"Open For Business Opens for Business"

Before I get reported to gamefaqs for copying cream147's grows on you 9.3 review from gamespot, I am cream147 and my account as yours will be is shared across this website and that one. So if you have already read that review, there is no point in reading this one so go somewhere else...NOW!

Now, let's start from the beginning. You install it, get on, go onto a neighbourhood, make Bluewater (a little shopping district the game makes for you) and then make a family, get a house. You buy the essentials, but only the essentials as there is no money to spend on anything else. Now with the money that you left over because you only bought the essentials, you buy things for your business. So far, so good, but if you have made a shop you will no doubt be questioning what to do there. How do people tell when my business is open or closed and how to people tell what is for sale. Actually, you haven't opened your business yet, you need to click on your phone, click on business and then click on open home business. Then you will get up a panel at the top right which is your business panel. From there, you can find out about your business and also put things up for sale. All this creates the first flaw in the game. If you hadn't read this review, it would've taken a while for you to figure all that out. There is tips that you can have but who wants to read when you're about to play a new game?

You've got your business up and running, but you still haven't answered a previous question. How do you close your business. Once again, you'll need my guidance (this is the previous flaw again). You need to buy an Open/Closed sign which is in decorative in buy mode. So we've answered all that. Now that you've got your business properly up and running, you'll need to work hard. You work all day, you hardly sell anything, terrible day at the office (unless you have a natural talent at the game), and you find that your mood is really low. My answer to that is a lunch break. It is a lot easier if you close your store from 12:00 until 2:00. More figuring out and at first I was worried because I could only really play with the maxmotives cheat on. When you are first playing Open for Business, you will first just want the Business game really so I recommend you let the magic of free will sort out your moods when you close at about 6:00.

So I have discussed the main flaw and now I want to quickly mention the next. This game is made taking for granted the fact that you have bought the previous expansion packs (more importantly, Nightlife). A big mistake and it feels like this is half a game at times. There is a restaurant, which is not possible without Nightlife. It makes you feel like this game is missing a lot of things if you don't have Nightlife.

Now I've mentioned the flaws, how about the good bits? For starters, this game is challenging. It doesn't make everything a breeze which could easily be done by leaving the magic free will running. You need to be looking at the game at all times, making critical decisions and looking at that important money balance. This is a difficult game and should not be taken like a breeze as others could.
It is also fun. Running a business just gives you more things to do and who can blame a game for giving you more things to do. Especially with the quality and flexibility of the game. It gives you a lot of choice, which is something that The Sims hasn't been famous for doing.

And ultimately, this game is good, and as with most Sims games, universal. I think that any reviewer who doesn't give this above 7 is doing injustice. Yes it has its flaws. But it also adds an entire new concept to the game, and much more than the previous expansion packs anyway. Buy this!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/16/06