The adventure part of World Adventures plays more like a classic adventure game. As you explore underground caverns and mysterious tombs you can solve puzzles, avoid traps, find hidden doors, and collect treasures. The puzzles are absurdly simple with many hints available, most likely to appeal to younger players. Overall though, it’s still a Sims game deep down. While Lara Croft never has to worry about her biological needs while adventuring, you’ll need to bring food, a tent, and even a “shower in a can” before stepping in a dark cavern. Strangely, a porto-potty isn’t available for purchase.

There are many additions and features in World Adventures. Of course you’ve got new clothes, furniture, and even building features like pagoda roofs and a basement tool, which you can use to create your own trap-and puzzle-filled tombs. There are new traits such as Disciplined and Photographer’s Eye; new Lifetime Rewards such as Jet Setter and Stone Hearted. There are also new skills – photography, nectar (wine) making, and martial arts.

World Adventures offers a refreshing and fun alternative playstyle in the Sims series. You still have the micromanaging aspect that Sims players know and love, but with the added adventure genre element whenever you feel like taking a few days off work and school. Some may balk at the visa limitations, but it doesn’t take too long to earn the points to extend it. I’m still concerned about crashes to the desktop, but hopefully future patches will help fix this issue.