The Sims 3 lets you immerse truly unique
Sims in an open, living neighbourhood just outside their
door! The freedom of The Sims 3 will inspire you with
endless possibilities and amuse you with unexpected
moments of surprise and mischief.
New Seamless, Open Neighbourhood—Explore
the neighbourhood freely.
Your Sims can roam throughout their neighbourhood, visit
neighbours’ homes, and explore the surroundings. They
can stroll downtown to hang out with friends, meet someone
new at the park, or run into colleagues on the street.
If your Sims are in the right place at the right time,
who knows what might happen?!
New Create A Sim—Create
any Sim you can imagine.
New easy-to-use design tools allow for unlimited customisation
to make truly individual Sims. Determine your Sims’
shape and size, from thin to full-figured to muscular—and
everything in between! Choose your Sims’ facial features,
their exact skin tone, hair, eye shape and color and
select their clothing and accessories.
New Realistic Personalities—Every
Sim is a unique person, with a distinct personality.
Create realistic Sims with distinctive personalities.
Select from dozens of personality traits and combine
them in fun ways. The combination of traits you choose—brave,
artistic, loner, perfectionist, klepto, romantic, clumsy,
paranoid, and much, much more—help shape the behaviour
of your Sims and how they interact with other Sims.
Your Sims can now rise above their basic set of every
day needs. They are complex individuals with unique
personalities.
New Unlimited Customisation—Everyone
can customise everything!
Build your dream house or design the ultimate home.
Customise everything from floors to flowers, shirts
to sofas, wallpaper to window shades. It’s fun and easy
to change colors and patterns giving you endless personalisation
options. Or you can populate your Sims’ neighbourhood
with pre-designed buildings and furnishings. Which of
your Sims will live in high-end mansions, cool bachelor
pads, ultimate dream homes or low-cost cottage?
(Contrary to the video's title, this isn't really anything to do with Showtime, except that the base game update enabling the features was released at the same time)
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Pixie Lott starts singing her song Mama Do in English, then turns into a Sim and sings in Simlish, then switches back again. Or something.
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I'm from the UK and love Britain's Got Talent, but even I think this has gone too far...
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This is surprisingly funny at times
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"Kim is one charismatic artist who's long on flirt and short on skirt."
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"Shes the cutest thief around, stealing hearts and TVs everywhere she goes."
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"Rock star Magnus hits the right notes onstage, but his behavior is usually off-key."
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"Saffrons a natural-born chef, and a natural-born klutz."
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"Nigels cute guy looks and nice guy demeanor make him friends everywhere he goes."
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"Zack really knows his way around the field. Too bad he doesn't know his way around a mop."
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Grant Rodiek joins On the Spot for a live demo of The Sims 3 from about the 12:30 mark
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Click here if the video player doesn't load
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Here's all the previews and features I've found for The
Sims 3 on the web collected together in one place:
The expanded scope of the game and the streamlined
experience make this the best Sims game to date. It looks good and it plays
well, but it won't sway people who hate The Sims.
For those who like the series, though, it doesn't get
much better than The Sims 3.
And that’s what you’re really buying: A game of
potential. The Sims 3 is screaming for massive
expansions that will persist throughout your sims’
lives.
The question really is whether The Sims will hold your
attention for the second and third time around. We love
the new features, but find ourselves still frustrated by
the same old things.
Overall, The Sims 3 does what it promised to do. It
brings our little computer friends into 2009 with a
complete revamp to game play whilst still retaining the
charm of the old sandbox theme.
I do not know what they did to streamline the loading of
the game, but it only took mere seconds to load,
compared to what felt like forever before. It has
successfully shed its shackles of being labeled only one
thing or another.
The execution is nearly flawless on The Sims 3 and the
range of options bewildering. Once you get into it and
discover how many trait combinations there are and how
many goals you can accomplish, the game will surely
become more addictive than The Sims 2 with all the
expansions installed.
If you're a fan of The Sims, obviously The Sims 3 is a
must-buy, and you've probably already had it since the
day it came out. But, if you never really "got" why
people played the games, The Sims 3 might give you the
answer you've been seeking.
The addictive, immersive,
quirky and open-ended gameplay make this the best
edition of The Sims to date. Pushing escapism to new
heights, it’s an instant classic for anyone who as a kid
played “house” or wanted to jump into someone else’s
shoes for a little while.
If you've tried previous instalments and have decided
the game isn't for you, there's little here that'll
change your mind – it is essentially more of the same
(albeit a good deal more). However, this chapter in The
Sims series, combined with the inevitable plethora of
expansion packs, is likely to get fans' mouths watering.
It remains at the top of the genre almost by default,
given that the few Sims-clones released to date are all
so toe-curlingly awful, but in avoiding the trip to
Crapsville, instead it’s taken the stopping service from
Decentburg to Averagetown.
A fine digital toy and a great purchase for the fan of
the series - as long as you accept that a lot of
expansion features from The Sims 2 are missing and will
probably be sold to you all over again as an endless
stream of expansion packs and downloadable add-ons.
Still, The Sims 3 retains much of the charm of the previous Sims, while
presenting itself as a riveting new game that boasts amazing 3-D graphics. While
my Sims' productivity at work went up, mine went down, and before I knew it, a
whole six hours had happily gone down the drain.
The intriguing possibilities means Sims 3 is one of the
most playable games you'll likely own on your computer
-- if creating neighborhoods and watching virtual soap
operas are the sort of things that interest you.
Fans of the series will not only appreciate the larger
changes that came with Sims 3, but the smaller ones too.
Quite possibly the best Sims game yet, this is a
fantastic addition to the franchise and one that no fan
should be without.
It's more complex, more varied, and just plain more fun.
This is definitely a must-purchase for Sims fans. With
the inevitable flood of expansion packs that's sure to
come, it's only going to get better from here.
Ultimately, if you liked the previous Sims games, you
will like The Sims 3. If the series has never floated
your boat, there is nothing here that will make convert
you the fan camp.
Between its unprecedented amount of character and home customization, myriad
career and lifetime goal options and huge digital sandbox in which to play,
there is enough engaging game play in The Sims 3 to keep you entertained for
months.
The Sims 3, however, isn't all
good as it suffers from the same problem that the
previous editions do. For as addictive as the gameplay
is, it can get tedious and rather dull after a while.
The great soundtrack, the quirkiness, the online
community, the adorable moments, the moments that make
you smile and tear up, they’re all there in spades. If
you dismiss The Sims 3 because it’s a bit more casual
than other games, you’ll be missing out on something
incredibly special.
TS3 could definitely stand
to be a bit more distinct from the other Sims games, but
it offers enough change to ensure that diehard fans of
the series will want to pick it up.
The game that comes in the package is only the
beginning. The strength of the franchise has always been
the fan community, which has created thousands, if not
millions, of personalized objects, characters, houses
and even entire neighborhoods for the first two "Sims"
games.
As such, The Sims 3 really is a game that keeps on
giving; it's polished to near perfection and while it's
missing a couple of old features, it shines in so many
other areas where the series once lacked that I can only
sing its praises.
Honestly, I can't complain. I've been playing the
game non-stop and I really love what I've been able to
do. I feel, though, like I've taken a step back
without my pets and some extra content from expansions
or add-ons that are currently missing.
The Sims 3 does, however, provide enough innovation and
novelty to be worth the asking price. The relentless
accumulation of minor additions ensures a major upgrade,
and it's really chuffing addictive.
If you're a fan of the series, then The Sims 3 will
deliver all that you've come to expect and throw in a
ton of new ideas, even if the amount of extra toppings
doesn't seem as vast.
Even with that ostensibly simple premise, the
development team has crafted a remarkably layered
simulation that feels like what The Sims has been trying
to be from the beginning.
Whether you're a seasoned Sims fanatic or a
newcomer, though, there's got to be something in
this massively massive game for you. So – get
cracking, get creating and remember to update the
drivers on your graphics card because that
persistent city requires a lot of rendering.
All the elements we love about Sims is there. The
goofiness and quirky sense of humor is still alive and
kicking. Keep an open mind and you should enjoy "The
Sims 3."
Take the best elements of past The Sims games and add
more improvements and you get an idea of how amazing The
Sims 3 is and why fans will be playing it for a very
long time.
Sims 3 appears to take
Sims 2 and push it up a notch,
adding new twists and turns to make the game almost new
again, while also embracing all of the things that made
the first two version so addicting in the first place.
The Sims is back, bigger and better than ever. The Sims
3 is a real high point in the series and an ideal time
for anyone who hasn't played this life-sim, wherever
they may be hiding, to enjoy its unique and addictive
qualities.
But it's The Sims to near-perfection, crafted with love,
calculated to give the most enjoyment to a player and as
involving, as simple to get into and as downright fun as
it has always been.
One of the most dramatic changes is the lack of load
screens. You can watch your Sims as they jog to the park
or drive to work, and they can socialize with people
they pass on the street.
Fans of the first two games will find plenty of new
content to enjoy here, with the experience becoming
increasingly engrossing with every passing hour, while
later stages are particularly impressive if your Sims
are successful.
It's a testament to the great game design of the Maxis
team and the fact that, however bad it can sometimes
feel, the day-to-day grind of everyday life is
ultimately pretty damn fun.
Give it time to circulate and new content will come
pouring in, but what's there is by far the best in the
series, and I can say that because the advent of
seamless city exploration, fully integrated character
traits and less dumbfounded AI in The Sims3 would make
it difficult to return to its predecessors.
All in all, however, the problems with The Sims 3 are
easily outweighed by the wide variety of funky new
gadgets, sharp additions to gameplay, and a pervasive
sense that the developers had the fanbase squarely in
mind throughout the design process.
With hundreds of new in-game interactions, personality
traits that add a quirky change of pace and new tools to
create and expanding the ways that players will
communicate with fellow Simmers, The Sims may be more of
an evolutionary step in the franchise's development but
it's a massive step in the right direction, a new way
that we recommend for anyone (Teen or older, of course).
The sheer scope of possibility is a little daunting, so
it’s really to the game’s benefit that it is just so
instantly addictive. If you actually had to think about
the epic scale of the undertaking you are about to
embark on, you’d be too scared to turn on the computer.
The Sims 3 is a huge game stuffed with things to
do and explore, with a number of features like the trait
system that breathe new life into the series. Yes, it’ll
doubtlessly be exploited just like the original games
and it’s more iterative than innovative, but the formula
works well and just because we probably can’t recommend
it to regular bit-tech readers doesn’t mean we
can’t recommend it for everyone else.
Overall, the Sims 3 is superb evolution for the
franchise and an impressive, enjoyable game in its own
right. EA has obviously listened to criticism and worked
hard to create a title that prioritises goal-based
gameplay over micro-management to deliver an experience
that's constantly engaging and thoroughly immersive.
EA has done a commendable job at listening to its
community and giving them what they want by way of the
included movie maker, style creator and integrated
online store, crafting not only a well-rounded package
that bests its predecessor in every area, but a game
that is, much like its virtual stars, filled with charm
and character.
What EA has done is create a platform for a new
generation of expansion packs and downloadable content.
Depending on where they take it, this might be like
‘needing’ to buy all your old films again on Blu-ray, or
it might allow for new, exciting additions as towns
expand in scope and scale.
And along the way, The Sims looks to attract a whole new
generation of people interested in spying on the
neighbors, decorating a home, and spending real time and
money taking care of a pretend person.
All in all, Maxis have done an amazing job at making
the game deeper and more exciting in almost every
way, and yet somehow have managed to make the game
overall much more manageable and understandable.
While it is easy to look back at the Sims 2 and all of
the features that were packed into the game and all of
its expansion packs, and miss that breadth, the Sims 3
really has opened up the world for its denizens and
given them something more unique, subtle, and
surprising.
Whether you're part of that
base or not, it's the most inviting, gratifying version
of the game that makes the utmost in everyday banality
utterly seductive.
After suffering from an oversaturation of Sims for the
last 10 or so years, it’s hard to believe The Sims 3 is
as good as it is. It’s unapologetically a Sims game, but
it also manages to feel truly fresh. If you’ve never,
ever liked The Sims, you still probably won’t get what
all the fuss is about, but if you burned out on all the
Sims 2’s expansion content, we urge you to give The Sims
3 a look.
The implementation of the
city coupled with the numerous improvements to the game
flow and customization, makes The Sims experience much
more rewarding and enjoyable than its predecessors.
Undeniably the best Sims yet, the extension beyond the
home is wonderfully natural and helps to focus on the
bigger things than getting caught up in the basics.
And also the massively
enriched character generator, and how it creates a world
of different shapes and sizes, if not so much
personalities. But with so much movement in a game that
means so much to so many, the talking points seem
endless. No wonder the Sims have so much to say.
But The Sims 3 allows players to play the way they truly
want, way more than they ever were able to do before.
The Sims 3 is a must for any fan, and the new features
will win over many new hearts to the Sims franchise.
It's the raft of minor additions like that which mean,
despite a few pulled punches, that The Sims 3 is a broad
and ridiculously charming game that manages to
significantly expand upon its critical formula without
ever becoming overwhelming.
The Sims 3 may not sway non-Sims fans from changing
their minds about the series, but there’s more than
enough here to please the many legions of fans already
out there. This is simply a better playing Sims
experience, and once you experience the freedom to hit
the town without hitting a load screen you’ll be
hard-pressed to go back to any of the earlier games.
You can also customize your neighborhood's layout,
moving properties and families to different areas on a
whim. The range of options is actually pretty
intimidating to me, but players who live for this sort
of thing get a pretty awesome toolset to work with.
It offers the element of surprise, showing off its
abundant charms through funny social interactions that
make you want to be part of the improved virtual
community. Although it could have offered even more
right out of the box, there's still an awful lot of
content here, and it's bound to put a smile on almost
anyone's face.
The emphasis has shifted towards you
helping them to fulfil their goals more
directly, whether this be rock stardom or
domestic bliss. In short, it finally feels
like a proper game. The visuals are nothing
special and, inevitably, there are some
tedious bits. Even so, this is easily the
best Sims yet.
From
TheSims3.com:
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