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The new Sims 3 expansion pack is out now and on shelves for you to nab. Is there anything novel here, or is it just a chance for EA to cash in? Read our The Sims 3: World Adventures review and we’ll tell all.
EA could have followed the expansions of the earlier Sims versions and opted for pets, clothing, parties and romance. Instead, with The Sims 3: World Adventures, they’ve wisely chosen to take your Sim family to distant locations and introduce new gameplay elements. This had partly been explored before in The Sims 2: Bon Voyage but here the emphasis is on puzzle solving and quests rather than just exploring foreign cultures.
In The Sims 3: World Adventures you can visit China, Egypt and France just by picking up the phone or clicking on a computer. You can sharpen up your martial arts skills in Shang Simla, become a tomb raider in Al Simhara or learn to produce wine in Champs Les Sims. When you register online you’ll be given 1,000 SimPoints as well as the Explorer’s Loot Set which includes furniture and décor from the three countries.
Read our Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks review now
The replay value in The Sims 3: World Adventures is considerable. When you arrive at the Base Camp of your chosen destination, you pick your adventure from a notice board, stock up on provisions and then try to complete the tasks within the allotted time. Initially you’ll only have three days, but when quests are completed your return visa will be extended, with greater rewards on offer. You can even build a holiday home.
The Egyptian section in The Sims 3: World Adventures is clearly the most fun, using typical adventure gaming puzzle solving methods like pulling levers, moving statues and stepping on pressure points to open doors and avoid traps. Getting around the map can be lengthy at times, though, and one quest that involves making friends with the locals until they’ll talk about a suspicious company drags on for ever.
On the other hand, the chance to visit the Terracotta Army, becoming a cursed mummy (and summoning one to your home!), improving your photography skills and collecting valuable ancient coins are just some of the enticing new attractions that The Sims 3: World Adventures has to offer.
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