The Sims™ Medieval

Traditionally, the backbone of a Sims game has been its fascination with the everyday trivialities: do you have time for breakfast and a shower before work? Does that girl/guy like you enough to woohoo? The decisions have all been in your hands as you play God. Now, though, you’ve got some guidance – quests, no less, rather than wishes and goals. Oh, and you’ve gone back in time a few hundred years.

The Sims Medieval is far less open-ended than its predecessor. Yes, you can still do all of the mundane stuff, but the main focus here is on the aforementioned quests. It’s interesting to steer your Sim through the moral maze of good and evil (watch out for that Firmin; he’s a bad’un), although much of what you have to do involves fetching items back and forth, and talking to various other characters. The choices sometimes prove less satisfying than before – mainly because tapping ‘Discuss quest’ when approaching someone doesn’t always feel like much of a choice. The combat could do with being a bit clearer, too, but this is a diverting addition to the series regardless.