"One of the expansions that is worth of getting"

Introduction:

How many expansions do we have already? After gathering every single one of the expansion packs and installing them on my computer, this monster is taking up to 3GB (including some downloaded items) on my hard drive! But is that space of installation worth it? Apparently, the answer is positive for The Sims: Superstar.

Gameplay: 9/10

Everybody, including the Maxis company is screaming out loud for this, ''This is the first time where you can take your sim to work!''. But the fun part is not only with the ability to go to the Stuido Town and practically ''work'' with your sim. The fun part comes from playing the guessing game that is required in order to perform your artistic performance and getting huge chuck of cash in return if you answer correctly. In doing so, you will be able live like a celebrity, buying expensive and fancy items that comes along with this expansion.

If there's a good thing about this expansion, it also come with a certain annoyance. When playing as a celebrity, you'll have to deal with other celebrities, the media. and worst of all, your obsessed fan who follows you in downtown, in your recording studio, and even back home!! (Luckily, your fan usually stays outside of your house, and I empathsize ''usually'') Dealing with people becomes more important than ever in this expansion as you will need celebrity friends in order to proceed further in your ''star business'', and also, you'll need to deal with your fans if you want to stay famous, afterall, fame is the core element that The Sim: Superstar brought to light.

Graphics: 6/10

Okay, so it is outdate. It's still the same graphics until you see The Sims 2 next year, so bear with it. But even though the graphics is a little old, this can play to your advantage when you're trying to load up that busy street in studio town, as lagging will still be an issue to deal with when the crowds gather in studio town.

Sound: 8/10

In terms of sound, this is the first time you will actually see a sim sing! There are three genres of music that a sim can perform ''Rock'', ''Pop-Ballad'', ''Dance'', ''Country''. Like in reality, if you are not good enough to perform, you'll hear the differences. But when you have sharpened your skill, your sim will actually sound pretty good. So don't worry, your neighbors won't be complaining if you throw a Karaoke party at home this time.

Replay Value: 7/10

Although The Sims have been expanding through the years, but whatever is good about this game has gone dry. After hours of upgrading your celebrity sim, you're basically back to the old ''Build and Buy''. It is nice that the Sims is adding elements to enrich the game, but unless you have at least 3 of the expansion packs, you won't be spending too much time with this game after the first sparks fade away.

Overall: 8/10

Until The Sims 2, it will be very difficult for Maxis to ignite more sparks with The Sims. But with the basic restrictions set to The SIms, this expansion still proves that there are still some rooms for development in The Sims series. So, uh...when is the next expansion coming out anyways?

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 05/26/03, Updated 05/26/03