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Sims 2 DVD

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 15 / 15
Date: September 23, 2004
Author: Amazon User

There are a lot of new features, some good and some okay, and I especially like the 3D graphics

* Improved Create-a-Sim Mode that gives you the ability to customize the looks of your sim down to the smallest detail like hair color, make-up, facial features, etc. There are dozens of skins (clothes) and countless templates and patterns to choose from, or you can simply randomize your sim's appearance. The possibilities are endless!
* Genetics - When your sims have babies, they can pass on their physical characteristics onto their offspring.
* The movie camera that allows you to record your sim's activities and later upload the clips onto the official site.
* Enhanced viewing that allows you to easily zoom in and out and get a 360-degree view of your sims and their surroundings.
* Bigger neighborhoods, better houses. The new Build Mode allows you to build a foundation for the house, and it's now possible to build multi-story houses.

With the new Aspirations feature, your sims now have short-term and long-term goals, giving more direction and purpose to the game. The only downside to this, which I don't like too much, is that it adds a level of difficulty to the game. Sometimes it's hard enough to juggle the different variables (Needs); now you also have to focus on your sim's Aspirations, or their score/rating drops and they get miserable.

Also, there seem to be a limited number of objects and building elements (wallpapers, floors) in this game. Who knows? Maybe they'll release an expansion pack in a few months to add more variety.

Overall, it's a very good game but not quite exceptional.

If I had to pick just one word to describe The Sims 2, it would be "charming"

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 15 / 15
Date: April 30, 2006
Author: Amazon User

The Sims 2 is, quite simply, the most charming game I've ever played in my life. I purchased the first one all those years ago not knowing exactly what to expect, but knowing that, since I had so enjoyed many of the other Sim-themed games, I would probably enjoy The Sims as well. Who could've suspected what a huge success it would turn out to be, or what path it would take, or the type of appeal it would have.

Well, everyone pretty much knew what to expect with this sequel. I've been anticipating it myself for about two years or so, and my expectations were quite high. I can confidently say that I have not been disappointed. The Sims 2 completely fulfills the promise of the first Sims, fixing every major issue, and adding almost every feature needed to round out and complete the experience of running a group of families in a neighborhood.

The gameplay is almost identical to the original, with a very smooth and intuitive interface. The design keeps the relatively complex controls convenient and straightforward. The free will of the sim themselves has been much improved. There were problems in the original where they would complain about a need being unfulfilled, yet fail to take care of it themselves. In this game, they are much better about taking care of themselves, which is a huge and crucial improvement. The pathfinding is also much better, and some critical fixes have been made that almost completely eliminate some of the worst problems, such as sims getting stuck in impossible to resolve "traffic jams" and the like.

For example, in the original, only one sim could walk up or down stairs at a time. The could be a nightmare of logistics in a large house with many residents or guests. In The Sims 2, you can have sims walking up and down the stairs simultaneously, which is an immense help, although it still appears as though you can only have one sim walking in each particular direction at a time. This can occasionally cause problems, but this is not often enough to detract very much from the fun.

As I said, there are a number of improvements, but I have noticed one area or situation in which there are still some problems. When your adult sims have babies, there can be some difficulties getting them to do what you want. I've found that adults will more often than neccesary want to pick up their baby or toddler, and stop doing whatever else I've told them to do. This isn't an utter disaster, as with careful attention and some pausing in the action, the problem can be minimized, but it is somewhat frustrating on occasion. The only reason I'm pointing this out is because I have one family that had twins, and this problem became much more noticeable with two babies to pick up.

With so many amazing looking games coming out these days, and with all the pre-release time to look at videos and pictures of the game, it's easy to take the graphics in The Sims 2 for granted. But four years of technological advances in the gaming world has made this sequel immeasurably ahead of the original in terms of graphic quality. The 3-D engine was of course a must for a modern game, but the style of the original is preserved, with changes that don't detract from what we've come to expect from the Sims. Suffice to say the look is very satisfying.

The music is also pretty good. The music for the buying and building phases is pretty good, not amazing, but I think where the game really shines is in the music that plays on the stereo systems that the sims can purchase. The styles have really been nicely updated for 2004. I especially enjoy and am amused by the pop songs included. They perfectly parody the trends of the last couple years, and the fact that the lyrics are gibberish actually enhances the pop qualities. Pop songs have mindless lyrics anyway, so this it is fun in that way.

The fact that the sims can age and pass on their genes and wealth to their children makes this game so much deeper than the original. Also, the number and types of interactions have been noticeably improved. From playing different games to the crazy variety of kisses you can have, The Sims 2 has so much more personality than the original, I can barely scratch the surface of it all.

Another thing that is amazing is the potential for storymaking and drama in this sequel. In the original, there were limited options as far as relationships. In fact, there were no official blood relationships. Even after a child was born, it was not noted whose child it was, or anything like that. In The Sims 2, all relationships are explicated, and all major events are remembered. It's possible to get engaged and then break up before getting married, or be left at the altar, or even to have babies out of wedlock. The possibilities are endless. One could create stories that would make a soap opera writer blush.

This game is amazing. The joy of seeing children grow up and families grow and evolve, the complexities of relationships, everything is just a treat to witness unfold. I've been playing this game for a week, and I haven't even touched the pre-generated neighborhoods. I feel like I've just barely discovered all there is to do in this game, and I think I'll be playing it for a long time. Judging from the original, I'm certain there will be a vast number of expansion packs, and a never-ending supply of user created sims, houses, and items. The value of this game is infinite. While there are a few very minor issues, they don't come close to taking away from the immense fun of this game. It's recommendable to anyone.

The Next Best Game in the Universe

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 20 / 23
Date: November 13, 2003
Author: Amazon User

OMG, I've been like dreaming about The Sims 2 game ever since I was five! Litteraly! I've read almost everything about it, so now I would like to share it with you all. Here are some of its features:
NEW LIFE STAGES The all-new life stages of your Sims include baby, toddler, child, teenager, adult, senior, and then death, in that order.
NEW INTERACTIONS ON EACH LIFE STAGE There will be different interactions for each life stage in the Sims 2. For example, children can play video games and talk about toys, while teenagers can throw parties and flirt, and adults can drink coffee and 'play', while seniors I heard could play bingo. Some interactions will be available to all life stages, while others only to certain stages.
NEW BUILDING AVAILIBILITIES You can now make a main floor, a second floor, and even an attic. I've heard a rumor you could build basements, but I'm not really sure. You can also have a second house, like a sort of vacation home.
MUCH, MUCH, MUCH BETTER GRAPHICS Yes! The Sims finally have five whole fingers on each hand they can really use! And a whole lot more. They can actually grab things instead of it just appearing in their hands, and its a whole new 3D enviroment. It's so awesome!
NEW DNA Your Sims in The Sims 2 now have their very own DNA! So now they when they reproduce they can pass some of their DNA to their children. And, now the women really get pregnant, instead of just a Baby-Bassinet appearing out of nowhere.
These are the some of the new awesome options in The Sims 2, and, probably many of you,(like me,)can't wait for Maxis to get it on the market. I can't beleive I have to wait three-five whole months! I don't know the exact date of its release, but I hope its soon!

The Smash Hit of 2004

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 26 / 34
Date: August 08, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Unless you're hiding under a rock, shut away from the flourishing world of computer gaming, you should know that The Sims is the most highly successful game for the PC in history. In not only its year of release, but the following two as well, it remained the top selling game of 2000, 2001, and 2002. Now, Maxis has set out in an attempt to "beat" their already set record by building what is to be the smash hit of 2004. This being the sequel to the all time best PC game, adn they call it The Sims 2.
In this updated version, you will be able to enter the lives of your Sims in a way the original could not even begin to reach. Your people now have aspirations, wants, goals, needs and real personalities, and they've designed the game so ingeniously that they've planned everything down from life and death to chatting on the Internet. Just as in real life, little events can launch either long term problems or long term happiness. Your Sims now age with the new aging system, and will cycle through 6 different stages those being baby, toddler, teenager, adult and elder.
There is a new and much more powerful graphics engine featured in this game, one that will allow you to experience simulated life in an almost lifelike way. The blue sky is visible as well as every single individual blade of grass on your sim's lot. And no more grey outline, you can now see straight down the road and out into the city. You can even build your own neighborhoods within the game, or design landscape by using SimCity4. Parties for birthdays, weddings or anniversarys are also a new feature of the game, and so much more is waiting in this Special Edition DVD, and September is right around the corner.
If you are looking at this product right now, you are obviously a smart consumer and know which games are worth the money, and this is quite an expensive game. But believe me and 10 million other people, it's more than worth it. Who will your sims be?

Grab life by the mouse, and be prepeared to be amazed as The Sims 2 zooms into stores on September 17.

Can't wait!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 36 / 53
Date: August 25, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I love The Sims, its my second favorite game right after Final Fantasty. The Sims 2 brings us better graphics which are in 3D! Sims can have children and they children can finaly age into adults. Adults can age into old people and and eventually die. There is a new life score which keeps track of their life. The houses in The Sims 2 can finally be over 2 stories, meaning 3 stories. The neighbor hood will have the same amount as unleashed but it won't have pets. You can finally have a teen sim instead of making it an adult sim or child. Sims can now have a second house which is like thier vacation house. The graphics and people are more realistic and the people don't look so edgy and more. Any The Sim fan would want this!

Sims 2 money cheat

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 14 / 14
Date: September 25, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Those of you out there working so hard on your Sims 2 and getting nowhere, here is a money cheat that has made me very happy :)

Hit These Keys in This Order
Shift + Ctrl + C
and then type in "motherlode" and hit enter

I hope this helps.

Already Addicted

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 14 / 14
Date: September 27, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I just bought the game today, and I've now been playing it for over two hours now(I took a break to eat and write this review). I've watched the trailers for this game and read all the hoopla surrounding the release and actually allowed myself to get built up over it.
The differences between The Sims and The Sims 2 is noticeable from the beginning. First off, the graphics. They're amazing. I've only had a few stutters in the video, but nothing to be annoyed with otr upset about. If you don't have a powerful video card, lots of RAM, and a decent processor, you shouldn't get this game yet. The graphics will push your PC too hard. I'm running a self built computer with an AMD XP 2500+, ATI Radeon All-in-Wonder 9600 128 MB DDR, 1.5 GB Ram, and a lot of hard drive space. I knew my PC could handle it.
The game didn't crash on me at all. It held up, even with a lot of other Sims in my residence.
Gameplay is similar to the original Sims game. It's got some of the same interactions, but, to me, it has a slew of new interactions. Instead of watching still pictures on the TV, you can now watch motion pictures right along with your Sims. You now get days off from work and earn vacation time. How sweet is that! Building a house can be a chore, but once you master the controls it becomes a lot easier.
The objects in build and buy mode could have more items. The Sims 1 had more item options to choose from. The object thing is my only complaint so far, but it's not enough to lower a rating of five stars.
There are many other values this game has, but I've yet to explore them. I'm sure I'll have fun with them.
So, to all the negative reviews, I've given my one positive. Buy this game if your PC can handle it.

Goodies

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 19 / 22
Date: September 10, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I am VERY excited for The Sims2 to come out it looks like TONS of fun (see thesims2.com) and I feel that it'll be worth the 50 bucks. In it your Sims will (finaly) be able to die from things other then hunger, fire, tiredness etc. They will be able to die of old age. Also you don't just magicaly get a baby right after you kiss. Instead the mom goes through a period of time in which she gets very fat and has morning sickness and then the baby falls from her diamond! But instead of the baby turning into a permenant kid once its born (though in normal sims you had to wait 3 days while it was in a crib) it'll age the 6 stages are baby, toddeler, kid, teenager, adult, and elderly. Windows and such can now be placed diagonally (No more need for boring square houses) and you can film your sims instead of taking still pictures. There also is a zoom feature wich alows you to zoom in on your sims and see things from there point of view. The architecture is incredible with multi level houses and you can recieve phone calls from neighbors! On certain career tracks once you get high enough up you can unlock new objects such as the money tree which as it sounds allows you to harvest money.There are aspirations, dreams (by the way you can see little video clips of what your sim is dreaming) and you can choose what type of sims you want (I'm not sure how many there are but I know there are at least money, popularity, romance, career, family) and you get to help them achieve their goals. This is only a drop of information in the huge pool that is the Sims 2 so MAKE SURE YOU BUY IT!!

Should you wait or preorder?

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 26 / 35
Date: August 30, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I know that many people have been wondering the advantages of waiting and the advantages of pre-ordering, so I will cover them:

Pre-Ordering:
You will get the game ASAP
You will be one of the first to have the game
You can order the DVD (rumors say that this edition will be preorder only)
You can ease the pain of waiting

Waiting:
More solid fan base by the time you order
You are not rushed into a desision
You may be able to get it cheaper or with extra features
If you wait long enough (early 2005), you can order an expansion pack too.

I think I will preorder myself.

Awesome game... no lagging whatsoever

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 15 / 16
Date: October 25, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game is great! I love the whole 3-d view of the characters. Plus, the movements of the characters are a lot more fluid. They don't look as mechanical anymore. And I just got this game, so for the people whose game did not work, I don't know if they updated it or what, but it runs smoothly on my laptop. The only problem is that when it is loading a family or a neighborhood, it takes a while but that is probably because I have a bunch of other programs open at the same time. So here are some pros and cons.

Pros:
1. Act a lot more like real people.
2. Sims can age and actually have wants and fears like everyone else.
3. You have a lot more control over the game. You can do all different things to change their face and you're able to choose what kind of aspirations they will have: fortune, knowledge, family, romance, or popularity... this is what would determine their wants and fears.
4. The 3-D look is very nice.. it took me a while to get used to just rotating the scene and everything but overall, it looks great and doesn't lag like my sims superstar did. (and i was surprised by that)
5. It doesn't seem as long as it used to be to do one thing.
6. You get 3 neighborhoods to choose from and they are all unique in their own ways.
7. There are neighborhood stories and you can edit it however you want.
8. You can do a LOT more with the computer. Now you can chat with people, e-mail people, check your e-mail, and also write a novel.
9. You can choose what kind of food the Sims make. It could be cereal, instant meals, TV dinners, mac and cheese, sandwiches... for beginners, anyway. And when they are making their food, they can earn cooking skill points as well.
10. You can do a lot more with the toddler as well. You can teach him/her how to walk, how to talk, and you even get to potty train the little guy/girl. Plus, you can read to the child.
11. You get more job options each day on the computer. I think instead of the 3 that you usually get, you can get about 5 each day... however, they are the same kind of jobs as in the original Sims.
12. You can redesign the furniture pieces that you get, changing colors, etc.
13. when you are making a family, you can actually link them together in a family tree so that sisters don't start making out :)

I'm sure there are more pros but I've only played this for so long.

Cons:
1. Takes a long time to load up the neighborhood, and then the family.
2. Seems to be less choices in property and all the properties look the same... at least to me.
3. Taking care of the toddler really wore my mommy and daddy sim out... but you know that's how it usually is. And they would not try and teach the toddler to walk if they're in a bad mood. That's not too realistic considering parents still have to potty train their kids when they feel bad.
4. Seems to be less choices in furniture. I loved that bed with the big red heart from one of the Sims expansion packs. It was the funnest bed to have but the beds now are pretty plain.
5. Seems to me like the jobs are about the same. Nothing really new.
6. There are definitely less furnitures, less choices to choose from when you are decorating your home. I think this means that there will be sims 2 expansion packs.. they really know how to make the money.
7. I got the special DVD edition.. the bonus disk is really nothing special. I got bored watching interviews and the outtakes reel is mostly of a guy talking. That was boring.
8. Installation took longer than I thought it would. Be ready to wait and be bored playing the matching game that they give you when installation is going.

Basically, the pros outweight the cons. definitely a fun game! :) And if it works on my laptop, it should very well work on yours.

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