The Sims 2: Seasons (PC) Review

The Sims has always been an addictive game to those who would give it a chance. However, in the beginning, it was static. The orgininal had no indicator of the passage of time; sims didn’t age and every day was like all of the others. Sims 2 added aging and weekly schedules, but it was still the same from day to day. Finally, you’ll feel the passage of time like never before as snow melts with the coming of spring and leaves fall in autumn. This is what The Sims has needed; Seasons makes the game, and is an expansion pack that no Sims fan should be without.

The obvious addition is that of the four seasons. Each season begets different bonuses on your sims. Winter, for example, is for family bonding while the fall is best for skill development. This really makes the seasons more then cosmetic.

Cosmetic it is, though, to a point. The falling snow is beautiful, rain is either relaxing (a shower) or intimidating (a storm), and the color palette changes as the year passes. I found myself holding yearly holidays like the Fourth of July in summer and Thanksgiving in fall, such was the impact on me.

Your sims now feel the weather, too. If they get too hot or too cold (displayed as a thermometer on each sims’ pic) they can get very sick. To combat this, they need to dress for the season. Your sim will automatically put on ‘outerwear’ whenever they exit the house in inclement weather, saving you much micromanagement. You also gain the ability to garden. By planting crops and raising fruit trees you can gain new attributes that will make your plants grow better. Better plants yield better crops, and better crops are more valuable as either food or for selling.

The only changes cosmetically – other then the seasons – is in the ‘outerwear’ clothing category and the ability to set your sim’s hair to change based on their outfit. They can have unkempt hair in their everyday clothes and a nicely styled ‘do when wearing their formal attire. This makes your sim all the more customized.

This is a pack based around the family. You’ll feel less of the impact when playing with but one sim. The new activities are mostly set for multiple sims, such as playing catch and having snowball fights. If you play Sims 2, then I have to say that Seasons is a must-have. If you don’t play The Sims, then you likely won’t see the point of this. I recommend this to all Sims fanatics with no reservations. Buy, play and enjoy. Alphasim out.