Review The Sims 3 Seasons | Game 2013
The Sims 3: Seasons is the eighth and most recent expansion
pack for the popular simulation title. For those of us tired of the
constant cloudless, summery weather your sims endure, the wait is
finally over. With seasons come weather, and with weather comes lots of
new fun for you and your sims to enjoy.
Seasons can be between
three and 28 days long and can be edited in the Options menu. You can
even turn off some seasons, so you can have autumn all year round if you
prefer, or you can skip winter if you don't like the cold. Weather
conditions can also be turned on or off, so you can create the pixelated
world of your dreams.
There
are four major types of weather — fog, hail, rain and snow — and what
you see is based on the outside temperature; you won't see snow in the
summer, obviously, but it can rain in the winter if it's still too warm
to snow. They also occur in different intensities, though that's more or
less random. A forecast of "snow" can mean flurries, a blizzard or
anything in between. You can tell the temperature with the thermometer
on your info bar next to your sim's avatar. Rain can water the plants in
your garden for you; when the temperature drops too low, your garden
hibernates and won't grow or be harvestable until it thaws out in
spring.
To survive the coldest and hottest days in
Seasons,
you need the right accoutrements. For spring's showers, bring along
your umbrella to stay dry. In summer, don't forget your parasol. In
Create-A-Sim, a new clothing category, Outerwear, keeps you warm during
the coldest winter spells. Lack of caution in the face of temperature
changes can lead to serious problems for you and your sims. Failure to
keep cool in the summer can lead to a nasty, painful sunburn or even
spontaneous combustion! In winter, you run the risk of freezing solid
until someone comes to thaw you out. Spring brings allergies, and colds
or flu can strike at any time (and always at the worst possible time).
There are no new jobs or towns in
Sims 3: Seasons,
but there are two new skills: Soccer and Snowboarding. Both can be done
all year round, though to snowboard when it's not snowy, you'll need to
find a half-pipe in town or put one in your yard. Neither has a career
associated, though I'm of the opinion that the Athlete career that came
with the original
Sims 3 should have the soccer skill associated with it since that career is, after all, a soccer star.
A
single new plant has been added to your garden — pumpkins — and can be
used in the Pumpkin Pie recipe. A new type of collectible, wildflowers,
is also available all year round, though they are more plentiful in the
spring. You can now swim in the ocean, though pets still can't, and
finally, diving boards are available for your swimming pool.
There
is a new occult-type sim as well. The aliens are back! They can't be
created in Create-A-Sim, but they can be attracted to your lot,
especially if you frequently use the telescope or collect moon rocks.
It's possible for your sim to be abducted and, of course, impregnated.
Half-alien children always have traits of both parents. For example, an
alien-werewolf child may be green and bald, but will still change and
get furry under the full moon.
If
luck or abduction are not your preferred method of romance, there's a
new option for that as well. Your sims now have the option to find a
date online. They create a profile on the dating Web site, and it can be
as honest or creative as desired. They'll be able to send messages,
chat with and eventually meet other sims. If you lied on your profile,
don't be surprised if they're disappointed when you finally meet.
The
biggest park in town automatically converts to the Festival Grounds,
which serve as the central staging grounds for the major festival held
each season. For the rest of the season, it's just a normal park. Each
season has one big festival, and the whole town gets involved.
Participation in the festival nets you tickets, which can be used to buy
seasonal decorations, lot items, or food that can't be purchased in
normal Buy/Build Mode.
Spring has Love Day, a mash-up of
Valentine's Day and Easter. There's an egg hunt, where your sim can win
prizes by hunting for eggs hidden around town. Try your hand at a game
of horseshoes or a trip around the roller rink, or stop by the kissing
booth for a smooch. You can even compete for the Spring King or Spring
Queen title at the dance.
With
summer comes Leisure Day. It's Memorial Day and Independence Day all
rolled into one and, as the name implies, your sims can have the day off
work or school to enjoy it. Get your face painted, enjoy a snow cone,
and have a water balloon fight with your friends. There's a soccer field
set up if you think you've got the skill; if that's not up your alley,
see if you have the stomach for the hot-dog-eating contest.
Fall
brings cooler weather, leaves changing, and Spooky Day. Like Halloween,
Spooky Day is when the whole town dons costumes for a night out. Go
trick-or-treating, visit the haunted house, or bob for apples with other
sims. You can also carve pumpkins or compete in the pie-eating
competition.
Finally, winter snow can only mean one thing:
Snowflake Day! A compilation of Thanksgiving and Christmas, Snowflake
Day is about friends and family. Throw a feast to share the year's
blessings or a gift-giving party to show everyone how much you care.
Build snowmen and igloos, have a snowball fight, and then come back
inside for a hot cocoa by the fire. You can even join the Polar Bear
Club and go swimming in the winter ocean.
Most of the changes that come with
Seasons are background events. Unlike
Ambitions or
Generations, which change the way certain major game mechanics work or make big changes around town,
Seasons
doesn't change much about the way you play the game. If you choose not
to go to the festivals, it's easy to ignore the changes altogether. The
weather, which is a fun and interesting mechanic, doesn't change much
for your sims on a daily basis. Yes, winter is cold, summer is hot, and
thunder is loud, but you're going to go about your business regardless.
The occasional rained-out festival aside, weather doesn't change your
plans or life in any meaningful way, and those who want something big
and exciting with every
Sims 3 expansion may not find this to be the one for them.
All in all, I found
Sims 3: Seasons
to be an enjoyable addition to the franchise, though it's not as
exciting as some of its predecessors. The changing of the seasons has
the gradualness, unpredictability and subtlety of real life and makes
your sims' world that much closer to reality. It's not the biggest
expansion for
Sims 3, but if you're trying to build an interesting, dynamic world for your little pixel people, it may just be the most important.
Good Luck Everybody :)
