"Great...A Sequel To A Game That Simulates Life."

The Sims series has been a work of art. It took you looking straight up above your beloved Sim City and took you to the heart of it. It allowed you to create your very own Sim and threw you into the action. Rather than watching what happened in Sim City you actually got to see what happened in their very homes. A very genius idea indeed. The Sims Bustin' Out takes the Sims series one step further by adding more jobs and actually allowing you to move out of your home and start your life as you go from house to house finding your way through life. It's considered more as an expansion rather than as a sequel since the Freestyle Mode is basically the original game minus some options here and there which can be overlooked.

The whole point of Bustin' Out is taken from a teenager's point of view, when he's ready to leave the safe haven of his mother's home and live life the hard and rugged way. You'll be taken to sixteen different locations and introduced to new people and jobs as well as be given the ability to look like a complete goofball with the assortment of customizable parts. There are also many other secret suits as well so it's worth changing your appearance every now and then. There is always the ability to customize your home and of course there's hidden furniture which is obtainable when you complete certain missions in Bustin' Out mode.

The point of your character is pretty much the same as the previous Sims game where you have to manage them like little dogs telling them when to eat, when to shower, sleep, etc. and it gets very annoying when you just had your sim use the bathroom to urinate only to have them go again after just five minutes. Social life can also be non-existent at times since your neighbors don't visit you for days at a time sometimes.

There really isn't much to say about this installment of the Sims other than if you're a Sims veteran then don't expect anything new because it's a lot more of the same except with new locations, but that doesn't make the game bad by any stretch of the imagination. It's still enjoyable and is great for both veterans and newcomers alike and with connectivity with the Gameboy Advance this makes this version of Bustin' Out the superior version.

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