Leveling Down

I think I’m starting to suffer a bit from “sequelitis”. This was very notable in Guitar Hero 5, a game I picked up and felt like it was really not that much different from the half dozen other music games I already own and have a hard time playing through it. Sure, certain features are better here and there, but the newest iteration of Guitar Hero doesn’t have enough to keep my enjoyment as high as playing earlier iterations. The Sims 3 gave me a similar feeling as well.

If you’re a fan of the series and liked the previous Sims games enough to want more functions and features available, this sequel is worth your time. It is more streamlined, open, and generally adds a bit more depth to the game. In previous iterations of the game, I was annoyed that I had to keep making friends and maintaining those friendships in order to get promoted at my job, which didn’t always make the most sense. Now in The Sims 3, your Sims go to work and you not only are able to see them at work if you want, but you can also decide how you want them to spend their day at work: goofing off, kissing up to the boss, chatting at the water cooler, or even simply working hard. All of these options have different effects, but ultimately you want your boss and your coworkers to like you in order to get promoted. Traveling from your house into “downtown” is a lot more seamless too, as it’s all on the same map so you’re encouraged to go. When groceries in the fridge are running low, or my Sims need new books to read, I just hop into a cab and head into town. For fans of the series that have not had enough, this game delivers.

Unfortunately for me, I think I have had enough. It’s still the Sims and you still need to babysit them by having them go to the toilet, shower, eat, sleep, etc. It feels like you’re playing life within life, and life in and of itself can be pretty boring for most of the time. I’m only able to play The Sims 3 in short spurts, because I simply can’t sit for hours having my Sim go to work, come home, feed him, shower, learn an ability, get entertained, and then go to sleep. Every day is practically the same and I’m not getting much more out of this game than previous iterations. Sure there’s more options to do things, but at the end of the day, I’m still playing chess to increase my logic skill - something that hasn’t changed since the first game.

Of course, I’m a very “by the book” gamer – give me objectives, an interesting story, and good gameplay mechanics and I’ll be practically eating out of your hand. The Sims 3, like previous iterations of the game, really has no objectives or story. It’s a digital dollhouse and for some people, furnishing a make-believe house is more than enough. I’ll admit that my creativity is lacking, so I’m not the most excited to be taking advantage of the more hardcore Sims features, like designing and constructing your own house, maintaining relationships with everyone in town, creating outfits, etc. And don’t get me started on paying actual money for in-game items to furnish my house! Still, it’s good for what it is, but I’ve realized that it’s no longer really for me. I need something a little more challenging and enjoyable than telling my Sim to shower and use the bathroom each night – something that hasn’t changed since the first game.