Sims 3

If some bad language did not give money to his skin in the long term, the Sims saga begins soon its tenth year of existence and we can not say that the phenomenon started by Will Wright seems to be dying. While the extensions and other boxes of the second compilation album sold very well, Electronic Arts launched the third episode of this series not quite like any other. A third episode in which successes can be little doubt that mocks furthermore timing out before the summer and missing the holiday season ... But success means assured he provided with title botched?

Being clear from the outset, to the Editor, we are not really fans of the series of Sims. The orientation "doll house" that takes all and the Electronic Arts numerous extensions to "extend the sauce" does not clearly argues in favor of title created by Will Wright. Yet, at the base, is to manage the lives of people like you and me is quite a good idea that has, unfortunately, tend to quickly turn into a giant tamagotchi and finally lack of challenges. This lack of challenges, things are decidedly well done, one of the things The Sims 3 would be corrected.

Electronic Arts and Maxis have clearly stated that the Sims have a variety of desires and goals that the player is free to indulge, and which arise from the phase of creation. It is indeed through this tool as part of the Sims 3 starts. Selecting classical elements such as gender or age of its first character. She chooses clothes (daily, evening, sport ...) and can go into detail with the editing tools of color and modeling of the face. This is very comprehensive, but we deeply regret that there is not the body as a whole.

At this level, you must be content with a cursor defining the weight of the Sim, which will disappoint many. More exciting, the last step in creating an opportunity to define the famous character traits. Numerous, they can be positive (lucky), negative (no sense of humor) or neutral.In all cases, these are elements that influence the life of the widely Sim and will have long-term goal more or less easy to reach: it is quite difficult to become a politician when you are agoraphobic! This latter part is completed, we can really start the game.

It should be noted that the phase of creation is not mandatory and can go directly to the selection of the house taking a "family" précréée by developers. Whatever your choice, you'll more or less 20 000 simflouzes in his pocket to buy a first home. The city offers a handful of houses in this price range and some prefer to take the "empty" to save on furniture and other supplies. Unnecessary for us to make an inventory of all the possibilities at both the building looks like the editor of The Sims 2.
Note simply that each element present in the previous opus has been improved so that the player controls more things. Thus, textures to paint furniture and walls are more numerous, supplies are also more varied then the publisher has some interface improvements so they can more easily apply styles that our preference. However, it should be clear, and this will be valid at other levels, The Sims 3 is richer than The Sims 2, but it remains well below that suggested by the previous opus complemented by its numerous extensions.

It may be well doubted qu'Electronic Arts not propose that all content in The Sims 2 "more extensions, but many buyers of additional discs will be disappointed or angry much of duty and any" return to zero ". So pending the arrival of the inevitable add-ons stamped Sims 3 will require a cross on the pets, holidays or more generally numerous decor elements / objects. Fortunately, The Sims 3 is still quite rich "core" and the players, provided they are not too look in the "retro" can enjoy a good time with the original content.

Returning now to the game itself and stop for a moment on the interface that takes advantage of a subtle redesign of course, in order not to lose the regulars, but good. It earns ergonomics and benefits such as a much better management of the various catalogs. The whole is much less rough and the player with much faster "small" we doubt that future extensions this improvement will be even more decisive. In addition, there are shortcuts to achieve its Sim, home or city map. Finally, management of the accelerator time is thinner and more convenient.

Progress at the interface accompanied by progress in the general ergonomics of Sims who, suddenly, becomes much more a "real game" than the previous opus. Players were often lost or did not see too much interest to do something. With the long term, we have seen a first step made by Electronic Arts, but there is another who accompanies the Sims in their daily lives: the wishes. They appear regularly and the player can select up to four to conduct front: these wishes to push the player all the features of the game.

Indeed, these wishes are an opportunity to better understand the socialization of Sims by asking the player to look for new friends to his alter ego. It is also about playing with romantic relationships, try the various objects of the catalog or even to raise the skills of Sim. These bonuses reminiscent of the "aspirations" of Sims 2, but are simpler and more resulting in the player. They help to absorb all the mechanisms of the game and give interest to the simulation ... It actually takes the game to quickly satisfy their wishes, to select other or to cancel too sensitive.

On the merits, our Sims 3 remains the same as good old Sims 2, itself very close to the first opus. It is therefore fast enough to find employment for his character so that it does not pay too early to start. It could be as before and seek employment in the newspaper or on a computer in the library for example, but the map we can go click directly on the place of employment that you wish to try: in clicking on the town hall, we can engage in politics ... starting at the bottom of the ladder of course!

Once the work is chosen, it is obviously necessary to achieve reconciliation schedules that job, his home life and social existence. In the first Sims, it was a challenge we can no longer shave. With The Sims 2, significant improvements were noticeable, but The Sims 3 goes much further by eliminating a package of the most painful. Suddenly, the "realism" of the simulation takes a blow, but it is gaining pleasure to leave Thursday for a job often two to three days off per week and journeys are significantly shortened when the tasks are more "automated".

Thus, our Sim is often able to manage itself needs of small daily without the need to reach the "point of no return." In addition, the financial stability of our home is easier to achieve, it quickly becomes quite possible to pay for some small services such as housekeeping. Asked money, note, for example, a painter can sell his paintings as the musician has the opportunity to play in the park to be a little "pocket money". If our Sim has green fingers, it is also possible to sell its "agricultural production" to the supermarket.

The money is often as the "sinews of war", it is often the fact that to earn more advanced player. Always have more income enables him to discover a larger part of the catalog of objects and more easily discover the different places of the city community. Suddenly, the player tries to advance its Sim as an accomplished artist will draw a lot more money from the sale of his paintings. The same for all jobs of the game, but for all hobbies: the player has every interest in making the Sim more effective in part without neglecting other aspects of the game.

In the long term, it seems to be the main difference between The Sims 2 and Sims 3: Note in this regard to the installation of the game, one city is available, but another is already available for free download. This second city, Riverview has expanded the horizon of the player, but unclear if it will be followed by other free content download. It seems that it is mainly there to deter pirates. While The Sims 3 is marred by no protection, this city is a way to tell the pirates buy the game if you want it!

Asked additional content and before the arrival of extensions, note that The Sims 3 to have a party online non-negligible. While it is easy to realize his own creations (furniture, people, houses ...), it is also easy to share and thus take advantage of additional free content alongside articles Electronic Arts markets already on the same tool online. A tool on which we finally found videos, pictures and even stories made by the players. An integrated module for Sims 3 allows you to capture video and images very easily, while another tool is used to make small edits.

It is of course no question of interest to all players with such attachments, but since it does not spoil the rest of the game, you know that it can not hurt! But something that might do a little more evil the system requirements to run the beast. The Sims 3 does not revolutionize the graphic aspect of his ancestor, but it brings many touches that make the whole much better, but also heavier. To run at maximum 1680x1050, and it must reckon with a Core 2 Duo 2 GHz, 2 GB of memory and a GeForce 7800 GT.

Provided that you have such a machine, you can save all settings to maximum and enjoy rich entertainment and very nice surroundings. It is of course no question of playing Crysis, but The Sims 3 offers a graphical rendering convincing at all levels than its predecessor and the level of detail considerably enriched the activities of our people, making it more endearing. One regret, however, despite the customization options, the characters still have a little too "same mind" it should Maxis decides to dig the morphology of questions!

Conclusion
The integration of many traits of character, wishes "every day" and long term goals completely renewed the interest of a simulation of life that eventually turn into a little round. We regret that in terms of content, The Sims 3 could not bear comparison with the countless extensions of the previous album, but this is not the same budget and Electronic Arts will anyway not to offer a plethora of new for The Sims 3. In turn, it will give some the impression to become a "money pump" and will not fail to feel a little cheated by these extensions "not mandatory, but almost" to maintain the flame. Remains in the state, The Sims 3 already promises many hours of a game richer and more successful than its predecessors: it is not a revolution but a reform that deserves the on attention.