The Sims 2: Pets

"Good, but feels like a rushed game"

As we probably all know, The Sims is a BIG franchise. SimCity, SimGolf etc. have all been very good and popular games, and the original version of The Sims is still the most sold PC game in the world. However, as all big franchises do, this version of the Sims seems to be much weaker than normal.

When you start a new game, you are given the neighbourhood, and then you can make a new family and build a house from scratch, or use an existing family already built into the game. Then, its your job to see that they get a job, make a family, and not soil themselves. That's it. Previous console version have included are story mode but this one seems to have skipped it out. This game could last from 1 day to the end of the decade, depending on your patience.

After playing the game for about an hour you'll start to notice that this game is a mixed bag. While it still holds the valour of you being God, there doesn't seem to be much improvement on the other games in the series. Granted, the graphics and content have been vastly improved, and the addition of pets is a nice touch. Also, the addition of an 'Aspiration' for your sim, from Wealth to Knowledge, gives a minor thrill. However, the game just seems empty. A lot of items that could be bought throughout the series have now been stricken off the record, including pools and fun things like air hockey tables and the like.

Although the pets addition was a nice touch, it seems a bit minor to be re-released has a full new game, however, Maxis have made a h-uuuuuuu-ge deal of it. All sorts can be bought for your bet, from chew toys to a miniature condo (Don't ask.) The Town Square is also teeming with items.

Yes, this is still the Sims. And therefore I can't give it a bad score - I love the series so much. However, all of the little annoyances, from lack of items to lack of story mode, adds up to one mediocre game.

Score: 6/10

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 01/08/07