"Sims 2 - Annoying and Addictive1?"

I have been a HUGE sims fan for 14 years playing versions from Super Nintento, PC, Gamecube, Gameboy, and DS. I was so excited when the DS vrsion of Sims2 was released as my PC could not handle the SIMS2 PC version, but I have been sorely annoyed.

Maxis has decided to run the game in real time - with no allowance for the player to change that - What that means is that when it says 8 hours for a room - it is really 8 real hours - When your current goal depends on that room being built - it can be VERY boring waiting for that time to pass. Also, there is no way to actually BUILD your skill points - you basically wander the hotel looking for skill points to "pick up" - and they only appear in certain parts of the hotel for a set time, then they are gone, and you have to wait at least another 8 hours or so for them to reappear. Again, one goal requires a certain number of skill points - so it can take DAYS depending on your amount of game play and time of day in order to accomplish that goal.

Also, when you pause the game, things keep happening in the game so you could pause, and come back to find that you missed a deadline of something - or that your vm box is full -- all these things because the game is based in real time.

The graphics are great with the 3D total view, and I do not find the controls difficult.

I Hate the fact that the traditional needs meter is gone - so you can't tell if your sim is getting hungary or tired until they are at zero in that area - and the social interactions are BORING AND TEDIOUS. They are extremly repetitive throughout the game.

That being said, as a die hard sims fan - I keep playing - bored and annoyed to see if maybe it gets better -- so far it hasn't -- I am thinking this was $35 I did not need to spend

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 11/11/05