At first, only one Ambition is unlocked-additional Ambitions become available as Watchers succeed in Kingdom tasks. Each game starts out with players choosing an Ambition, the ultimate goal for a particular Kingdom. Given the title of Watcher, players are tasked to guide their Kingdom by taking control of the major characters and shaping the Kingdom's history. Players are once again given the role of an omnipresent observer, although this time around things are a bit more formalized. This time around, players are trying to build an entire Kingdom, and each individual Sim is a cog in the works. But players who want nothing more than simply raising families, building houses, or living virtual lives are missing the point of The Sims Medieval.
Sure, Sims can still do many of the things they've always done. Coupled with three Traits (two beneficial, one less so), players have much less to juggle while guiding their charges through their tiny lives. Although the playable characters are major movers and shakers in the community, each Sim now only has two statistics to keep in check-hunger and energy. Most noticeably, the Medieval Sims are quite a bit less complex than their modern-day brethren. Some of the Sims-y elements have been toned down to make way for more task-oriented gameplay. That being said, The Sims Medieval is not simply The Sims 3 with swords and dragons-players who come to the party expecting such will be disappointed. Thankfully, The Sims Medieval changes all of this, giving me what I've been craving in The Sims since its beginning-goals. So, wracked with a confusing amount of guilt (and a keener understanding of exactly how long a Sim can live in a 10x10 doorless room), I would put the game to rest. I would like to blame the lack of concrete tasks-I'm the sort of person that needs a little direction or I become.creative.
But then, inevitably, Something Bad would happen, and there would be screaming. Everything would be fine for an hour or so, as I was happily guiding and watching my virtual people. The original The Sims brought out a frightening dark side in me, every time I picked up the game.