The tale of Kev and Alice

Kev peacefully sleeps on the bench while Alice looks for comfort in her teddy bear.

A heartbreaking story of a homeless man and his daughter carried out in the Sims 3.


By Joanna Duda

Meet Kev and Alice, a homeless family trying to get through life in their own ways. 


Kev is short-tempered, mean and generally unpleasant. He hates children and is a terrible father. His daughter, Alice, is kind-hearted but has low self-esteem and is rather clumsy. Being homeless and having a hating father makes her life harder than anyone in the neighbourhood.

Their face expressions are very believable and realistic.

Every day is a struggle to get by without money and a home. Kev spends his time on annoying other people and invading their privacy. Alice goes to school and longs for warmth and a sense of belonging. She often asks her neigh- bours for help, hoping they will show her some compas- sion.

It is hard to see Alice smile. Or to see Kev act politely.

The story of Kev and Alice is no fairy-tale. 


It feels very real and it gets to you. You get attached, you feel their struggle, you want to help. Once you start reading, you will keep go- ing until the end.


It is fascinating all this is carried out in Sims 3, a video game made for people’s entertainment. A game in which the players create characters or whole families and try to gives them interesting lives.


Kev and Alice’s story proves that a game like Sims 3 (which some can even call vain) can be used to carry out some- thing significant and meaningful. It is not about acquiring skills, friends and throwing parties. It is about trying to survive while being homeless, alone and unloved.


The author of the story is Robin Burkinshaw who studies Game Design in the United Kingdom.


You can read the tale of Kev and Alice HERE. It might bring a tear to your eye.