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The Sims 3 Pets PS3 Review - www.impulsegamer.com -
The Sims 3 Pets
Reviewed by
Kyle Sudukis
on
The Sims 3 Pets PS3 Review. The Sims 3: Pets is a thoroughly enjoyable title from start to finish that creates a virtual world for your pets to roam with a healthy amount of traits, skills, quests and mysteries to embark on.
Rating:
3.75

Gameplay 7.6
Graphics 8.0
Sound 7.5
Value 7.3
Publisher: EA
Classification:
M15+
Review Date:
Oct 2011

7.5


The Sims 3 Pets

I think the day that EA stops releasing new Sims games then the world of gaming is indeed in a sorry state. Dubbed by some as a people simulator, the journey of the Sims which started in 2000 has lead this franchise to become one of the most popular series to date for not just casual gamers but also "some" hardcore gamers. There's something endearing about being able to control a virtual person as they interact with their virtual environment.

Although the series did come into a slump, it was renewed with the Sims Medieval that took the whole franchise to a whole new level with the inclusion of RPG elements and some truly whacky objectives for your medieval Sims.

The game is also heavily influenced by cause and effect which causes a ripple effect through the life of your Sim and more importantly, every decision you make will influence how the game will play out that adds to the replay value of this title.

So here we are again but unlike the native PC platform, we're actually reviewing the title on the PS3 that allows gamers to Sim from the comfort of their own couch and more importantly, FULL HD graphics on hopefully a BIG TV. Although the game plays almost identically to the Sims 3 which was also released on the PS3 last year, this version now includes pets and we all love our pets.

Whether you have a cat or a dog, this game definitely caters for the animal lover and EA have successfully merged another franchise with the Sims. That franchise in question is Nintendogs which creates life-like animals in the Sims as they play, get hungry and sometimes get into all sorts of mischief.

The biggest difference with the PC version and the PS3/360 version is that the PC version does have additional species of animals but in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't make that much of a difference. I'm sure we might see some DLC in the future... besides dogs are the coolest animals around anyway.

Although the game is almost identical to the previous version, This incarnation of the game allows for considerable more options due to pets. Unlike other Sims titles where you got to control a human, this game allows you to create your perfect pet (even their traits such as intelligent or aggressive) and there are a variety of species to choose from as you control your pet.

However as a dog lover, the choice was obviously and like my real dog Ruby, I created a virtual pet called Ruby the dog and best of all, I could see the world of the Sims from her perspective as you play an angel or a devil or something in-between as you chase your tale or other pets!

And just like your Sims, pets also have their own quests and skills to engage in such as hunting for dogs or even the chance to become a mastermind in the world of animals and humans. It is not as in-depth as humans but there's still lots of fun to be found.

But it's all about the pets and if you want to engage in some Sim activities, you can create your own virtual mansion or pet friendly paradise. AI plays a key role in the game and you'd be surprised at how like life the emotions of these virtual pets are.

Whether you're scolding a pet or playing with them, they are extremely lifelike and on more than one occasion, I was laughing at the antics of my pets, especially when they were getting involved in something they shouldn't have been such as the humble destruction of a couch to criminal activities.

It's also great that when you're in the body of a pet, your Sim does look after its pet and they do this quite well. No matter what you do, even "accidentally" going to the toilet on the floor, the unconditional love between the owner and their pet was unmatched.

Like The Sims 3 and The Sims Medieval, quests play an integral role of the lives of pets and their happiness. I mean what game actually lets you live out your Scooby Doo fantasies as you create a loyal dog who gets frightened easily but needs to hunt ghosts and search for treasure. It is possible with The Sims 3 Pets.

With so much to do in the game, there is sometimes simply not enough time and I'm sure that gamers across the globe will continue to return to this game to try something different as they create their perfect or sometimes imperfect pets. The only downside to the game is the slowdown and stutters caused by the gaming engine. It does not effect the gameplay but this was an issue in previous game. It's a shame that EA have not addressed this issue.

Graphics/Sound

Graphically, the The Sims 3 Pets is a beautifully presented game with some detailed environments and realistic animations. Even though it's quite cartoony in appearance, there is something uniquely real about it. As mentioned, the only downside to the graphics are the sometimes long loading times and occasional stutter here and there. Nonetheless, it's great to see the world from a pet's perspective.

In terms of sound, the game features that classic Simlish talk and these are transferred to your pets in quite amusing ways. A special mention should be about New Zealand singer Kimbra who lends her beautiful voice to the soundtrack of this game.

Final Level

The Sims 3: Pets is a thoroughly enjoyable title from start to finish that creates a virtual world for your pets to roam with a healthy amount of traits, skills, quests and mysteries to embark on. As you make friends or mortal enemies, the choices are up to the player, even with the few nuisances in the game such as the loading times and stutters, the gameplay works and delivers on all emotional levels. Definitely one for the casual gamer or Sim lover!





 

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