"God bless Maxis!"

Finally, expansion pack number three! Whilst Livin' Large and House Party delivered some sweet new items and skins, it always lacked the one big thing, the ability to go elsewhere! But, with much excitement, Hot Date has managed to raise the bar for The Sims series once more, only shattering the bar completely this time!

Gameplay
9.5/10

Rather than be an all out fanboy and give the game a straight 10 for gameplay, there are still some things unto which need fixing up in the gameplay area. But let's see what's new, shall we?

The whole "downtown" element adds a lot of fun to the game. No longer are you restricted from entertaining guests at home. Now you can take them downtown, dine in fine resteraunts, stroll through parks, or even shop for new clothing (something the previous expansions lacked).

Furthermore, you have the power to build your own downtown lots, and a lot of items made only for this new mode is another exciting thing for this already much-anticipated expansion pack.

Sadly, the general simulation part of the game wasn't tweaked on much. Sure new items and surprises are in store, but at the end of the day, underneath the fancy new items and modes, The Sims is always going to be The Sims, but what makes you say that's a bad thing?

Graphics
7/10

Nothing in the graphic department has changed. Still nicely shaped items, backed by horribly animated sprites. But, too be honest, I noticed a change in animations.

Maybe it was the technology available that sparked a new change in sim animation, or possibly the developers were on a power trip. Whatever the cause, the animation scheme is much better, hence easier on the eyes.

Sound
6/10

It's a big improvement over the past expansions. More radio stations (with a lot of emphasis on jazz( has been implemented. The beats are good at first, but after the fifth time, it starts to get very annoying.

The general langauge the Sims speak hasn't been changed, unsurprisingly. It'd be great to know what these guys talk about. Either way, the gibberish langauge the Sims speak isn't that enjoyable, but it could be a hell of a lot worse, to say the least.

Final
9/10

Hot Date was like a life ring for the Sims. House Party was a minor disappointment, and a top-of-the-line expansion was really needed to spare the series from becoming a flop. The downtown mode is very exciting and entertaining, but the game can become very boring after a while.

RENT OR BUY?
Buy. You won't ever regret it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/30/06