After a long wait and much hype, the sequel to the most successful PC game franchise is here. The Sims are back and better than ever.
If you're not familiar with the first game, you've been living under a rock for the past 4 years (or maybe someone built you into an empty room with no windows or doors…).
The Sims, often dubbed "a virtual dollhouse", allows players to create simulated people, design and decorate houses for them to live in, and control the daily aspects of their lives - from studying and going to work and to cooking dinner and doing the dishes afterwards.
The concept in The Sims 2 remains the same, though the possibilities have greatly increased.
Featuring a new 3D graphics engine, the Sims and their surroundings are now even more lifelike, and extremely customisable. You can zoom-in close to come face to face with the Sims and their dwellings, rotate throughout the whole neighbourhood, and scroll to the very far corners of their world.
Play existing neighbourhoods (there are 3 to choose from including the original "Pleasantview") and families, or create your own. The Sims 2 also introduces the new "Create-A-Sim" feature which allows you to customise facial features at a higher level than ever before. Using "sliders" you can adjust the size, shape and position of eyes, ears, noses, etc which could result in a world full of beautiful people, or something quite scary. Now it's even easier than ever to get the details perfect when creating Sims of yourself, your family and friends, colleagues, or that hot guy/girl you have a crush on.
Also, available as a free download prior to release, then bundled with the game is the Sims Body Shop - a standalone tool similar to the CAS feature, though with more options, namely the ability to create custom skins and textures.
It's not just in appearance that the Sims have improved. They now grow from infancy to adulthood, become elders and eventually die. You can't create a new child unless you have 2 adults, how else would they receive DNA from both parents? That's right, Sims in The Sims 2 pass on personality and physical attributes to their offspring. Both parents not going to win a beauty pageant anytime soon? You can always "randomize" to get a new set of features if you're not happy with their appearance. If only real life was as flexible!
With the added detail to the characters, comes improvement to their world. You can now build houses over 2 stories high - the chairs fit under tables whereas they used to just sit at the side.
There are many more house furnishings, and you can pick different patterns or colours without extra cost, or use the Design tool to update or improve objects you already own. This costs a small amount, but not as much as purchasing new items.
Besides the awesome graphics, total control over appearance and a multitude of new tools for building and decorating houses, a huge new feature is the Aspirations, Wants and Fears.
Your Sims no longer exist aimlessly, they now have a purpose in life which you must assign and then help them fulfill. Choose from five goal areas - Fortune, Family, Romance, or Popularity.
There are certain desires for each aspiration which your Sim can achieve in order to gain bonus points. For example, if your Sim has a Family aspiration, it could be having a baby - and now Sims really get pregnant complete with huge belly!
A Romance oriented Sim might want to "woo-hoo" (or um… get it on for those not familiar with the Sims native tongue "Simlish") in public, or with multiple Sims! The Sims can become involved with a Sim of either gender but will not flirt with the same sex unless you direct them to.
If your Sim has a Knowledge aspiration, they want to know everything about everything… this may even extend to being abducted by aliens!
Aspirations affect and influence Wants and Fears. If you help your Sims achieve their wants, they get closer to realising their life goal (aspiration). There are rewards for achieving wants and avoiding fears. You have 4 Wants and 3 Fears - they change and you can 'lock' one if you wish until you think you can fulfill/avoid it. It gets interesting when the wants/fears clash. For example, a Sim's want might be to have a family but at the same time they fear having a baby.
It would be endless to go into all the details and possibilities, there's just so much going on and you're constantly discovering something new…
You can spend so long playing this game, that it's ironic how the more time you spend attending to your Sims' needs, the more your own real-life needs suffer.
My Sim is freshly bathed with a full stomach, empty bladder, and a good night's sleep while I am up at 3am - dirty, hungry, tired, and about to pee on the floor because I'm so involved. That's got to be the sign of a good game -- doesn't it?
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bugzeebugzee23nine
02/06/2008, 08:17 AM
rating
10/10
loooooooooooooooooooooovvvvvvvve the sims awsome man
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asdfgh
18/03/2008, 07:50 AM
rating
9/10
i luv the game on ps2. it would be really cool if maxis made the computer game into a console game though
Pros: really fun to play
Cons: not like the computer 1
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PurplePeanut0416
23/01/2008, 07:27 AM
rating
10/10
I love this game like anything!
Not just because we can control the lives of virtual people, but because my favorite part is the Build mode, where we can create ANYTHING we want.
Although, I wish EA Games would create a few new hacks such as a Baby Stroller for the little Sims so they can go for a walk with the parents or whoever, and mabye an Expansion pack where it involves nothing but Alien Sims, such as everything from their skintones to out-of-this-world oddities and lavish homes, odd looking lots and terrains with interesting terrain paints like purple sand or something, and interesting objects and maybe even weird but friendly space creatures that could be their pets.
I'm in the process of creating my own neighborhood where all the sims are aliens and each home is different and unique, but I'm still trying to figure out of how to build a pet Sim with six legs.
Anyway, I give this game a 100 plus from out of 10 as I happen to love it so much.
EA Games, I commend you on this awesome game that you all created and we the sim community hope to see a lot more expansions packs coming in the future.
Keep up this fabulous work of yours and as for everybody else, keep on simming!
Pros: Nothing wrong with it, it's too awesome to resist!
Cons: There are none.
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chelsea
28/07/2007, 05:33 PM
rating
10/10
its great fun wen i first got it i played from 11am to 2am at night im not kidding i love the game so much but i h8 farah moonbiscuit and torin namaste oh yer and patrizio they suk and never get my jokes or sok puppeting lol its funny tho cuz i always hit them wit a vacuum on trick lol they suk
Pros: really fun
Cons: shame i cant control wat they say
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hil_blue22@hotmail.com
24/04/2007, 08:09 AM
rating
7/10
I think you should make a game for xbox where you can be a baby, toddler, or an adult. You should also make the games that you make for the computer for xbox.
Thanks
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jvc2912
06/11/2006, 03:25 AM
rating
10/10
It is grwat
Pros: I can think like other people soppouse to think
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30/10/2006, 11:55 AM
rating
10/10
The BEST FRICKIN' GAME EVER!!!!
Pros: You have more control over things and you can make yourself.
Cons: none
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27/10/2006, 11:49 PM
rating
9/10
The best game ever!
Pros: The add ons are a huge plus! :) I love The Sims Pets!!! :D
I am looking 4ward to the new version of Making Magic when ever it gets made.
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08/10/2006, 08:57 AM
rating
10/10
love it!!!!! its awesome
I love this game!! its like preparing other peoples lives!!
XD i love this game and i hope for another.
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Ash
20/09/2006, 05:07 PM
rating
8/10
pretty good
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