Building up other parts of your kingdom, like the smithy and the market, are also important, as they keep your citizens happy and productive. You could starve them and force them to go to war with the nearby territories, but don’t expect them to be happy about it. Graphically, Medieval looks great, capturing the Sims style and wraping it in beautiful fantasy buildings and colorful clothes.
With it’s clever mix of macro and micro goals, The Sims Medieval looks like it’s creating an experience that will appeal not only to Sims fans, but to “core” gamers who may have shunned the series before. Its slightly more goal driven nature and geek-friendly fantasy theme, will also help. Even then, the high level of customization, open ended gameplay and voyeuristic stimulation are all intact for Sims fans who’d like to try out a new scenario.