Publisher: Electronic Arts, www.thesims.com
Ages: seven and up.
Parental
Advisory:
None
Families with PCs have long known the joys of creating, managing and controlling the virtual lives of tiny computerized people in miniature worlds. And now, families with PlayStation 2 consoles can discover these joys as well. The PlayStation 2 version of Electronic Arts' The Sims not only lets you create and control Sims as you can on a PC, but participate in new level-based game play and two-player modes.
If you've never played The Sims, it's a first class strategy game that lets you create a household of miniature people, or "sims," and then conduct their virtual lives. This includes feeding them, sending them to work, and having them meet and interact with other computer-controlled sims in their neighborhoods. The game's clever premise and excellent execution make for a compelling game experience.
The PlayStation 2 version offers a new level-based mode called "Get a Life" that lets you start with one Sim and move him or her through life's big moments that include moving out of Mom's house, getting a job, and having a family. As you progress through challenges, a Sim can unlock objects that are exclusive to the PlayStation 2 console. These include a teppanyaki table, aroma master, and more.
For the first time, you can play against or with others in two-player, split-screen modes. There are entertaining possibilities here, particularly in the cooperative games. You can also play the open-ended game that is similar to that in the PC version. Here, you build a house and fill it with a variety of objects, and your Sims get jobs, gain friends and enemies, and more. The game also offers generous features for customizing Sims. You can create and tailor Sims with accessories such as hats, trendy glasses, hairstyles, and an enormous variety of clothing.
The game makes efficient use of the PlayStation 2 controller, which makes it intuitive to play. The graphics are very good and evoke those found in the PC version, which are admittedly dated.
The game has some edgy elements, which makes the title more appropriate for teens and older. The beauty of The Sims is that it appeals to teens with none of the violence and other questionable elements found in most popular video games. If you are familiar with the PC version of The Sims, you may enjoy the enhancements found in the PlayStation 2 version, but find the experience familiar. PlayStation owners who have never discovered the joys of The Sims, on the other hand, are in for a wonderful new world.
1/29/03 www.daytrum.com Editorial Staff
