to change the length of your sims hair yourself, and made the game so basic it’s almost a step down to the previous titles. Apartments should of been included, along with a bigger collection of items, instead of making them buyable through The Sims Store. I can understand leaving weather out, but my Sims Needs are still through the roof, and I am constantly keeping them at bay so that they are happy when they go to work instead of a fair mood or below. I am defintally disapointed because they spent a lot of time with The Sims 3, and to deliever only a mediocre product the lacks so much potential. Perhaps I have just outgrown The Sims as I am 23 years old now, and perhaps I need to find something else that re-captures my creativity and time.
i hate PC games i wish they would make the sims 3 for play station 2 or 3
P.S.
The Sims 3 is no longer available on consols.
You can now only get it for PC and Mac.
Also, there is a version of it for the iPhone and iTouch but, in my opinion, it is too watered down and buggy to even bother with.
First, I just want to say that I am impressed with all the great ways you can design and create your homes and clothes in The Sims 3. That was and has always been one of my favorite parts about The Sims since it started.
I have been a hardcore fan throughout The Sims history and have spent innumerable hours with the games and consistently bought all the expansion packs available in stores.
I was really rather disappointed with The Sims 3 for a number of reasons.
The fact that I absolutely hate the most is that they have basically recycled many of the motions the sims go through in the Sims 2. The way they dance or play with babies and the like is dead on identical to the previous game. And isn’t it fair, when I buy a new game for a lot of money, that the game-experience should be as new as the game itself?
I did, basically and unknowingly, buy the same experience as with the old game.
They spent a long time making it, shouldn’t they create now movements as well.
The music is also much the same as in the Sims 2, why not hire someone to write new music for the game, it certainly deserves it! I was so disappointed to hear the same tune I’ve heard a million times before!
The second thing I have beef with is that I cannot follow my sims into the restaurants any more, nor select the kind of thing I want them to eat, converse about or who to flirt with. There are no more restaurant proposals and an option of a real date! Where is the romance??
The third thing is; where are the cinematic short-scenes, that added a touch of humor or good moments? I used to love watching my sims get married, or do other stuff from a different perspective. It really made me bond more with my sims, and now I just don’t get that same feeling.
And even played with best graphics, I’m having problems with the fact that sims look worse in the game than they do in the creator.
I’m having problems with creating my sims the way I want them to look, when the creator is kind of deceiving.
All in all; I certainly don’t care for my new sims as much as I did for my sims in the predecessor.
The fourth thing is this: for all you Multi-Family/God Players out there, like me; the game is not for you any more!! I was more than extremely disappointed to find that my sims cannot have friends that I’ve made and wanted to follow as well! When you move to a different household and play for awhile, babies or children will grow up and gain personality traits you never selected, which will affect how they live later. Pregnant sims will spawn babies with some generic name.
One said it well the other day; I do not like that my sim can get a girlfriend and have babies without my permission!
There are lots of other little things to pick at that take down the realism of the game a couple of notches, like the fact that I don’t have to buy clothes or that the sims have lost their ability to remember their lives(!), diaper changing in mid-air, but I’ll make this as brief as I can.
I’ve played the Sims 3 since it came out, but there’s no joy to it any more, I’ve tried out basically everything now.
So thank you EA, for ruining one of the greatest games for those who like to build, create, PLAY and be omnipotent.. I really had fun playing your games, but I won’t be playing much any more.
This is what I personally see with Sims 3
Pros: No longer do you have to bounce from house to house to age everyone appropriately, nor do you have to wait on long tedious loading screens everytime your sim goes out. Sims are a lot more realistic and their lives are more fun to participate in with the ability to change wishes and add lifetime points. Searching for fish, seeds, ect makes mini challenges which can be a lot of fun, as is the building of careers. I enjoy the ability now to have multiple children, but not have to play all of them back and forth. I pick one I’m interested in and then send the rest off to live their lives. Generation playing is more fun because of the new aging for all sims. Also Toddlers can learn more at an early age.
Cons:I used to love starting out with a fresh neighborhood and adding and building as I go which is not available. I was a big avoider of preplanned neighborhoods which is all you have in Sims 3. I am not happy with the fact that in order to play a different family you have to give up ALL control of your current one. The price is high for what you are getting in comparison to Sims 2 which is why I waited to buy until I could get a discounted game. The styles of items are extremely limited, and the piano which was one of my favorites is no longer available. Your children can no longer build certain skills, after toddlerhood where they can get an early start a lot of skills don’t reappear until a teen. Skills like music and cooking are no longer available to children unless you count that child stove that barely gives them any skill. So the if you make your kid a genius the best they can do is max their logic skills. I miss the interests category, I also miss the memories as I used to love going back and reliving certain moments.
Overall: Game play is less time consuming as your not waiting for loading screens constantly. Outside of that I see them as two different games. There are a lot of people who won’t be happy with the new Sims, some who will like it but seriously miss certain elements, and some who will love it. But what I see with this game is that while it’s a good game it won’t cause the archiving of Sims 2.
Well, it seems like there’s quite a change in the gameplay. I am the fans of sims 2. I like the way the other sims grow older and more likely to say.. the sims 3 is almost like an adventure RPG games..
I really hopes the next expansion will allow us to explore our mind with neighborhood editing. just like the sims 2. because its really boring to play with just one family and stuck in one place…
I have one question though..
Is there any free download for the sims3?
i found out its really hard to find…