Oh yeah. I am this hot.

Welcome to my Sims 3: Showtime review. It has been a while since EA released an Expansion Pack worthy of the name “Sims”. Showtime, somehow, breaks the unbreakable chain.

In Sims 3: Showtime players can become famous performers – whether you chose the singing or the acrobat/juggler path – you will still be famous.

You start as an entertainer, hired by the city to deliver special telegrams. There are romantic telegrams to set a Sims’s heart on fire, feisty sparkling telegrams to help a Sim that’s been having a rough day and some other not-so-clear telegrams to, basically, add variety.

Just like any profession, firstly introduced by Sims 3: Ambitions, you earn experience with each telegram you deliver. Fill the experience bar and you’re off to a promotion.

When you reach a certain level (2 or 3, can’t remember) certain “leisure space owners” will move to town and you’ll be able to perform publicly. You can throw your own concert or show, at the owner’s property – that is if you pass the audition – which you will always do, as long as your career rank meets the owner’s perquisite.

A new cool feature is the ability to send your Sim to a friend’s stage to perform. This, obviously, requires an internet connection and a valid registration at the Sims 3 Official Website. I have sent my Sim several times and each time I earned money and lifetime points, to spend on special perks. However, I have tried accepting a friend’s Sim and nothing happens. The game saves but the Sim just never shows. Bug :/

Anyway, I chose the singing path so my review will be mostly about it. So, during a concert, you have some very limited options to choose from. You can interact with the spectators by telling stories and jokes or you can simply sing. The game forces you to say something after each song, so you can’t just sing the whole show.

The Sim spectators will act very randomly – they can either like a joke or hate it or they might want to hear or not a dramatic story – it’s pretty random and frustrating, at times. When they are watching your show, your relationship towards them is being increased and you might actually become friends after just one concert!

Now basically, as you throw more concerts and become more famous, you will be able to perform at different properties. You will also build a fan group until the room is so crowded the game just starts to lag. Meh.

I did feel a sense of accomplishment. I started as a nobody with 3 or 4 Sims watching my show and ended up with at least 20 Sims screaming, dancing and begging for more. That’s satisfying.

However, as the career progressed, I found the broken spots.

At a certain point, my Sim’s whish as to record and sell an album. I found later, after googling, that you don’t really record an album. You just pick a random Sim and the option “Sell Album” pops. Meh.

Once the rooms started to become crowded I came across the problem I have been experiencing since the first Sims ever, in 2000. Sims couldn’t move or couldn’t go to a certain spot to watch my concert and so after a while it was like 10 Sims watching and 10 Sims complaining “Hey I want to go there but I can’t because there’s already someone there” or “Hey I want to watch but for some unknown reason I can’t go from A to B”. These usually give up and leave the concert. Argh.

I discovered you can set up the stage with a series of choices. However, doing so costs a pretty penny and it doesn’t add up to the concert. It’s something you do for you to see because the actual Sims will be happy with a stage full of cotton candy or with a stage full of nothing. Mehhh.

By now, you probably think I am giving Sims 3: Showtime a 3 or a 4 as a final score. Well I am not. Despite its flaws and new bugs I experienced, such as my Sim being stuck when performing, Sims 3: Showtime managed to make me replay Sims 3 again and start a whole new family. That only means one thing: Sims 3: Showtime is a good expansion pack that breaks the cliché because trust me, I was really tired of the whole Sims experience.

I consider Sims 3: Showtime to be above the Average.

6.5/10

Wow Pip, you are awesome. I love you!