Maxis and Electronics Arts' beloved series has tried many different formats over the years, including some more off-the-wall ones like The Sims Medieval. More recognizable for its contemporary iterations of the life simulation genre, The Sims still hasn't shied away from reinventing itself or pushing the boat out in more ways than one, including with the upcoming "Project Rene." However, some fans think it's high time that the developer revisits The Sims Medieval – undeniably one of its more forgotten properties.
First released in 2011, The Sims Medieval was an unexpected twist on The Sims formula. Over the decades since the first game launched, The Sims has experimented with other avenues, like SimCity, The Sims Stories, and The Urbz: Sims in the City, as well as branching out onto numerous platforms. It's one of the best-selling video game series of all time, and it has almost too many iterations and expansion packs to count. However, some areas of the extensive Sims back catalog definitely deserve a second look, and perhaps none more so than The Sims Medieval.
The Sims Medieval's Unique Focus
Even before its release, The Sims Medieval felt like a huge departure for The Sims franchise. Fans might have expected to be able to design their own castle or cottage and control a family of medieval peasants or Middle Ages royalty – basically, the same old Sims but with an old-timey twist – but The Sims Medieval was something quite different. There were elements that would have felt familiar to players, but these were mixed in with RPG features, options to send Sims out on quests and level up, and a communal kingdom ambition instead of more personal goals for each Sim. The Sims Medieval was quite a radical step away from other Sims games, but it hasn't been explored to its full potential.
Instead of building up their household and focusing on individuals or family groups, The Sims Medieval cast the net a little wider. Players could increase the population of their kingdoms, adding everything from blacksmiths to wizards, and select certain subjects to help them with their questing. Different professions yielded different skillsets, and these would give gamers a number of different options when it came to solving problems and completing quests. Personalities were trimmed down to two traits and one fatal flaw, but these still gave Sims unique characters and even questlines related to their flaws. Unlocking and building certain structures led to the creation of more townsfolk, so over time players were able to craft their kingdoms into formidable and diverse regions.
The Case For The Sims Medieval 2
It's been over a decade since The Sims Medieval first launched, and there hasn't been so much as a whisper of a reboot or sequel. However, that doesn't mean that fans of the castle-focused Sim experience should give up hope of ever seeing The Sims Medieval 2. With its intriguing RPG approach and fantasy focus, The Sims Medieval enticed players who normally wouldn't have picked up a Sims title and expanded the player base. Giving gamers the freedom to choose how and with who they completed quests let them shape the story of their kingdoms, as well as choosing how they expanded and what Sims took up each post in their growing realm.
The Sims Medieval was a fun romp that wove together new and familiar elements to create something truly unique within the popular franchise, but that doesn't mean there isn't also room for improvement. The Sims Medieval 2 could take the solid foundation of its predecessor, but bring in more of the creative flair present in later Sims titles. With the depth of customization in The Sims 4, The Sims Medieval 2 could let players really run riot when it comes to creating a special kind of kingdom. More varied quests with higher stakes, different decisions, and more significant consequences would help differentiate The Sims Medieval 2 from the first installment, and maintaining that quirky sense of Sim humor would set it apart from other similar releases as well.
The Sims Medieval is available on Mac, Mobile, and PC.