MySims Review (PC)

Maxis’ The Sims is a timeless, iconic, and let’s face it, impenetrable franchise that could quite easily thwart any aspiring developer that dares use the sacred text of “life simulation” in their opening elevator pitch. It’s because of that bewildering amount of power and the utmost respect that its fan base share for its creators that, even after the nuking of The Sims 5, forgotten time pieces like MySims can spring out from under the woodwork after decades and still amass the same level of interest as it would’ve had during its heyday. Oh, Electronic Arts isn’t searching for clout at this point; it’s using the unbreakable bond between Maxis’ own interests and those infatuated with them to recycle old memories for the sake of keeping neglected spin-offs from disintegrating into an obsolete world of nothingness. It isn’t The Sims 5 — but it’s something.

To alleviate any kind of confusion that may or may not be orbiting the community, MySims isn’t a new game; it’s actually quite an old game, with its initial release date being September 2007. But, as with most IPs that once caught the attention of a global audience, Steam has finally made the effort to relaunch it on PC — not as a single product, but as a two-for-one package, with MySims and MySims Kingdom both releasing simultaneously as a double-barreled buffet with all of the same signature trimmings and trappings as the original. The question is, is it worth it? Let’s jump into The Cozy Bundle and find out, shall we?

In My Dreams, I Return

For those who skipped out on the original release of MySims that launched back in 2007, the game is more or less a watered-down version of The Sims: Castaway. That said, MySims doesn’t offer the same creative freedom or expandable family tree as its forefather; it instead focuses on a single setting and objective—an adorable island that touts numerous characters to befriend, stores to establish, side quests to embark on, and customizable set pieces to unlock and implement. And the goal here, really, is a simple one: attract newcomers to plant roots in the town, and tend to their needs in order to boost its economic growth and sustainability. It’s a lot like, well, most town management and farming simulation games; it’s merely the same love letter, but written in a different font, so to speak.

Although MySims is without the usual bread and butter components that tie in with Maxis’ beloved and timeless formula, the game does offer a lot of fantastic elements, including jam-packed liveries with all sorts of cosmetics, furniture pieces, and accessories for you to choose from, and not to mention a solid variety of character arcs that each foster unique jobs and extracurricular adventures to embark upon. There’s also a good selection of agricultural produce that you can harvest, as well as numerous items and other resources to unearth and use in various synergies. It’s all very Animal Crossing in that regard; it’s all about laying the groundwork for an economically viable and sustainable future for your townsfolk. There are no criminal enterprises or social hierarchies here — only an island and a tremendous amount of space to fill.

Traveling Leaps and Bounds

MySims hasn’t changed all that much since its debut. Well, I say that, when in fact it has undergone a few graphical changes in order to appeal to a more, shall we say, judgmental crowd. Unsurprisingly, it’s still the same cutesy spin-off of The Sims that it was before, but with some additional touches to the audiovisual aspects and a significant increase in polish, it has also come leaps and bounds in its artistic style and its overall quality. Suffice it to say, it’s still the cozy-up guilty comfort that amassed critical acclaim nearly twenty years ago, and so, if you’re familiar with its roots, then you should feel right at home with this revamped version on PC. And for those who missed out on the opportunity to enjoy it during its teething phase — congratulations, you’ve just unlocked a pass for an absolute gem of a simulation game.

Having openly touched base on all of the doodads and doohickeys that make MySims the homely treat that it is, there are still some things left to be desired here — which doesn’t come as much of a surprise, given the amount of filler The Sims has used to flesh out the earmarked series over the past twenty-something years. However, there is something of a silver lining to this: The Cozy Bundle also includes another packet, which is MySims Kingdom—a separate branch that allows users to travel to vast open worlds, engage in additional storyline quests, befriend new characters, unlock additional set pieces, and, in a true MySims fashion, customize just about anything that isn’t nailed down. All in all, there’s an enormous amount of content to unpack across both branches of the game—so much, in fact, that you could quite easily lose a hundred hours to it.

Verdict

With a heavy heart, I have to say, The Sims 5 isn’t likely to pop out of Maxis’ womb anytime in the near future. However, it isn’t all doom and gloom, as where there’s a grey cloud, there’s a silver lining. And it just so happens that this silver lining, in particular, is shaped like a tropical love letter to one of Nintendo DS’s most beloved life simulation games. Thankfully, the foundations for the IP are still perfectly intact, and Maxis hasn’t done the wrong thing by rewriting the script to appeal to a wider demographic. No, MySims is still the same heartwarming spin-off of The Sims as it was back in 2007. Admittedly, without the stylus and the touchscreen, it isn’t quite as appealing as its former incarnation, but that isn’t to say that the PC port is any less of a worthy representative for the IP.

MySims is absolutely bursting with colorful characters and homely comforts, and it’s storyline, albeit a little bit predictable and underwhelming, is just as much fun to unravel even after just shy of two decades of spinning the same yarn. Granted, it isn’t quite up to the standards of most modern Sims entrées, so if you want something that has the gentrification aspect of a slightly more complex game, then you might be in for a shock with this beginner-friendly, slightly childish spin-off. It isn’t in receipt of all the DLC and Stuff Packs, either, so while it does treat itself to a good amount of base game material, it doesn’t offer the same longevity as its majestic counterpart. Swings and roundabouts though, I suppose.