The Sims 2 is a vast improvement on the original (The Sims 2 (PC))

Member Name: flobbleflop

Product:	The Sims 2 (PC)
Date:	18/03/09 (11 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Improves on original one hundred fold

Disadvantages: Slow to load- but worth the wait

The Sims was always one of my favourite games on the PC and the Sims 2 surpassed all my expectations. This game was much more fun with more features and better game play and that is before you even think about buying an expansion pack.

One of the best things about the game is the neighbourhood which are already created. Most of them have stories which are already started and it is great to be able to follow the stories which have been mapped out by the creators or to go against the grain and cause havoc. Also the fact that you can design, build and inhabit an entire neighbourhood of your own is brilliant improvement.

The create a sim feature is amazingly intricate and the detail that can be put into the Sims you create is unbelievable at times. In this part you also find that two new life stages have been created: toddler and teenager. This makes the entire game play more realistic and much more "human". You can also play with genetics and create two Sims and then create a child from the two of them which has a mixture of their features. There is a much larger choice of clothing and you can choose swimwear, pyjamas, underwear and formalwear whereas before these were automatically selected in the game.

The game play itself is noticeable different from the start. The most obvious difference is the camera angles- rather than having four fixed angles to rotate through as in the original Sims, the camera is freestanding and can be rotated to any angle and height. There are literally hundreds of wallpapers, flooring and items to choose from when designing your house and you can also choose to have several storeys on the house instead of just the two that you are limited to in the original.

The game is more realistic and the aspiration element gives the game more focus rather than just playing aimlessly. Jobs have a proper title and witty remarks written when there are promotions given. There are also days off, holidays and maternity leave when a child is born and services including a nanny and gardener so that parents can return to work when they are ready.

This game really is faultless in my opinion. I could write all day about the wonders of it and I cannot see what EA Games are going to do to improve on it when they bring out The Sims 3 this year! If I was nitpicking I would say that sometimes it can take a while for the game to lead but it is worth the wait! Absolutely fabulous!

Summary: The Sims 2 is going to be a hard one to beat