Appaloosa Plains, you know? Normally not, because it's the brand new town that comes with The Sims 3: Pets & Company expansion. Typically Texan, this cheerful town is populated by Sims often wearing cowboy hats. When flying over it, you can see some strange architectural delusions, such as this bone-shaped swimming pool. Here is proof, if one were needed, that this additional disc is indeed dedicated to animals. Naturally, it is also possible to enjoy its content by keeping an existing part. In this case, the game offers you to build four new installations on free slots. These are the Dog Park, the Play Structure for Cats, the Equestrian Center and the Horse Breeding. Dogs, cats, horses, here is the holy trinity of this expansion. But in addition to these star companions, many small critters are also appearing, most of which must be placed in terrariums. You will have the opportunity to buy or capture beetles, lizards, rodents, snakes, turtles and even birds. These last ones are a little particular since one can teach them to speak. A lonely Sim can then fulfill their chat needs without leaving their home. Conversely, it is also allowed to go for a walk with your bird on your shoulder. The counterpart of this friendly company is weak, since it suffices to feed the bird and to clean its cage regularly for it to live a very long time. Be careful, however, not to let your cat or the neighbour's cat get too close. Cats are indeed able to hunt like real ones, or almost. They don't tear their bloody and terrified prey to pieces until it doesn't move, but just put it in their inventory. When it is a wild beast, the owner of the cat can then collect it to make a new pet.
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But isn't it strange for a cat to have an inventory, you ask? In truth, the expansion treats cats, dogs, and horses almost as full-fledged Sims. The awkward adage that proclaims that "animals are human beings like the others" finds a perfect illustration here, since these animals are controlled like any Sim. Moreover, they also have character traits (likes to swim, lazy, obedient...), imposed if they are adopted or chosen when they are created. Extremely complete, the creation process has little to envy to that of human Sims. Shape of the body and the different areas of the head, colors and spots of the coat, types of fur... we can really personalize our animals, without ever having the impression of being stuck with a basic and generic companion. Thereafter, the gameplay remains again very close to that of the classic Sims. Just like them, animals can establish romantic relationships and end up reproducing. Terribly cute, kittens, puppies and foals are just waiting to be properly educated. Nothing could be simpler: just congratulate them when they behave well and scold them when they do something stupid. Hygiene is also important, especially to avoid the appearance of fleas (which then colonize the Sims). In any case, in the event of abusive mistreatment, a social worker will confiscate your animal. So do not hesitate to invest in bowls, bedding, litter and other toys. A dog can even pay off big since his instinct allows him to unearth small treasures (precious stones, metals, fragments of skeletons or sculptures...). And just like in real life, dog walks make dating easier for single Sims.
Thereafter, the gameplay remains again very close to that of the classic Sims. Just like them, animals can form romantic relationships and eventually reproduce."
But where the game is really strong is in the arrival of the horses. A very logical novelty, since we know that the young and female audience, which is also that of the Sims, tends to appreciate equines more than reason. From now on, it will no longer be necessary to buy a specific game to pretend to be a real horse breeder. Basically, the riding skill simply allows you to climb on a mount and move freely with it (only the stairs, elevators and doors block us). In the long term, it is simply used to pass competitions and to master show jumping. Create your own training course or increase your income thanks to the projections of a breeding stallion, it's possible! Investing in a box, water trough and hay can therefore be very profitable in the end. Equipped with all these advantages, the game is therefore richer and more pleasant than ever. It's a pity that the technical aspect has not been improved (loading times are still just as long) and that the selling price remains high for a simple extension, the content of which could even have been directly integrated into the base game if we lived in a perfect world.
