Well after seeing the videos of the game first, it looked VERY 3D compared to the first Sims game! And indeed it is fully 3D this time around! I like the game fine, but I am going to tell you my complaints right now. First, the addition of DNA and genetics and really REALLY good life like animations (especially of toddlers) is great. But there isn't much choice for clothing, furniture, wallpapers for your house, etc. Seems to me Maxis will have a huge expansion ready to go soon, and they know millions will buy it, so why not make an extra 30 or 40 bucks per person, and leave out all the goodies in Sims 2? That's what Maxis seems to have done. They didn't jam-pack the game with the goodies! The game feels unfinished, like it begs for an expansion pack. Also, if you're looking to make furniture for the game? Good luck! You'd have to get the program called MAYA (freebie copy online, 136mb) to even BEGIN to make furniture! And there's no current tool to change wall paper colours or floor tiles or carpets, or add your own - yet. We keep hearing Maxis say "oh the extra tool is coming soon" - yeah well, you should have added it in the first place, right? LOL Maxis knew they'd make a bundle off this game, and so they are.
The sound is actually several notches about THE SIMS sound. The sound effects are more sharp and clear, more pronounced. The television has more realistic "tv sound" now, and the stereo you can dance to, has more realitic music (you can add your own mp3 music to The Sims 2, just as you could in part 1). Sound effects of clocks ticking, the fridge humming, fireplace crackling... the game is very much so alive this time around, with sound. I've yet to experience the thousands of animations, sounds and what not in the game - you'll have to play the game for HOURS upon hours, to see everything, hear everything, etc. Gameplay rating gets a 4 because it can get boring some times. Sound gets a 4. Graphics get a 5 and overall gets a 5.
Gameplay, well... just picture THE SIMS, now put it all in 3D, where you can fully rotate the camera now, not just 4 different angles. You can now zoom in, so close in fact, you can see the WIRES coming out of the back of your tv set (yes the wires are even 3D!) The game basically is like The Sims, but this time, the game has a purpose - sort of. You AGE in the game! There are 6 stages: new born baby, and you puke on people (yes, it shows puke haha), then you have toddler stage, where your young child runs around and thinks everything is a toy. Then kid stage, under age 10 it looks, then teen stage, and teens can sneak out at night, pretty funny. Then, adult stage which lasts the longest - finally, elderly stage, your sim is slumped over with grey hair, etc. Hell, even the furniture and floor tile in the game? Over time it all wears down and looks old, it's actually cool and a VERY subtle effect. The DNA and genetics in the game ensure your new baby will have attributes from mom and dad, and the facial features, eyes and hair are all weighed out equally. Do the kids you have look like mom and dad? Sure do! You can play the game realistically, and try to get married, have kids, then you grow old and die, and your kids grow, get married, add to the family tree, etc. Or you can cheat and turn aging OFF and never age. Or you can play the game any way you want. I play it realistically, aging and all. See how far my family can go and grow, and that takes weeks to get 1 or 2 grand kids, IF you live that long! You can find better reviews for this game online of course, so I'll stop here. And yes, you can now have more than 2 stories on a home. You can (its sort of a trick) have a basement, then 1st floor, then 2nd floor, THEN 3rd floor (or attic?) A-ND a roof 4th floor - which can be a .... party pad, kind of, if you want. So you can make huge houses this time, and make bridges over water even. The addition of COMMUNITY LOTS is cool, they tried to copy from HOT DATE, but not very well! You can build stores, . You can build a book store sort of, a small grocery corner store, clothing shop, game store sort of. You really cant build a wide variety of stores in The Sims 2, for now. But you can build them, then later, call a taxi and go shop at them! You can bring family or friends, too, OR you can go alone and meet other Sims while shopping, and make new friends or fle irt with someonnew even. You can buy clothing, games, magazines, food, etc. You make the little shops, then your own house, play the game and it can be a blast. You dont HAVE to make a community shop/center, some are pre-made in the game, but they're just too fun to make, more fun than making your own house, I'd say. Finally, you get the weekends off, even kids do from school. But don't let your child miss 2 days of school in a row, or the CPS comes to get your child, haha.
