When the first Sims 3 expansion pack hit our desks, we figured it might be worth a look--y’know, maybe if our sock drawer had other plans that night. Good thing duty called--it turns out World Adventures is worth more than a look. In fact, we think any self-respecting Sims 3 fan should purchase it immediately.
Since The Sims 3 rebooted the franchise, its developers can now revisit previous expansion packs for their inspiration. And here, as it was in The Sims: Vacation (okay, okay, and The Sims 2: Bon Voyage), the idea is to take your sims abroad to three exotic locations. That’s where the similarity ends, though, because World Adventures is a much more ambitious expansion, offering not just a selection of extra bits and pieces to play around with, but a welcome break from the core gameplay.
The game isn't buggy. But Egypt's tombs sure are!
This expansion pack offers three global locations for your sims to explore: France, China, and Egypt. When you first travel to a location, your movements are initially limited by your low visa rating, but the more you globe trot, the more expansive and exciting your adventure will become. Upon arriving at a destination, you should visit the market to meet the locals and get a taste of the culture. However, this game is really about adventuring, and so it won’t be long before you make like Indiana Jones and go off treasure hunting--or, more accurately, tomb raiding.
Plenty of tombs and catacombs lay beneath all three of the locations, and you’ll have a great time exploring them, solving their puzzles, and locating treasure. Your progress will be hampered by pesky mummies who want to curse you, but you can tempt them with a mummy snack, offer them coins, or, later in the game, even take control of them and summon them to your home.
Above ground, your sims can integrate with their new surroundings and learn diverse new skills such as photography, nectar making, and martial arts, gradually increasing their knowledge base and expertise while upgrading their equipment as
they progress.
Sims traditionalists will be very pleased to discover that, alongside all the newfangled adventuring, plenty of regular expansion-pack fare is stuffed into World Adventures. The enhanced building options let you add basements and additional floors to your residence. It’s fun to display the wealth of collectibles you acquire during your travels, and exotic fruits and vegetables can even be introduced to your garden.
World Adventures is a really superb expansion pack, and this fresh, imaginative experience proves that EA isn’t content to churn out formulaic accessory packs. It certainly strikes just the right balance between new gameplay twists and plenty of content for the avid collector.
The Sims 3: World Adventures
COMPANY: Electronic Arts
CONTACT: www.ea.com
PRICE: $39.99
REQUIREMENTS: Intel Core Duo processor; Mac OS 10.5.7 or later; 2GB RAM; ATI x1600, Nvidia 7300GT, or Intel GMA X3100; 128MB VRAM; full copy of The Sims 3
Great locations. Lots of exploration and collectibles. New skills to learn. Tombs are fun.
The puzzles are a bit basic.
