After three increasingly popular Sims series over the past decade, with a myriad of marriages, divorces, unruly children and pets, fans of the franchise were starting to wonder where developer and publisher, EA could take it next. So raise your goblet of mead to toast another fine addition to the stable.

From the outset, the game feels new and exciting, with an entertaining opening movie narrated by Sir Patrick Stewart – a video game voiceover veteran – setting the scene for the task ahead. While the premise remains true to the Sims heritage, playing as individual characters, this time you must also achieve a "Kingdom Ambition", chosen at the start of your game to determine the fate of your realm and its citizens. For example, you may choose Imperial Domination to expand your empire or Wealthy Populace to fill your coffers.

You start by playing as your kingdom's monarch, enabling you to customise your attire and living quarters, while choosing personality traits, such as "adventurous", "compulsive gambler" or "whale ate my parents", the latter apparently making your troubled Sim shout angrily at the ocean. However, the game comes into its own when you go on to play as other Hero Sims who, like their monarch, have their own quests and ambitions to accomplish, earning Kingdom Points to spend on new structures to help complete your Kingdom Ambition.

Overall, it's enchanting stuff, set in a beautifully animated and immersive fairy-tale world. And, with a clearer structure for achieving quests and character development, it will appeal to RPG fans as never before.