Too Much Information To Process [AHHHH!] (Sims: Complete Collection (PC))

Member Name: GramiWay

Product:	Sims: Complete Collection (PC)
Date:	14/02/09 (102 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: All The Sims games in one

Disadvantages: Far too much crammed into one game

Following on from the huge success of the Sim City games Maxis produced The Sims. A strategic, life simulation game made especially for the PC which has since branched out many generations and is available on most of the major games consoles. For me the PC versions will be always be the best due to the simplicity and fun that can be had from playing them.
The Sims Complete Collection combines the original game and its 7 expansion packs all together to give you hours of entertainment.

I first came across The Sims about 5 years ago when I borrowed it from a friend and I was instantly hooked. I recently was able to pick up the complete collection preowned for a little over 10.00.

The Sims of course revolves around creating your own fictional family and moving them into a neighbourhood where you build them a house and set about making or ruining their lives. There are all sorts of social interactions and furniture to buy and you can focus on their careers or their relationships, whichever you choose. Each expansion pack adds a little bit more to The Sims universe whether its more clothes and heads for designing your characters, extra neighbourhoods, new items or new features to continue to make your Sims experience as realistic as possible.

The installation is the only problem I have with the game. The complete collection comes on four discs which take forever to install. You should always check the requirements on the back of the game before buying incase your computer isn't compatible.
Once up and running its time to start creating your own little Sim land.

- The Sims -
The original game offering the basic tools to create your own neighbourhood of characters.

- Makin Magic -
The Sims goes all Harry Potter as new neighbourhoods and items are introduced. Spellbooks and potions are now available and your characters can become practising wizards if they stick at it.

- Superstar -
Allows you to build gorgeous downtown malls and even adds some celebrities to the mix. [Christina Aguilera for one!!]. Superstar is about trying to make it in the entertainment industry, whether its as a TV star or a muscian. As a result, there are lots of new items and tasks related to these career paths.

- Hot Date -
This game adds new interactions for Sims looking for some romance and allows you to create your own downtown dating scene. The new objects and such revolve around love.

- House Party -
House Party is about throwing the best, damn get together on the block with tonnes of extra items and ideas to allow you to become the social butterfly you've so desperately wanted to for so long.

- Vaccation -
This expansion pack allows you to take your Sims on holiday whether its to a beautiful health resort, a nice sandy beach or even skiing, there's plenty of options here and only adds further to making the universe more realistic

- Unleashed -
Unleashed helps you to complete your perfect Sims family by adding a pet. A cat or a dog are the most common as they become a fully fledged member of the family, though you can buy fish and iguanas for example from the new pet stores added exclusively to this version.

- Livin It Up -
Livin It Up was originally just a deluxe edition of the original game with no particular theme, just a few extra items and objects that are also available in the complete collection.

There's loads to do here! Though I personally did find that having so many different things available in one game was very time consuming and once you'veb uilt your family's house and such, all the fun has been drained out of the game. The Sims is brilliant on its own or with just one or two of the expansion packs added on but with so much to do and so many places to visit, it can become very disorientating.

The graphics are superb however and the interaction between the characters in their own little language is quite entertaining but I personally prefer to be a lot less flustered when I'm playing a computer game.

Summary: A great game to have but only in small doses