Sims Medieval Review

The series continues to build its history with the latest entry in the series, The Sims Medieval. Although entirely different in plot than its predecessors, the gameplay still retains its Maxis/Electronic Arts quality.All of the prior games in The Sims series were based in the present time line; this of course changes now since this game is based in medieval times. While the earlier games were based on socializing, building a business, or making a family, this game focuses your efforts on constructing your own kingdom from the ground up. The game is also quest-driven, meaning you accomplish tasks to further your efforts of gaining funds, fame and fealty. The game takes away the task of designing buildings with meticulous effort that was found in the earlier Sims games; instead of that, this game directs most your efforts to growing your kingdom, making it similar to games such as Fable III.As for the technical specifications of this game, it's just about the same as the previous entries. It is based on The Sims 3 engine, which is the engine that was used on the game of the same name back in 2006, which was five years ago. This means you shouldn't expect anything groundbreaking or innovating, especially if you've played The Sims 3. It's a pretty moderate offering in the graphics area as well; it uses DirectX 9.0, so it won't be displaying the most cutting-edge graphics. The lighting seems to be a bit better than The Sims 3, however, so there have been some improvements on the aesthetics of the game. The terrain is probably at the forefront of the improvements; they're no longer the flat, dull plains that were featured in the previous games. Instead, they're more realistic representations of terrain and contribute to the medieval feeling that this game should have.Overall, the game is worth checking out, even if you aren't a diehard Sims fan. If you're in love with the series, you'll find comfort and familiarity in this game for sure. The kingdon-erecting concept, although incessantly overdone in the gaming industry, is pulled off pretty well, and the physical construction of the kingdom does leave room for the users to be unique. If your prerogative is graphics-gawking, I'd give this game a pass. Otherwise, it's worth it to put some hours in to become a king, find the right queen, make some heirs, and all that jazz.