Do you have what it takes to get a review published right here on Kotaku? Jenn does, as she wades through a sea of Day-0 DLC.
Yes, that’s right, we’re now publishing reader reviews here on Kotaku. This is your chance to deliver sensible game purchasing advice to the rest of the Kotaku community.
And thanks to the very kind chaps at Madman Entertainment, purveyor of all kinds of cool, indie and esoteric film, the best reader review we publish each month will win a prize pack containing ten of the latest Madman DVD releases.
This review was submitted by Jenn Christodoulou. If you’ve played The Sims 3 Ambitions, or just want to ask Jenn more about it, leave your thoughts in the comments below.
The Sims 3 Ambitions (PC)
The Sims has always been about giving players the freedom to tell a story. Whether that story is a long and complicated rendition of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet or a simple tale about a guy who owns everything, what matters is that it was your story, told your way.
However, The Sims 3 changed that, making the game about telling a story the game developer’s way. Though they claimed to provide an ‘open world’, much of it was closed to gamers, and open only to your characters. The title was slammed for limiting creativity, and stripping players of freedom, but with the release of The Sims 3: Ambitions, it seems game developers are finally beginning to hear the voices of their consumers.
Loved
Self Employment: No longer do your crops or paintings need to be sold in an Inventory screen! Now you can sell them to stores and other people, just like in real life! Your Sims’ creativity no longer needs to go un-nurtured, as this game gives them the ability to share their skills with the world. All you need to do is gather up your items and take them to the consignment store, then let the handy sales assistant take care of the rest.
Freedom: Prior to this expansion, there was no way to add or move empty lots around in your neighbourhood. This game not only gives us the ability to do that, but if your sim is an architect, you also have a say in what the buildings look like. Choose the fire-fighter profession, and you get to decide whether these buildings remain safe, or perish in flames. It’s all up to you now.
Quirkiness: The Sims games have always been a little weird and wonderful, and this title is no exception. Some of the paintings, sculptures and inventions your Sims will create will have you laughing out loud, upholding that unique sense of humour Sims fans know so well.
Hated
Store Content: It’s evident the game developer’s have given thought to their consumers in this expansion but what’s more evident is how much thought they’ve given to the money in their pockets. Much of the content that was released with Ambitions was put up for sale at the Sims Store, rather than shipped with the game. You may have only paid $40 for the game itself, but you’ll be forking out another $20 if you want all the content that’s meant to come with it. This seems to be a more common thing now-a-days, but that doesn’t mean anybody has to like it.
It may have its flaws, but The Sims 3: Ambitions is still a welcome addition to the franchise. It provides more jobs, objects, clothes and hair styles and most importantly, finally gives you the ability to turn your Sims world into something you want it to be. It’s a step in the direction towards freedom, towards creativity, and towards being able to play the game our way.
Reviewed by: Jenn Christodoulou
You can have your Reader Review published on Kotaku. Send your review to us at the usual address. Make sure it’s written in the same format as above and in under 500 words – yes, we’ve upped the word limit. We’ll publish the best ones we get and the best of the month will win a Madman DVD prize pack.
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