Average Rating: 
Rating:  - So far so good....
Just got this game yesterday and so far I am impressed. Wasn't sure how controlling it would be after having played it on the computer. I have all the previous expansion packs, etc for the PC and I love the game. So far, I'm impressed, you really get to personalize the characters far more than you could on the PC. The "Get a Life" section of the game is great. You have certain goals you must complete in each house, starting out in Mom's house, then renovating a fixer upper, having a roomie, having your own, all the way up to havine two children and then retiring and buying a yacht. For those that bored easy with the PC version, having specific goals to complete might make this more attractive for you. However I could play the Open ended play forever and be happy and with this, I can do that and more. Having just gotten this I haven't delved to far into the 2 player mode but found it great fun also. An example is working against your opponent in a museum to make friends so that you can eventually ask them for money. Who ever collects the most money obviously wins. This is almost everything great about the PC sims but with extras and no delay in playing or getting kicked out. I can't wait to play some more. I suggest everyone to check this out, it's completely different from anything else out there.
Rating:  - The Drudgery of Life Played Out on Playstation 2
Playing the virtual "life" can be interesting to some gamers, but The Sims at times might seem too insipid and lifeless to a first time player (like myself). The Sims brings out the timeless, but often forgotten, question of video gaming, "Why do we play computer games?" This game, however, brings this question to a new level. Against all logic of gaming, your "virtual character" goes on with his virtual joyless life doing everyday activities, such as watching TV, eating, boozing, cleaning after himself, etcetera. Ordinary things responsible citizens do everyday (maybe except for the boozing part). Do we really need to do all these activities twice, in real life as well as in our video games?
Gaming is imagination. The taking on of a persona almost impossible to attain in real life (ex. Super Commando, NHL Player)is key in video gaming. The rewards of venting stress or anger through video game violence, touchdown dances, and empire conquering are impossible to attain in the The SIMS. This game, however, makes the gamer live through (or remind them) a life dominated by schedules, social dispositions, and economical inadequities. What do players get by working everyday for a week in this game, a new virtual futon. This reward system is all to familiar to all. In short, this game is not FUN!!!
I have many more suggestions and complaints about this game, but the brevity of this review prevents me from mentioning them. In short, here are some of it:
-your virtual character can't get a shot gun to greet the robbers when they enter your home
-there should be a "nightlife" option, where your character doesn't eat nor sleep and in a constant party state.
-no drug dealers, no gang members, no bootleggers to antagonize... the "building up of relationships takes time" should be non-existent.
-there is no city to go to in this game. There should be clubs, dangerous alleys, and empty warehouses where your virtual character can get into trouble with the POLICE or the hoodlums.
I never seen a game this boring. This game brings out the BANALITY of life. Playing old Pac-Man games is more enjoyable than this. At least you are a round, dot-eating monster instead of a boring lifeless suburbanite.
Rating: - Best version yet
I've never been a large fan of The Sims on PC, but it's hard not to respect what Maxis acomplished with the original game, both in terms of a life simulation and in terms of universal appeal. But I always had some issues, that and the game had a chain of very slick, very logical expansions.However, for me, the game moved way too quickly and often because an act of tedium rather than a fun experience.I purchased the PS2 game for a number of reasons, the tweaked progression scales, a mixture of items from all of the expansions (I never got any of the expansions myself), a host of neat original PS2 items, a fun mission mode, competitive mini-games, and open ended co-op. Plus I had bought way too many PC games as of late, and needed something for the ol' consoles to play into the wee hours if I became entranced...again. I had some worries and doubts, and while I disagree with some things Maxis and EoR did with the conversion, I have to say this is a HECK of a good game, is faithful to the PC version, adds a ton of ..., the game isn't nearly as tedious to play, oddly enough controls like a dream and most importantly: The co-op is INCREDIBLY well pulled off. Simply great co-op, since I grabbed the game, I've sunk about 10-12 hours with a pal into it in crazy night long plays. Establishing house by house a dual-neighborhood full of neat characters is too much fun and offers so much play time it's scary, and I've just scratched the surface. The co-op neghborhood set-up takes from the insanely miniscule ammountof things that Animal Crossing did right (I'm not comparing the two titles, however, it can't be done) it allowing the importing and exporting of characters and even houses. But really, the co-op in The Sims is just hard to explain why it's so darn fun,you'd sit there and figure it would really suck, I assumed it would at least, but no, it's like miniscule Sims online without the massive lameness OF the Sims Online, or even the original PC game faults. It just clicks, working together to accomplish goals, dividing out tasks, establishing relationships and throwing parties, great fun. The Get a Life mode is pretty darn slick as well, hosting 8 missions (the later ones being QUITE long and offering good challenge) and offers a nice levy of unlockable features (mini-games, items, the neighborhood mode itself) it's been pulled off a lot better than I expected. The classic free play is just as good. Building houses with the PS2 controller also works really well (I cannot stress how sweet the controls are on this compared to the PC, they just work so damn well) The 3D visuals are pretty good too, it's fun to see all the old 2D PC game objects in 3D. The game is decently detailed, can fit a lot of characters on screen and has a good sense of charm to it. It runs smooth and the camera panning is SUCH a nice feature comparied to the ... fixed rotations of the PC title. The music...well, The Sims never really relied on music, The Sims probably has by far the greatest sound effects and voice acting ever, but if you snag a stereo there is some entertaining stuff, all sung in Simish of course. Nothing beats Sim rap, hilarious stuff. In the end, a lot may like it more than the PC edition, others may not, I love it myself, and to say the least it's a fun value packed version of The Sims that erases a lot of the tedium and flaws presented in the original. I love my co-op.
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