14 years, still going strong.
It all started in 2000.
Maxis released The Sims, a daring small-scale spin-off of its massive SimCity franchise. It would go on to become a massive hit. The Sims is an addictive practice in voyeurism, allowing players to control businesses, households, and most importantly, the people therein. Careers unfolded, relationships blossomed, and children matured (or didn't) under players' omnipotent control.
And although the core tenants of the series remain today, The Sims has undergone its fair share of iterations. It's gone from the suburbs, to college, and into the middle ages, inspiring sequels and spinoffs alike. Let's take a look.
The Sims (2000)
The inaugural game brought players from the urban setting of SimCity to a suburban neighborhood. The fixed 2D backgrounds don't hold up as well now, but the isometric perspective allowed enough detail to paint a living, breathing world –– it also set a precedent for later franchise installments.
The Sims Online (2002)
The Sims Online was Maxis' first attempt at bringing the series into the MMO space. Although the servers only ran for six years before EA shut the doors, the first multiplayer Sims title set the stage for social innovation farther down the road.
The Sims 2 (2004)
The second numbered series entry was the first to have a fully-realized 3D world, and Maxis used that to its advantage. More focus is placed on the human characteristics of the inhabitants, as players can guide Sims through the seven stages of life, forging a deeper connection that became a franchise mainstay.
The Sims Stories (2007)
Episodic games may be a staple in today's industry, but it was a new twist on The Sims formula seven years ago. Maxis designed the Stories series to be more accessible, placing narrative over addictive gameplay. From an isolated tropical island to a dog show competition, The Sims Stories succeeds in telling focused, succinct plots.
MySims (2007)
As far as visuals go, MySims is one of the more drastic departures from the franchise's aesthetic. It initially released for Nintendo Wii and DS, so the characters are more akin to Nintendo Miis, with stylized angles and childlike facial features. It stands as one of the more eccentric spinoffs from Maxis' approach, even seven years after its release.
The Sims Carnival (2008)
Although not as robust as many of the other entries, The Sims Carnival placed enough faith in players to allow them to create their own games and scenarios –– it began as an online community, but garnered enough popularity to justify two subsequent games rooted in the same aesthetic.
The Sims 3 (2009)
The Sims 3 is bigger, deeper, and more diverse than any earlier games in the franchise, significantly expanding the scope for later games. There are more character customization options. Players can create their own worlds from scratch. The Wishes system opened up a plethora of new career paths - the list goes on.
The Sims Medieval (2011)
The Sims Medieval embraces the middle ages in more ways than one: it brought the series from suburban colonials to towering castles, but it also introduced the Quest system, allowing players to send Sims on missions to improve their manors, keeps, and land. It was a new way to look at progression, and it fit well within the environment provided.
The Sims FreePlay (2011)
Seeing as how The Sims is one of the best-selling PC games of all time, it's no surprise it was adapted for mobile devices to suit recent trends. The new freemium version also allowed EA to inject a steady number of updates into the existing remake, complete with holiday events and expansions alike.
The Sims 4 (2014)
After 14 years, numerous spinoffs and side projects, Maxis is releasing the fourth numbered entry in The Sims franchise. The Sims 4 replaces the customization options of The Sims 3 with the dynamic Create-A-Sim tool, which lets players manifest their characters in more detail than any other franchise installment. It's widening the series' scope by giving the player more power than ever.
Which Sims game do you find most visually appealing? And where do you think the series can go from here? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to stay tuned for IGN for more coverage following The Sims 4's release.
Mike Mahardy is a freelance journalist writing for IGN. He's also convinced he's a Sim in another person's game. To hear him rant, you can follow Mike on Twitter at @mmahardy.
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