So when you're dealing with The Sims -- the most popular PC video game franchise ever made, with over 120 million copies sold -- you could certainly forgive publisher EA the cautious approach it's taken to changing up the series' tried-and-true virtual dollhouse gameplay. Past attempts to break the Sims mold, like 2002's abortive The Sims Online, haven't fared well, but for their next Sims release EA is ready to try something new.
The Sims Medieval, which releases on March 22 on PC and Mac, takes Sims fans way back to the Middle Ages, where they'll discover simulated life's rather different than they might have gotten used to. Sure, you'll still be able to do the usual Sims stuff -- eat, drink, have babies, set yourself on fire -- but The Sims: Medieval's gameplay will be more structured, more directed, and include a much heavier emphasis on role-playing.
