Big Brother on my PC. (The Sims (PC))

Member Name: stickywicket

Product:	The Sims (PC)
Date:	13/01/02 (392 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easily addicted, nice game play

Disadvantages: Easy to loose interest

Started to walk funny? Think you have a green (or red) diamond over your head? Keep putting rubbish on the floor? You must be a fellow Sims player then....

I bought this for my 7 year old for Christmas, unfortunately the minute after installation the music started playing, the intro film had me glued so I thought I'd run the tutorial just so I could help him if got stuck...yeah right! I was sucked in immiediatly!

What is it about this God Game? It's the same as Big Brother, watching people do boring things, only difference is you control them.

The basic idea is that you choose your Sims, their name, their look, their personality, even their star sign. Create a family or just a young couple, whatever you like. Build and furnish a house with around $20,000 or move them in to a ready made basic one-bedroomed bungalow. (That's my preference as I never seem to have enough to buy a toilet!)

Next pick up the paper find them a job, teach them new skills by reading, or playing chess. Make family friends by phoning the neighbours and ask them to come over (Betty and Mortimer just don't get on in my sim neighbourhood)

Sims have needs, identified by their mood bars, in the red and an unhappy sim won't do as told ie if they are not having much fun then they won't practice speech (earns charisma - good for promotion) or read a book, or find a new job because they are too depressed. If you wear them out by cleaning up all the time this gives negative values on the social, energy and fun bars (get a maid in for $10 an hour) Cooking and mechanical skills save the day as well (earnt by reading) as a sim that can't cook is likely to set fire to the place. Give them enough kitchen workspace to prepare good meals otherwise it'll be cans of beans for breakfast lunch and dinner!If the phone rings get there fast you could be up for a few grand in Aunties Will.

Now I guess there are two ways to play this
game the complete sadist that lets the sim get depressed, burgled or drown! That's ok for a quick game, because it doesn't take long to get a sim in a bad mood. Or the materialistic player that strives to earn a good wage, get promotion and build a nice mansion with a pool, reading other reviews I see many of you have been quickly successful, and I can understand how the game could then loose it's attraction. However I'm still a fairly addicted novice, looking to buy the expansion packs.

My biggest niggle is how to get friends to sit down when they visit, most leave because they haven't sat down! I've adopted a baby but gave it up very quickly as it was too much like real life!

Online back up is available with downloadable extras at the official website, but there are other 'patches' for the Sims in the nude (doesn't really appeal...)and other variations at KaZaa. Loads of Sims fansites out there too with helpful tips and tricks and downloads, google will give a few excellent results.

A clever game that my son would love to play, when Big Brother 3 comes to our screens I'll let him have a go.....

Summary: