the sims
vs 
The Sims has evolved allot since It’s debut in 2000, there’s no debate about that. There’s also next to no debate that The Sims 2 was a better game then the original. The question we’re here to answer today is, is The Sims 3 better then The Sims 2? I’ve got questions and answers on the subject. Let’s get started.
I’ve not reviewed the first two expansion packs for The Sims 3, but here’s a review for the third, Late Night. Is it a hard-partier, or should you give it an early bed time?
There’s just something entertaining about the premise here: take your sim around a new, big-city neighborhood to party late, hit the bars, and start up a band. If only there was a Sims 2: University-like option to throw them in college, this would be perfect. Let’s tackle each of the primary goals, one at a time.
I’m a big fan of the Sims series; I bought the original on it’s release day years ago, so I’m not some band-wagon rider. Hell, I could drive the bandwagon. In any case, I’ve been looking forward to playing this game since it’s preview in the last ever issue of Games for Windows (formerly Computer Gaming World). The possibilities of an open world and a new Traits system for defining a sim’s personality sounded exciting. Little did I know, that was only the beginning.
I was worried about Sims 2: Freetime being too much of a time-sink. I thought that it’d be too much busywork for the player to have each sim engage in their hobbies for too little reward. What I found was that the hobbies that the sims can indulge in are not only fun for the sim, but it’s fun – and rewarding – for the player, as well. This may well challenge Open for Business for my favorite Sims 2 expansion pack thus far. Continue reading
In preparation for the latest Sims 2 expansion pack, Freetime, I’m reviewing the previous pack which I’d missed. Bon Voyage is essentially a remake of The Sims: Vacation from 2002. It’s a bit better then Vacations for various reasons, but it’s nowhere near a must-have for anyone other then Sims 2 enthusiasts.
You can book a vacation to one of three premade destinations (far east, woodlands, and the tropics) by phone or computer. You pick how long you want to stay, where you want to stay, and who’s coming with you. Each destination has a price rating to let you know what kind of costs you’re looking at. You can, for example, stay in a small hotel on the cheap (relatively), or go for broke – literally – and choose to stay in a top-end resort. Where you stay matters only as to where you’re sleeping at night and the amenities close at hand. Since you’ll be spending very little time there, don’t worry about it too much.
Each destination has a different culture, and therefore different things to do, eat, see and buy. In the tropics you can go swim at the beach and tour a pirate ship wreck, whereas in the woodland area you can engage in axe throwing and log rolling. The far eastern setting sees you raking Zen gardens and visiting pagodas. Each area also has it’s own style of dress, local gesture you can learn, and a special native that you can meet, like the far east’s ninja, seen here.
Your sims all carry cameras now, and can either take pictures themselves or ask someone to take a picture of them. These pictures can then be made into an album that your sims can order for themselves. This alone is a neat idea, especially since your sims get all kinds of goofy poses they can do in the pictures. You can also pick up souvenirs that you can display when you get back home, as well as random treasures.
Sims can go on tours that can produce good or bad results for them. For instance, I went on a boat tour in the tropics and my sim got a rash, which was very irritating. Your sims can also order room service when in their hotels so that they don’t have to cook, even when not out and about. In the end, the ultimate goal is to have such a good vacation that when your sims make it back home they take benefits from the vacation with them.
The graphics, naturally, haven’t changed, and neither has the sound or presentation. Of course, we weren’t expecting them to, so that’s not a big deal.
The bottom line is, is this a worth-while upgrade to The Sims 2? If you’re someone who plays regularly, then yes, this will be a good purchase. Your sims need a good bit of money to go on vacation, and therefore see all of the new content, so a new family will not be in a position to take advantage of Bon Voyage’s fun stuff for quite some time. If you don’t play The Sims 2 very often, and are looking for that next big pack to get you back into it, then no, Bon Voyage is not it. The Sims 2: Seasons was a much more expansive pack then this, and that makes it a bit of a let down. I hope Freetime can provide more bang for the buck. Alphasim out.
| Score | |
|---|---|
| Overall |   |
| . | |
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. Continue reading
I bought the original Sims on the day it came out back in February of 2000, and subsequently bought up all of the expansion packs, even after I’d lost most of my interest in the game. As a matter of fact – Trivia Time! – my nickname, Alphasim, came from when I ran a Sims website called The SIMSNation many years ago. I also bought The Sims 2 as soon as it came out as well, and played the heck out of it. However, just recently have I got around to buying the expansion packs. So, since Sims 2 came out before e-AAGH.net existed, I’m only able to review the expansion packs. First up, Pets.
