The Sims 3 preview PC

It's been three years in development already, and there's still another year to wait, but from what we've seen, the long-anticipated Sims 3 will be well worth the wait. Fans who have been kept busy with the many expansions and add-ons to Sims 2 will find themselves in a whole new world with the launch of Sims 3 in 2009 - literally, as the Sim world will now be an open neighbourhood where you'll have total freedom to wander as and when you please. We've had a hands-on look at Sims 3 this month and we've got to grips with some of its most exciting innovations, including the massive new Realistic Personality System that will give each Sim a totally unique take on his or her environment and the Create-a-Sim function that will allow you to customise your Sims to an unprecedented level. Find out more and see shots of the amazing Sims 3 in our hands-on preview now!
Click here to read the full The Sims 3 preview for the PC now!

The Sims 3 preview for the PC

It's already been in development for nearly three years and that time has been well spent working on a completely new engine and feature set that will position this true sequel way beyond the countless updates and add-ons that have kept The Sims 2 going since 2004. The living, breathing, neighbourhood simulator will be totally seamless this time, with a completely open world beyond your doorstep, a new Create-A-Sim system, realistic personalities and boundless customisation options. Head of The Sims Studio, Rod Humble, doesn't live up to his name in promising a massive step forwards – "It is this type of openended gameplay that inspires endless creative possibilities. In addition the new goals and rewards systems will give players of all kinds from core gamers to storytellers the ability to enjoy long-term gameplay."

So what exactly does an open neighbourhood mean? In the Sims 3 it means a whole new level of freedom. Freedom to leave your house and cruise the ‘hood, visiting friends (and enemies), meeting new individuals and their families, using City Hall, or the local park and making new stories for your virtual life while lunching with new friends, curtain-twitching your neighbours and even, horror of horrors, bumping into your boss at inopportune moments.