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The Sims 2 is more than just a sequel. Not only have the graphics matured dramatically but so has the gameplay and subject matter.

The Sims has been a huge cash cow for Maxis. The original Sims was released for PC in January of 2000. It outsold the legendary Myst making it the best selling PC game of all time. Four and a half years later we have seen over 10 different expansion packs and console spin offs published. As of the second week of August 2004, 3 of these expansions held positions in the list of top 10 selling PC games. Most game developers are lucky to get one title on this list in their lifetime, let alone multiple titles for years in a row. Add in the fact that these expansion packs probably had relatively low budgets, the return on investment for the Sims probably makes dot com stocks in 1998 look conservative.

Your sloppy sims may not feel the need to put on clothes to go outside or host a party

So what have they done with all this money? They've put a good chunk of it into developing The Sims 2 -- and it shows. This isn't another Sims Online; The Sims 2 is a real sequel. It would be fair to say that The Sims 2 is an example of a near-perfect sequel. How so? Unlike Doom 3, The Sims 2 is very close to the original in gameplay and style. Unlike Counter Strike Source (which they claim isn't really a sequel) the Sims 2 adds substantial new gameplay elements, the most notable being your sim's wants. In the original all you had to worry about was making sure your sim didn't fall asleep on the floor in a puddle of his own urine. In The Sims 2 you also need to make sure your sim gets laid enough.

Look familiar?

If you max out the graphics settings and turn on anti-aliasing, even newer machines with decent graphics cards aren't going to get a good framerate. The Sims has, perhaps, the broadest audience of any PC game. Most people will only have entry-level graphics cards on their machines, and probably no more than 512mb of RAM. This simply isn't enough to appreciate just how great The Sims 2 really looks. Despite this temporary downside it is really beneficial for the long run. Even 4 years from now, the Sims 2 is going to look pretty damn good. We might even see more than 10 expansion packs.

With support for multiple-stories, the architectural possibilities for The Sims 2 are endless

Most gamers can play The Sims 2 for a few hours, and have fun with it. Other people will buy most of the expansion packs and spend a great deal of time customizing the game and sharing their creations over the internet. This is quite beneficial for casual fans who simply need to point their browser to a page such as The Seven Deadly Sims to download some wacky new skin or object for their homes. Of course you'll also be able to download a nude patch for even more fun. There are already hundreds of custom skins, clothes, houses, and neighborhoods that you can download. The Sims 2 looks even more promising in this regard with the highly detailed 3D models. Skins are not very difficult to make thanks to The Sims Bodyshop; creating new player models, however, will be dramatically more difficult in the Sims 2.

 

Even the fish tank has a great deal of detail

The Sims appeals to a broad audience because players can live out their life dreams in an hour or two. Perhaps for guys it means guys creating a big house with a game room and outdoor pool and having 4 bi-sexual ladies and a guy move in. Girls may be more fixated on interior decorating and romance. Whatever it is the sales numbers for this game speak. Hardcore gamers can brush The Sims 2 off as merely a virtual dollhouse, but serious gamers and game designers should pay careful attention to both The Sims and The Sims 2.


The Sims 2 is a great example of a successful sequel. The core elements of gameplay are the same, however the "wants" element almost creates a new game unto itself. The graphics are greatly improved almost to the point of isolating a large percentage of the Sim's audience. In the Sims 2 houses can be built with multiple stories. There are numerous tiny, nearly unnoticeable, details spread throughout the game. You'll be seeing facial expressions on your sims. You might catch your sims farting or your baby sims drinking out of the toilet. Don't believe me? I have a few screenshots below to prove it.

 

The Gameplay

The first thing you'll do is create your own sim. You could use a default family, but where is the fun in that? I decided I would create a male sim with an interest in ladies. The first thing I noticed was that Maxis had once again demonstrated their sexual progressiveness. In the original Sims homosexuality was a playable option. In The Sims 2 you can add makeup and eye-liner to your male sim. Could this a bug? Females kissing in the original wasn't. I was pretty sure I didn't want a transvestite sim. Disappointingly, female facial hair is not an option in the Sims 2 - something I'd like to see changed in the Sims 3.

So I created my sim and named him Phil. Next it was time for me to move into a house and meet some ladies. A few hours later I had 4 different lovers and about $5,000. I was so busy trying to get my sim laid that I didn't bother to actually improve his skills so that he could get a job promotion. Not a problem, right? In the Sims 2 your adult sims will age and eventually die off. Just like in real life you have a limited amount of time to achieve your goals. Unlike real life you can simply enter "aging off" into the console to lengthen your sim's life into eternity.

Luckily I managed to keep my sim, Phil, at Don Jaun "platinum" level on his wants meter almost every day -- at least in the beginning. However the longer I played the harder it became. Every day your sims wants (all 4 of them) spin like a slot machine to determine what he desires today. Certain wants give you more points. Getting your neighbor in to bed gives you more than double the points as meeting a new neighbor. As you may have guessed the more people your sim lays, the more people he wants to lay. Pretty soon you run into an outrageous number. Phil strongly desired having "Whoohoo" with 10 different ladies (or men, I guess) in public. I don't think I could hit this number without the aging cheat.

With the original Sims you could steer clear of most of the mature subject matter simply by not purchasing certain expansion packs. Not true with The Sims 2. This may be a problem if you want to let your kids play The Sims 2. On the flip side, you may find this game more enjoyable as an adult. You don't even need to download a Sims 2 nude patch or nude skin for The Sims 2 to be amusing -- but it certainly doesn't hurt.

Take a walk in the park

Will The Sims 2 run on my computer?

There is a major downside to the Sims 2. That is the system requirements. Although you do not need a great system to run it, a fast computer will make an enormous difference not only in visual quality but also load times. Below are two screenshots showing the difference between high quality and low quality. At first this may seem like a horrible move on Maxis's part. What Maxis is doing is making a game that is going to look good for years to come. I'm sure we will see The Sims 3 some day, but it may not be until 2009 or later. In the mean time they are going to be releasing numerous expansion packs to squeeze every last cent out of The Sims 2.

The image on the left is low quality, the right high quality. Note the hands and textures. Doesn't look that much different? Now imagine the picture on the left at half the resolution and about 10 frames a second.

So, if you are one of those people who bought The Sims 2 from Wal-Mart you may want to think about buying a new computer before Christmas.

The Bottom Line.

The Sims 2 is a great game. If you liked The Sims you are going to love The Sims 2. Everything is better in The Sims 2: graphics, gameplay, house building, and more. If you didn't like The Sims, you should at least take a look at The Sims 2. On the other hand, if you find yourself easily addicted to computer games avoid The Sims 2 like crack cocaine.

 

Graphics.......... Excellent
Sound.............. Good
Gameplay.... Great
Overall Rating...... 94%