The Sims 2 Review

The Sims 2 is the long-awaited sequel to one of the best selling PC game franchises ever. The original “Sims� had an incredible seven expansion packs, meaning if you want to play the game to its fullest, you have to be willing to fork over at least a few hundred dollars. The Sims 2 contains a lot of what the original Sims had, but also lacks a lot. There is no dating simulator like “Hot Date� expansion, nor are there “Vacation�s or pets. But I can’t really say this is a big problem, as this game is only one game, without expansions, and it does contain a lot of things that the original Sims, even with expansions, do not have.

The graphics are awesome. This was obviously the biggest upgrade in the game, as the original had a simple four-camera 2 dimensional world with 3 dimensional characters, but the Sims 2 has a full-3d, loose camera environment in which every item in the game has a 3d model. You can customize your sims to look just like you or anyone else you want to live in your house, by changing facial characteristics like chin size/shape, eyes, hair, etc.

You can use the included software to create custom clothing for your sims, like shirts you may own in real life, or a golden pair of slacks. (this is all coming off of the top of my head, back off!) You can also go to thesims2.com and download official custom items and clothes, like an Alienware computer or a Maxis tee for your sim. With all of the custom material and the vast amount of intricate work you can perform, you can literally make a house in the game look exactly like a house in real life, which adds a degree of realism to the game, as well as making it more fun.

The music is nice, its like the music from the original, but they obviously had an orchestra or something play the music, because it does not sound digitized. Even so, I’d like to have seen a greater number of tracks or music that fits the mood of your sim, so, the music really wasn’t anything special, nor were the sound effects; they were very similar to the sound in the original. One note to make about the speech, though, is that the expressions made by the sims are truly something to be proud of. They’re expressions are just on the verge of being ‘cartoony’, without quite being there. They really show what the sim is feeling like, and really make you more in to the game.

By the time you get bored of this game, (I can’t say “When you beat it�, because you can’t, really.) Your sim will be extrmemly unique. You may not realize it, but there are millions of facial feature combinations, not to mention a sim’s personality, job, and skills, like their ability to play piano, or cook. Looking back, I see just how important that is.

Overall, this game is a great improvement over the original, not only with the graphics engine, but also with the AI. People can find another door if one is locked;) The sound is mediocre, but the replay value and funny reactions (i.e. hugging a tree when lonely) really make the game more fun to play, and keeps you coming back for more.