If you can only have one Sims expansion pack this is it. (The Sims - Hot Date (Expansion Pack) (PC))

Member Name: bbwjayne

Product:	The Sims - Hot Date (Expansion Pack) (PC)
Date:	20/11/02 (1088 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Creates a whole new game, Ability to change clothing defaults for individual sims, Good old fun!

Disadvantages: not much new for the kid sims, inital game play bugs fixed by patch, reguires a good amount of memory

Hello, my name is BBWJayne and I am a Sims Addict (pauses for the self help crowd to chant back 'Hello BBWJayne'). I have never really been a computer games type of person. Sure, I enjoyed playing games but they would be fun for a few days and then I would get bored and they would start to collect dust in my CD rack. Perhaps this is because the marketplace is littered with shoot 'um up games that just don't appeal to me whatsoever.

Then, one fateful day I got The Sims for birthday present. Since then I am have been hooked. I went through a period of finishing up my work and then playing all night. Okay, that was excessive and eventually I reined it back once the original excitement wore off but it was just that time that the geniuses at Maxis started releasing the expansion packs.

Lots of popular games get expansion packs but they are usually just extra bits or levels for the game. Maxis has managed to release expansions that not only add new elements, such are new clothing and objects to use in the game, but also alter the whole goal of the game and therefore make it fresh and exciting again.

At the time of its release, Hot Date totally and utterly changed the game play of The Sims. Prior to its introduction, the Sims were limited to their homes. They would stay at home, invite friends over and that is the only place you could interact with them. They of course went to work but following them was not an option. Hot Date changes that by allowing the Sims to go to the newly created 'Downtown' area. In order to get there your sim simply needs to dial up the cab company and pay 50 simoleans to be carried off to their new playground.

Once in the cab you need to choose an area of the town for them to explore. Maxis has provided pre built lots and also the space to build your own. The pre built lots include beach locations, art galleries, fancy restaurants, parks, bars and shopping.

>Shopping, you say? Heck yeah, shopping is one of the other new elements that come along with this expansion pack. No longer do you have to be content with the pajamas, swimsuits or formal wear that comes default with the game. Well, technically in the past you could change them but the change would take place for all the characters of that gender in your game. Now, you can go up the sales rack, try on the clothing and buy them and the game will remember them until you decide to buy something new. Of course, it wouldn't be The Sims if you couldn't download and create new outfits to buy. So, if you want to download an Easter bunny outfit to get married in there is no one to stop you. Other items available for purchase are things such as flowers and jewelry to give as gifts to your dates.

This pack is, after all, called Hot Date and that is exactly what it is about. Once you are in the downtown area you will find a load of other Sims walking around. Any Sims you already have in your neighbourhood can go to town but even better there are some totally news sims, created by the game, that you have never met before. Go up to them, introduce yourself and start chatting. Hopefully you will get along and romance will blossom. If you do feel sparks fly you can ask them if they would like to go on a date. If they say yes there are plenty of places to take them.

The most popular is one of the restaurants. If you are lucky enough to have the waiter or waitress sit you in a booth you will be able to take advantage of just a few of the new character interactions that Maxis have added to this pack. In the booths you can play footsie under the table, cuddle your date or even make out if you are lucky enough to be at that level.

All in all this is a great addition to any Sims owner's collection. However, it wouldn't be a proper review if I didn't point out a few of the more disappointing aspects. On a minor level, this pac
k adds nothing much new for the kiddie Sims. There are a couple new interactions between parents but they can't go downtown at all. However, when you think about it, you don't really want your kids with you on a date, do you?

More seriously, when the game was first released there was a number of bugs in the game that caused the game to stick and sometimes quit out all together. It took ages for Maxis to release a patch for the game and even longer to release it to the European, and therefore the UK, players. However, with that said when it was finally released (and if you find your game does have problems you can find the patch at thesims.com) the patch cleared up all the issues in my game.

Other than that my only other caution would be to carefully read the requirements on the package before buying. The Sims does take a good deal of memory and when they say shut down all unneeded background tasks they mean it. However, there are few games around that are worth doing that for and the Sims is certainly one of them.

*** A Light Hearted Caution And An Easter Egg ***

A couple things that might be of particular interest to those with previous knowledge of The Sims.

Firstly, it is worth noting that the computer generated Sims that walk around downtown wear clothing that is randomly chosen from your skins files. This sounds great and it is usually fun because there are always outfits you downloaded but never actually have your Sims wear. However, if like me you had some..er..unusual skins downloading it might come back and bite in the bum. For example, I had a nude skin that I downloaded in a pack but never used and frankly forgot about. Then I go downtown and I have a nude guy walking around town looking for a date. I also had an alien head in my collection and - bingo you guessed it - I soon had an alien walking around town. It is cute but if you have kids looking over your shoulder it might be worth hav
ing a clean out of any questionable skins.

Secondly, an easter egg that is aimed at the more adult players. When you are downtown clothing shopping have your date try on some clothing. Once they go into a changing booth pause the game. When the game is paused click on the booth and you will find a 'play in booth' option that isn't there when the game is running. Choose it and when you resume the game your Sim will attempt to 'play' in the booth with their date. They have to have a strong relationship for it to happen but it is still a fun touch.

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