The Sims

In this game you get the chance to 'command' your own little people, control their lives and basically meddle in their affairs for the better or usually for the worst.

Once you get over the horrible (shudder!) music at the start you will settle in the routine of creating your family and building them a meager shelter to which they should call home. (since when is £20000 going to buy a decent house?) Once you have went through the fun task of building their house (and cheating them some extra simoleons for that stylish jacuzzi) you will then begin to reign terror on their simple lives...

These Sims sing, talk, play, dance and react with their surroundings as real humans would (sort of) and make friends and marry etc. or the opposite and hate each other and have big fights. You can have burglars in the night, call for pizzas (£40 for a pizza?) and play prank phone calls on the local police department. Then there is getting jobs, reading the newspaper, precious beauty sleep and how nice their house looks...

To be fair all of this sounds quite exciting but eventually the daily routine becomes quite monotonous trying to make them live as model citizens and that is exactly the time that the inevitable question breaks loose, "I wonder what would happen if...?" This is when chaos breaks free and litter is left on the living room floor and little Sammy Sim does not make it to the bathroom in time...

Some people get bored of this game quicker than others but the new add-on pack 'livin' it up' seemed to replenish enjoyment in this game. Then you can always download new clothing, furniture, wallpaper off the internet.

Sadly, this game continues the trend in 'Maxis' games of having no real goal or aim to it, thus it goes on and on and on. According to our English teacher, "there is no point in having a game without a point." Some people like this and others don't. Simple as that.

It is a great game and it does like most games get boring after a while but don't let that ruin your enjoyment. This game is playable by anyone and everybody enjoys it.

Nothing special by way of specification, simply requires a decent processor, I would say PII 333 would be adequate but a 3d graphics card is not required but can be useful to speed up the gameplay. I experienced one minor bug, which was flickering of icons on the screen when i moved but it has never happened to anybody else I know so it must be an exclusive problem to my computer.