It’s hard to believe that after all these years, the Sims is still able to find new ways to keep content fresh and reinvigorate the gameplay. Well, they’ve done it again with the newest expansion, Sims 3: Pets. Coming in fall 2011 for PC and Xbox 360, Pets offers over 100 different breeds of dogs and cats, with horses also available on the PC version. The game also focuses on 3 main aspects: creativity, the ability to play as a pet, and mysteries.
Sims 3: Pets offers full customization of pets. You can create the type of pet you own or the one you’ve always wanted. Customize the pet’s coat, shape, pattern, color, etc. You can change the ears, tail, snout, eyes, and much more. Pets allows you to go even further than customizing your pet’s look. You can also choose their behavior pattern and traits, similar to how you choose a sim’s traits. You are given the freedom to design the pet you want. To simplify customization, Pets will use Kinect voice functionality. No more tedious scrolling through every possible choice. Now you can say exactly what breed you want and the game will select it. Those who want to experience the full creativeness of EA can check out the limited edition pack, filled with many different types of pets, such as “Tiger Dog”, a dog with a tiger-striped coat on it.
Ever wonder what it is like to be a dog or cat? Sims 3: Pets also offers you the ability to take control of your pets. They aren’t just there for show. Play as your dog and interact with other dogs. Form relationships with other animals. Yes, you can even “make a baby” and see what the puppy of two totally different breeds would look like.
Pets also contains objective-based goals referred to as “mysteries”. Open up your mystery journal and you will find a list of goals to complete. All of them require a dog or cat to complete. Use your pet to help your sim pick up a hot date totally out of their league.
The Sims 3: Pets continues to improve upon an already successful franchise. It remains true to its roots of giving the player complete freedom, while providing more linear players the opportunity to fulfill goals. You can do everything you could do in previous games, but as a pet! Sims 3: Pets fits right in with the franchise and looks to be a fun, successful expansion to an already great game.
