Self confessed Sims geek Anna Gillooly gets ready to detach from society.
The Sims 2 does take a little while to get into - there are so many new and improved features that it is a little overwhelming at first. Thankfully there are two tutorials to get you up to speed with the game. One is designed for new players and the other is designed for Sims geeks who already know the basics but need an overview of the added features.
One of the key new features is genetics. Sims now pass their genes through each generation, and finally your Sims age too. Babies grow into children, develop into teenagers, move into adulthood and eventually age and die. You can also customise physical features from the colour of a Sim's hair right down to how pointy their chin is.
Sims now have aspirations that they need to fulfill through their wants (positive experiences) and their fears (negative experiences). When you fulfill a want your Sim receives reward points, which can be traded in for reward objects in the rewards catalogue (we highly recommend the money tree).
Besides this, Sims still need to study to get ahead in their careers and improve their quality of life. You do need to keep an eye on your food supplies. If you run out your Sims cannot eat until you order more groceries on the internet, which incurs a $50 delivery charge so it's best to order up big every time to get your money's worth. And don't forget to check your email. Sims can now also meet new people in the chat rooms, be it for romance or friendship. In fact it is now very difficult for Sims to get by without owning a PC.
There are so many new features and interactions that you need to explore it for yourself. The Sims 2 builds wonderfully on the addictive nature of the original, delivering the perfect weapon of mass social life destruction.
Issue: 133 | February, 2012