80The MySims games are marketed to the younger crowd; there’s nothing false about that statement, as EA has put in the research to please a specific demographic in each of the four previous titles. The latest entry, MySims Agents, is once again directed at the younger crowd for its gameplay, but unlike the others Agents is full of the kinds of winks, nods and sly elbows that something like a Pixar movie might have; it’s a game that children can play, but parents or older brothers and sisters can help out with and enjoy due to the jokes and writing.

Adventure
Publisher: EA
Developer: The Sims Studio
Sep. 29, 2009

I can’t name many young children I’ve met in my life that would understand what setting up a fake branch of the government to requisition flowers means, or why it’s a funny scenario, but MySims Agents does that and more throughout the title, and even has nods to more mature EA titles like Dead Space–who wouldn’t want to wear an Isaac Clarke suit as they uncover clues for the next mystery?–as well as some subtle pop culture references to things like the X-Files. MySims Agents takes the series in a direction that, while feeling slightly less like a MySims title than previous efforts, feels more like a game that anyone can enjoy, despite being aimed more specifically at the younger gamer.

With that out of the way, let’s focus on the game. You play as a character that you create, the guy or gal trying to become a special agent. Very quickly you are handed your own agency thanks to solving your big break of a case, and you are able to hire new agents to help with side missions while you’re off saving the world from Morcubus, the MySim villain who loves nothing more than to cause needless issues for other residents of the MySims universe. Having a legitimate plot this time around keeps the game interesting and gives you a reason to come back, since you’ll want to continue to solve mysteries in order to see how everything is connected and what Morcubus is up to.

In the main missions, you have a set of tool that you use–you start with a crowbar, wrench and magnifying glass–and you have to find clues hidden in boxes, trash cans, dumpsters, rooftops, indoors, or on the ground by following tracks or footprints. There are mini games for putting together broken machinery that have you putting spare parts where they belong, as well as games for analyzing evidence and hacking into computers and the like. It’s a lot like a point-and-click adventure in many ways, and the IR and Nunchuk combination make all of your moving around simple and fast.

You’ll talk to people to collect clues and discover leads, and you’ll be able to check all of this information just by pressing the Plus button. One other nice touch is that the game can intentionally mislead you; all of the things you can learn are not necessarily pointing at the person in the wrong. Older gamers playing the game should be able to pick up on things easily, but there appears to be enough challenge there for the younger crowd.

Eventually you receive more advanced tools that any special agent would be envious of, and you’ve got your own lady in distress in a dress to attend to as well–James Bond would approve, for sure. You aren’t the only one solving cases though, as said before; you hire new agents after meeting up with them in the real world and solving cases. By using them in teams where their specific skills can work in concert, you can pass the 50 dispatch missions, earning yourself more rewards (costumes, items, etc.) and unlocking an additional ending. There’s a lot of game here for a younger player, especially with all of the traditional MySims player customization in place. Maybe you want to wear a trench coat and sunglasses around town, but a tux or a Yeti costume while you’re up in the mountains. It’s your call, as per usual, but it’s nice that you can create your own special agent and toy with him or her as you like throughout the game.

The game has the same kinds of sound effects that past MySims titles have, with the Sims speaking their own language, so if it bothered you in the past it’s still here. Like I said though, the dialogue is worth reading for the most part, so there’s always that to focus on. Graphically the‚  game looks decent enough as well. There aren’t much for special graphical effects or anything like that, but everything looks smooth, colorful and the title is bereft of technical issues. My one complaint may be that the camera occasionally gets in your way, but for the most part if you’re hanging out somewhere where it is difficult to see what you’re doing, you probably don’t even need to be there.

Blast Factor: MySims Agents might be the best of the traditional MySims titles, despite feeling the least like one. The customization options and MySims universe that has become so popular is still there, but this time there’s a legitimate plot and gameplay suited for those outside of EA’s normal demographic, instead of just the specific audience they historically shoot for with the series. Younger gamers will enjoy this game for the gameplay and the MySims features, while older gamers no longer have to be embarrassed about picking up the controller to play along with their little siblings thanks to the dialogue and nods to the more core crowd you’ll discover along the way.

MySims Agents is available on the Nintendo Wii, and retails for $49.95

About The Author

Marc Normandin was gaming editor of Blast from 2008 to mid-2010. You can reach him via e-mail at [email protected], or follow him on Twitter @Marc_Normandin

2 Responses

  1. Pokawiwi

    Ummm… i need help im not sure if i finished the game or not because. im at the part where evelyn gets in side that freaky world… because she sacrafices her self. And then it starts showing credits. And i can keep playing. But i cant find anything to do…

    Reply

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