The Sims Medieval

The Sims Medieval is a stand-alone game in The Sims series and it is the fifth game (excluding EPs/SPs and collections) released on Windows and Mac OS X. The Sims Medieval was released March 22, 2011. The game runs on The Sims 3 engine and is a spin-off similar to the way in which The Sims Stories games were a spin-off of The Sims 2. However, there are notable differences; The Sims Medieval is not simply The Sims 3 translated to a medieval setting.

Like other spin-offs, The Sims Medieval offers new features, such as armed combat and religion.

EA has discontinued the DVD version of The Sims Medieval and only the digital release version remains on Origin making it Windows only, but the OS X version is now downloadable through Origin. However, it's still possible to get a DVD version through online retailers.

The game is not compatible with Windows 8 as of Patch 2.0, due to switching from SecuROM to Sony Content Protection DRM, which does not work on Windows 8.

Official description
"The Sims Medieval offers a new way for players to experience The Sims which we hope fans will enjoy, and it features gameplay that fans of strategy and role-playing games will find appealing such as controlling an entire kingdom and quest-based gameplay mechanics."

System Requirements
System Requirements for The Sims Medieval are generally the same as for The Sims 3. though Medieval requires at least 256 MB of video RAM as opposed to 128 MB for The Sims 3. Medieval also uses 800 MB less hard drive space.

Support for Windows XP SP2 and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition was removed in Medieval, although Windows XP SP3 is still supported. Support for OS X 10.5.7 was removed, however OS X 10.5.8 is supported.. See here for differences.

Like The Sims 3, The Sims Medieval does not support PowerPC Macs. Like The Sims 3, The Sims Medieval (and perhaps The Sims Medieval: Pirates and Nobles) has known problems running on Lion. 

The Sims Medieval's System Requirements

There's also a notable problem that The Sims Medieval patch 2.0 doesn't work on Windows 8.

Gameplay
Gameplay is similar to The Sims 3.

Main gameplay & objectives
The storyline of the game is to build a successful kingdom by fulfilling the player's "Kingdom Ambition," which the player chooses at the start of the game. Once an ambition has been completed, the play will unlock new ambitions for future playthroughs as well as unlocking freeplay for that specific kingdom.

The major difference in the gameplay is that the game is quest-driven. With the game stopped, the player has to choose a quest (quests are required to fulfill said kingdom ambition), and then choose which hero Sim they want to use. A player can create Hero Sims to control, each one having a profession (monarch, knight, merchant, etc.).

With the quest and the Hero Sim(s) selected, the game unpauses and the player is able to control the chosen Hero Sim(s) during the quest. When the quest is completed, another quest must be selected and another choice of Hero Sim(s) must be made. During quests other non-controlled Sims (even the Heroes created by the player) live in the kingdom, and will continue their life while the quest is going on, like in the story progression feature in The Sims 3.

Quests
A player's main goal is to complete the quest by following the indicated quest-related actions. However, it is also important to excel at the quest so better rewards are given. How the Hero Sim is doing in the quest can be seen in the quest performance meter.

Besides the quest and quest performance, players' Sims have various jobs, and each job has its own duties (called responsibilities) that they will be given to fulfill daily (two per day). Doing so will raise their focus, their in-game mood, which has a major involvement in the way the Sim performs many interactions, as well as in the quest performance itself.

Other
Some of the actions in the game, including completing quests, give the Hero Sim experience points. After earning some experience points, the hero will level up. Leveling up unlocks profession crafts or actions, imbuing the game with an RPG-style feel. This system of levelling up is similar to the professions in Ambitions.

In addition to completing quests and doing their job, Hero Sims can also marry and raise a family. A Sim's spouse and children are NPCs (although the player can decide to marry two created Hero Sims). Aging is mostly the same as The Sims; babies grow into children, but children don't grow any older. The one exception is if a Hero Sim dies in the course of a quest, in which case a player can choose to have a child grow up and inherit their role. Hero Sims can put their children to work gathering resources for them.

The Sims Medieval: Pirates & Nobles
"The Sims Medieval Pirates & Nobles Adventure Pack introduces new quests, treasure hunting, and hundreds of new objects for your medieval kingdom! Your epic story starts when the Pirates of Aarbyville and the Nobles of Tredony arrive in your kingdom, followed quickly by sword fights, love affairs, grand adventures and mysteries. Go treasure hunting to uncover hidden objects. Embark on new quests to help your kingdom achieve a new ambition. Stylize your kingdom and Sims with new pirate and nobility themed objects and wardrobe. The fun never ends with this new adventure pack!"

Sims
In The Sims Medieval there are two different types of Sims: Village Sims and Hero Sims. Only Hero Sims are controllable.

Village Sims

 * Executioner
 * Marquis
 * Baxter
 * Beast-slayer
 * Dragon
 * Druidess
 * Knave
 * Servant
 * Harlequin
 * Children
 * Noblemen/Noblewomen
 * Goodman/Goodwoman
 * Farmer
 * Commoner
 * Cutpurse
 * Gravedigger
 * Looter
 * Bandit
 * Trickster
 * Town Crier


 * Friar
 * Builder
 * Moneylender
 * Consort
 * Guard
 * Urchin
 * Crone
 * Flower-seller
 * Assistant Pig-Keeper
 * Town Watchman
 * Cartographer
 * Rat Catcher
 * Gypsy
 * Dame
 * Maid
 * Sweeper
 * Nurse
 * Farmwife
 * Gossiper
 * Handmaiden

Hero Sims

 * Physician
 * Bard / Bardin
 * Merchants
 * Monarch
 * Peteran priest


 * Jacoban priest
 * Knight
 * Blacksmith
 * Spy
 * Wizard / Sorceress

Features

 * Dueling
 * Realm Points, used to expand the kingdom
 * Quests
 * Leveling Up
 * Kingdom Ambitions (Similar to Lifetime Wishes)
 * Simoles (the Medieval version of Simoleons)
 * Trading
 * Traits and Fatal Flaws

Gallery
Screenshots=

Trivia

 * This is the first game in The Sims series to feature weapons (i.e. swords). In The Sims 3 and other games on Windows and Mac OS X, weapons were not official EA items, and were only available as custom content.
 * This is the first game in the series to lack the humorous load messages.
 * Although The Sims 3 (Original up to Generations) can run on Windows XP SP2, The Sims Medieval is incompatible with SP2 as well as Windows XP x64. This is due to .NET 4 that requires Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3).
 * This is the first game in The Sims series that allows the player to kill a Sim using an interaction such as Send to Pit and Duel to the Death.
 * However, in The Urbz: Sims in the City, Blow Flame and Firecracker Dance can set a Sim/Urb on fire and they will die because of this.
 * This is one of the only games in The Sims series that does not have EA pre-made Sims that are playable, with the other being The Sims 2: Castaway.
 * Like The Sims Stories, The Sims Medieval does not have a number after "The Sims", despite being part of the 3rd generation of The Sims games. (This is not to be confused with the original game, which is also titled The Sims or the series name.)
 * There are only two motives in The Sims Medieval (hunger and energy), giving it the fewest motives of any The Sims game. Second is The Urbz: Sims in the City, with five motives: hunger, hygiene, bladder, fun, and energy. The third is The Sims 3, with six needs: hunger, social, bladder, hygiene, energy, and fun.
 * In the US and Canada, The Sims Medieval adds an additional Content Descriptor "Use of Alcohol" while in the European Union, the Content Descriptors are the same as The Sims 3.
 * The minor scratch moodlet says, "Tis merely a flesh wound, I've had worse", which could possibly be linked to the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.