The Sims Medieval is a life simulation video game that was released in March 2011 by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X, and on September 22, 2011 for iOS, as part of The Sims series. It was also made available for Windows Phone on March 26, 2013. Set in medieval times, it allows the player to build a kingdom through quest-driven gameplay. During presentation at E3 2010, a pre-order exclusive Limited Edition was also available.
Gameplay
Main gameplay and objectives
The Sims Medieval is a life-simulation game with action-adventure elements. The storyline of the game is to build a successful kingdom by fulfilling the player's "Kingdom Ambition," which the player chooses at the start of the game. Once an ambition has been completed, the play will unlock new ambitions for future playthroughs as well as unlocking freeplay for that specific kingdom.
The major difference in the gameplay is that the game is quest-driven. With the game stopped, the player has to choose a quest (quests are required to fulfill said kingdom ambition), and then choose which hero Sim they want to use.
A player can create Hero Sims to control, each one having a profession (monarch, knight, merchant, etc.).
The character creation, simulation, and architectural aspects are significantly reduced and altered to enforce a sharper focus on role-playing-style gameplay. For example, players are able to customize the aesthetics and layout of building interiors, but unable to alter the basic structure and shape of buildings.
With the quest and the Hero Sim(s) selected, the game un-pauses and the player is able to control the chosen Hero Sim(s) during the quest. When the quest is completed, another quest must be selected and another choice of Hero Sim(s) must be made. During quests other non-controlled Sims (even the Heroes created by the player) live in the kingdom, and will continue their life while the quest is going on, like in the story progression feature in The Sims 3.
In an interview with GameSpot, senior producer Rachel Bernstein stated that the game will be more dangerous for Sims, with death and failure a possibility during the game's quests. Listed dangers included low focus on quests, plague, peasant revolts, wildlife, poisons, duels, and more. Players earn ratings at the end of the game depending on their performance. Players may also reach "Quest Failed" screens if they do not complete a predefined goal in a predetermined amount of time.
Quests
A player's main goal is to complete the quest by following the indicated quest-related actions. However, it is also important to excel at the quest so better rewards are given. How the Hero Sim is doing in the quest can be seen in the quest performance meter.
Besides the quest and quest performance, players' Sims have various jobs, and each job has its own duties (called responsibilities) that they will be given to fulfill daily (two per day). Doing so will raise their focus, their in-game mood, which has a major involvement in the way the Sim performs many interactions, as well as in the quest performance itself.
Development and release
Producer Rachel Bernstein stated that subsurface scattering had been added to character models to give the characters a "painterly look". Other upgrades are reported to include "next-gen sims tech", and a new engine for light within the game.
Another difference/upgrade is the terrain used in the game. Whereas the terrain or neighborhoods in The Sims 3 or other Sim games was generally flat for the purpose of building, The Sims Medieval's terrain (or kingdom) is varied in altitudes and layouts resulting in a realistic display of geography. The terrain in the game also has a "painterly look" as do the Sims of the game thanks to the enhanced engine. An official update has been released which fixes minor graphic problems.
Bernstein conducted multiple media interviews, narrated demos and a television marketing campaign was launched. Some advertisements featured actor Donald Faison. Patrick Stewart narrated both the "epic trailer" and the intro cinematic.
Reception
The PC and iOS versions received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Nicole Tanner of IGN said of the PC version, "The Sims Medieval has successfully breathed new life into a franchise that was getting pretty stale. Even with its minor flaws, The Sims Medieval mixes a great sense of humor with simple role-playing game mechanics that result in hours of fun," she added.