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The Sims 3: World Adventures review

£29 inc VAT

Manufacturer: Electronic Arts

Our Rating: We rate this 4 out of 5

The Sims 3: World Adventures gives your Sim the ability to travel to real-world locales such as China, Egypt and France.

The Sims 3 World Adventure (Expansion Pack) gives your Sim the ability to travel to real-world locales such as China, Egypt and France.

This is no ordinary "vacation" pack, however; in past expansions, Sims would visit re-skinned stages with little new gameplay. In The Sims 3: World Adventures, players can investigate underground tombs, solve puzzles, find hidden treasures, while exploring a variety of beautiful backdrops.

This is still The Sims, so you'll be able to stock up on new decor, furniture, clothing, and themes - with an international flair. (See also: The Sims 3 review.)

When you first arrive you're taken to a "base camp" where your essential needs are taken care of; then you check the local notice board, for an assortment of adventures in that country.

Someone may need you to retrieve a lost item from an abandoned tomb, or locate rare rocks scattered near different landmarks - the variety is pretty outstanding, and it doesn't hurt that these missions are fun.

Click here to buy The Sims 3: World Adventures

Tomb-raiding mechanics are more interactive than the simplistic gameplay Simsters are used to. Beyond just sliding boxes over pressure-sensitive panels, you must use your skills to evaluate and disarm traps and hazards. It's all a little Indiana Jones - and a welcome departure from the simplistic "click-and-click" gameplay in previous expansions.

The rewards - ancient artifacts, gems and gold - are worth it, but beware: not all treasure chests are filled with riches. (You know what they say about old tombs and curses...)

By completing different objectives your Sim will earn Visa points that allows them to stay for longer periods, get access to new items and even purchase a holiday home.

Everything is internationally flavoured, of course: French goodies look like they came from an old-country winery, and if you like your stuff black and gold and gaudy, try visiting Egypt.

Each location offers shops filled with new items that help you through long adventures inside tombs, such as tents, dried food, and shower-in-a-can.

There's a new photography skill here too. Once you buy your camera, your Sim can start snapping the sights and the people they meet. There are in-game goodies for meeting your photographic objectives, and a scavenger-hunt checklist will let you know whether to take a picture of wildflowers, or just the flower pot in your living room.

NEXT: our expert verdict >>

The Sims 3 World Adventures Expert Verdict »
Windows XP, Vista or 7
2.4GHz CPU for Vista/7
3.5GB disk space
DirectX 9.0c with Shader Model 2.0 video card with 128MB RAM
Mac OS X 10.5.7 or higher
Intel Core Duo processor or better
ATI x1600, nVidia 7300 GT, Intel GMA X3100 or better video card
  • Overall: We give this item 8 of 10 overall

The Sims 3: World Adventures adds so much, it feels more like a sequel than an expansion pack. Sims fans will love all the new additions in here. It’s guaranteed to impress and may be the most ambitious expansion in the franchise yet, adding hours of new areas to explore and new Sims to meet. Prepare to lose a lot of time to this one.

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