The Sims Bustin' Out

"The Sims: Bustin' Out"

Who knew that the rat race could be so much fun? Rushing to work, using the toilet--it's all here, baby. Nintendo GameCube’s The Sims: Bustin’ Out turns the tedium of daily life into a game. And a darn good one, too.

That crabby millionaire Malcolm has stolen the poorer Sims' stuff, and it's your job to play Robin Hood. How do you restore order? Work your butt off, of course! Fans of the original Sims know the drill: keep your human Tamagotchi happy with food, regular hygiene, and new toys. Your parenting pays off in promotions and bonuses galore. But in Bustin’ Out there's so much more; more places to go, more things--and people--to do. Hundreds of new items will make your Sim as popular as a cult leader. Plus, connecting to the GBA version of Bustin’ Out unlocks new features.

But cool stuff for your pad isn't all you can unlock in Bustin’ Out. New social skills are also up for grabs. Doing tasks and making friends add more weapons to your friendship arsenal. This latitude extends to your career path, too. Sims can now be anything from counter culture gurus to mad scientists. You can even be a jack (or jill) of all trades. Can't decide between movie star or musician? Gangster or jock? Be them all. Your old position is kept open for you when you change jobs. If you work your way through all seven career tracks, you might just get a surprise. Besides, all those promotions will make you Bill Gates-rich before you can say, “caviar wishes and champagne dreams.”

Perhaps the most unique addition to Bustin’ Out is your vehicle. Oh, your Sim still has to take the bus to work. But with his new ride, he can move between houses at will. You can party at the Pixel Acres nudist colony, check in on those Andy Warholics at Studio 8 and more. The ability to come and go as you please comes in handy when you're stuck. You can also visit houses without moving in--a feature which adds a novel dimension to missions.

All this freedom makes Bustin’ Out more fun than the original, without compromising The Sims' special charm. Classic Sims humor is back with a vengeance. We learn that while “[o]riginally developed to study molecular structures and kill people, the laser’s most potent application has now been found: trippy club lighting.” Sims burp in each other's faces and don big foam hands that say “#1” at every promotion. These brushstrokes of character combine with innovative gameplay to make Bustin’ Out an enjoyable, addictive game.

“Sure, it's fun the first time you play it,” say the skeptics, “but what about the replay value?” To them I say, “Are you kidding?” Bustin’ Out has so many variables that each new game is a fresh experience. You can have new careers and new friends. Even your Sim's personality affects the game. The strategies that helped your lazy, friendly Sim may fail miserably with your active, antisocial one. Never before have I played a game that was so different the second time around.

That said, Bustin’ Out is not without its problems. The GameCube version I played has slower loading times than most Cubists are used to. There are load screens for load screens, though the problem could be a lot worse. (Finding Nemo, anyone?) Like its predecessor, Bustin’ Out uses an overhead camera with aerial shots of your house. Such a view can be confusing, especially when you’re trying to find something quickly. I bought several phones for each house and still can't find one when it rings. Also, the tiny pictures your Sim thinks in are hard to make out, making you feel like a parent deciphering the cries of a new baby. Does he want to sit on a couch or chat with a friend? His needs can take some trial-and-error to figure out, not least of all because the need-gauges are labeled with these tiny pictures, too.

Another potential problem is with the Sims' pseudo-Swedish syllables (say that three times fast). I think Sim language is cute, but then again I like Hamtaro's theme song....in Japanese. So if you're not me, your Sim's Charisma-raising speeches might get on your nerves.

All in all, Bustin’ Out is a great game for Sims neophytes and franchise-fans alike. Of course, it's not perfect. But its fun factor far outweighs its flaws. With a little patience and a lot of free time, you can make your Sim's dreams come true and have a great time in the process. Just don't forget to flush.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/15/04