Review: The Sims Medieval

The destiny of the kingdom rests in the players' hands. Will players build up their kingdom through internal expansion, or perhaps look for a more imperial type of domination.

Release Date: March 22, 2011
Also on: Mac
T for Teen: Crude Humor, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
Genre: Simulation 
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: The Sims Studio

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The Review:
Just like any other Sims game, The Sims Medieval has you controlling people during their everyday lives. They have basic needs that must be met, though The Sims Medieval has slimmed down this aspect to only two needs, hunger and energy. Thankfully, this means you no longer have to make sure your Sims are having fun or using the bathroom.

Each Hero Sim can be quickly selected using pre-set parameters or created from scratch in the character creator. In addition to their looks, Hero Sims each have two traits and one fatal flaw, which have a big impact on how they behave in the world, and how much of a pain they'll be for you to control.

One of the coolest new features that really makes The Sims Medieval stand apart from its predecessors is the use of quests and kingdom ambitions. The ambitions are broad over-arching goals that range from simply building up your kingdom to seizing power in all neighboring territories. 

With all that said, you can still take your time completing quests, leaving you plenty of options to do whatever you want, like in previous Sims titles. You can romance other Sims, get married, have kids, run around causing trouble in the kingdom, and even die.

All of these gameplay elements work well together to provide an experience that still feels like The Sims, but also feels like something completely new. In addition, the Medieval setting and all of its intricacies add to the fun. 

Final Thoughts:
The Sims Medieval has successfully breathed new life into a franchise that was getting pretty stale. The Medieval setting combined with the streamlined gameplay and quests create an evolved Sims experience that feels deeper and much more fun than any of the other recent Sims games.

Rating: 4.0 = Good
Recommendation: A must Buy