The Sims 2 Special DVD Edition Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Well, after two days of owning Sims 2 I think that I have gotten enough play time in to write a comprehensive review.(...)

Alright, on to the review.I have both positive and negative things to say about Sims 2.Sorry, this is probably going to be a long review.

POSITIVE:

*Maxis has thrown a bit of Sim City into the mix.You can either play one of the pre-created neighborhoods or you can start from scratch.This option is fantastic!You can choose the layout, build houses or place houses already built onto the lots.No more wondering if you already have a house at lot #5 before downlaoding because you can place the house ANYWHERE you want!

*While playing the game you can connect to Maxis (if you have internet connection) and dowload new Maxis created items directly into the game.

*The Wants and Fears addition to Sims 2 is alot of fun.Even if they tend to get repetitive.

*It's alot easier for your Sims to Socialize in Sims 2.Now they will receive telephone calls from people who just want to talk, they can chat online and send and receive e-mails.Plus your Sims will sometimes bring people home with them from work or school.AND you can now socialize with (and even marry) what were previously non-interactive character like cashiers, the maid, and the paper deliverer.

*The Sims now have days off from work and vacation days.Needless to say, this creates alot more free time for your Sims to concentrate on other things.

*You can distinguish between family members and roommates.So no more awkward "Flowers in the Attic" moments.

*I haven't actually built a house but I love having the option of building more than 2 floors.Plus you can now shape the roof for more realistic and more luxurious houses.

*You can choose from a whole outfit or you can mix and match tops and bottoms.And with a mirror you can change the color and cut of your Sims hair and add and remove make-up and facial hair.

*Some reviewers were discussing the load time of Sims 2.I am running it on a Compaq Presario X1000 Notebook computer and so far the game has not crashed on me once.Furthermore, I haven't had any problems (crosses fingers) with the load times.I suppose the true test will be after I begin adding more objects, clothing, and genetics to the game.

*I was happy to see that you can still create community lots.Right now it's limited to basically parks, grocery stores, and clothing botiques but I'm sure restaurants and such will be coming with an expansion pack.

*Having your Sims age is a great addition to the game.Plus children now have alot more functions.They won't just stand around all day with their stupid "Ha-ha Who-who" and annoy the crap out of you (experienced Simmers know what I'm talking about).Ah yes, and teenagers can now get jobs!No free rides for for anyone anymore!

*The Sims act alot more natural in Sims 2.Like if one Sims is reading a book, they will look up if someone sits next to them, sometimes even talk to them.Their actions are much more fluid and natural and less robotic.In general, the Sims act alot more like real people than in the original Sims (it's especially noticable with the children).

*There are now little multiple choice scenarios that your Sims will experience.Your Sim will be given two or three choices and depending on which option you choose the outcome can be positive or negative.You could, for instance, be promoted for the choice you make or lose an entire day's worth of pay (These are just a couple I have personally experienced).

NEGATIVE:

*Creating family relationships isn't as liberal as I was expecting it to be.For instance, if you have an Adult Sim and a Teenage Sim living in a household, the Teenage Sim HAS to be the child of the Adult Sim.This was a problem for a family I was trying to create where a Teenage Sim lived with her Aunt.I haven't tested it yet, but it might be possible to do this the long way (create two sisters and a teenage child and whack the mother).I suppose it would just be easier if you could create them from the start.Same thing I noticed with an elderly couple whom I wanted to have an adult son and a teenage son.The only way to make the family possible was to make the teenager the son of the adult son :(But still, I'm thankful you can distinguish whether your Sims are roomies or siblings.It spares those awkward moments when your Sibling Sims start flirting withor making out with each other (Eww)

*The Sims age really fast!Luckily there's a cheat code you can use to turn off the aging process.

*Furnishings available in the game seem really limited and eventhough you can pick and choose from a variety of colors, nothing seems to match.Same thing with clothing.It seems like there's just like 10 outfits in 10 different colors.I'm sure Maxis is leaving this open for downloadables and expansion packs.

*Not all the modifying options available in Sims 2 Body Shop are actually available in the game when creating families.So I would suggest creating the faces for your families in Body Shop before playing the game and then they will be automatically added as a head choice in the game.

*For the most part, I am enjoying the 3D graphics.It took me awhile to get adjusted to the zoom, but now it's alot easier.The only problem I have is that some household items (like refridgerators and windows) don't go invisible while zooming past them and they can sometimes block your view.It's not really a big issue though.

So these are a few of my first impressions of The Sims 2.Perhaps I will write another review when I have gotten more play time in, but so far I am not disappointed one bit with my purchase.So, if you are a fan of the Sims or have just been wanting to check out what the buzz was all about, I would highly recommend adding Sims 2 to your collection.

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Product Description:
The Sims 2 is an incredible sequel to the best-selling PC game of all-time! You'll get todirect an entire Sims' lifetime, and try to get them to reach their goals in life. Will theyhave a long, successful and happy life - or will they end up poor and heartbroken?Special DVD with bonus content -Interview with the game designers(where they offer game tips), tips on making your own films with Sims 2, screenshots, deleted scenes and more!

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The Sims 2 Bon Voyage Review

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(More customer reviews)This is truly the most fun expansion pack that I have bought.

However, issues that I had with Seasons and video card compatibility were not solved with this expansion pack as promised.

So, if you have a new Intel iMac with ATI Radeon HD 2600, do not buy this expansion pack until a patch comes out.Aspyr has been extremely slow in solving these issues and doesn't seem to care a great deal.

The EA game issues have not been solved either, such as the NPC overload issue.However, EA has come out with a PC patch that fixes many of the issues.I'm still waiting on Aspyr to come out with a Mac patch.

Otherwise, this is a fantastic game with great new clothes, objects, neighborhoods and game play.I strongly recommend the Bon Voyage EP to anyone with a Power PC Mac.

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Product Description:
Whisk your Sims away from their everyday routines and take them on exciting trips to three exotic locations! Whether relaxing on a lush tropical island in a luxury suite, camping with the family on a pristine mountaintop, or exploring the culture of the Far East, your Sims will enjoy new activities to relax and rejuvenate them. Transform them from bumbling tourists to savvy international travelers as they learn new customs including local greetings, dances, and more to take home and teach to their friends. Send your Sims packing for the trip of a lifetime!

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The Sims 2 Seasons Expansion Pack Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been playing Sims for about six years now, both Sims 1 and 2. For the past six years I have alway wanted a weather capability and now I finally have it. Having it be able to snow or rain or any other weather phenomena brings even more realism to Sims.

The game brings new items such as: roller rinks, ice rinks, an entire race car bedroom set, rugs (they're back again!), new kitchen decorations, new plants,a curved pool side, a diagonal pool and a pool slide. You can now also fish and keep the fish to either cook or hang on a wall.

There are tons of new aspirations to have and 6 new jobs; educations, gamer, law and journalism are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

There are a few downsides to the game: it does slow down, which is to be expected I suppose, but I just had my computer updated so it's three times faster... but the game is still slow. It's only slow while it's loading though, it doesn't jam up during game play for the most part (there was a snow storm when a car and a bus were coming to the house, so it was kinda overloaded...)

Also the fun isn't instant, like with Pets (based on my experience from the first one) you have pets and can play with them, but with Seasons you can have a garden but otherwise you have to wait for the seasons to change.

You also have to buy new items for your current Sims, like snow gear.

Overall I like the game, I would suggest buying the handbook with it because otherwise it's rather time consuming to figure the new icons out... and it could help with when to plant plants or what to do when they are sick.

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Product Description:
The Sims 2 Seasons builds on the celebrated The Sims 2 experience that allows players to create and control virtual characters throughout their lives while determining the outcome of their relationships and choosing their destiny. And because each season unfolds differently, players are guaranteed a fresh experience year after year!Whether your Sims are ice skating on a crisp winter day or jumping into leaf piles during a warm autumn afternoon, the variety of seasonal activities is guaranteed to add a fresh, new layer of fun into your Sims life. Whether your Sims are experiencing winter, spring, summer or fall, the enhanced visual experience and seasonal activities will affect the entire The Sims 2 world! From snowstorms and thundershowers to lightning bolts and more, not only will your Sims neighborhood be affected by these seasonal changes, but so will your Sims, as weather events and changes can impact your Sims relationships, moods, skills, wants and fears. Are your Sims happiest while fishing and playing Marco Polo in the summertime? Beat those wintertime blues by building snowmen, creating snow angels, and more!

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Sims 2 Holiday Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)....since the Holiday Stuff pack came out, which includes the same plus even more holiday items, you'd be better off buying the regular Sims 2 base game and the Holiday Stuff pack rather than this.

However, if you don't want to spend the extra cash for the Holiday stuff pack and would be happy with only two-thirds the amount of holiday objects, then this would be the way to go to save some money.

Either way, the Sims 2 is SIMply awesome and well worth the money!!Just be sure your computer meets the game's system requirements before buying it, as it is highly 3-D graphics and memory intensive.

I've been playing Sims 2 for almost a year now and this is one game that you can really never tire of.Maxis is always coming out with new stuff add-ons and expansions to keep it interesting.I have all of the expansions and add-ons out so far and plan on getting all future releases, too.It's that fun!!!

~~~~Remember:This is a BASE GAME EDITION, exactly the same as the regular Sims 2 BASE GAME except with some extra holiday objects, and NOT an expansion!!~~~~

Later note: This review was written *prior* to the holiday 50% price cut.

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Product Description:
Sims 2 Holiday Edition is a limited release version of The Sims 2 with special holiday items! Take your Sims from cradle to grave thru life's biggest moments. Will they strive for popularity, fortune, romance, family or knowledge? Mix their genes, fulfill their dreams, and push them to extremes. Decorate the house, serve a festive dinner, experience Santa's arrival, and throw a rockin' New Year's Eve Bash! Serve a holiday feast for the whole family, see Santa or Mrs. Claus' arrival on Christmas Eve, or throw a happening New Year's Eve party and set off some fireworks!

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The Sims 2: Castaway Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the first Sims that I have bought for the Play Station 2. Our PC's can't hold anymore Sim expansions without over loading our computers. We are avid Sims players in our house and have loved the game since it first came out in the first format. We love Sims 2. The game play for the Play Station Platform is Fabulous. You can't go and create a new game for someone once you start though - you need separate memory cards. If someone comes a long and wants to play and create a new Sim, your old game will be erased - so make sure you get a card or two to go with it.

Game play is very cool. It's fun to explore the different areas of the island.You can build up your talents and inventory to be able to make rafts, shelters, and find new foods to cook over your fire. There are lots of things to unlock and lots of treasures to find. I love finding the message in a bottle.

If you create a crew, eventually you start to find your crew mates and that's cool too.

We got this for an early Christmas present to be able to play through the holidays and don't regret it! Super Fun - be prepared to loose a few hours with this enchanting game.

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The Sims 2: Castaway PS2

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Sims 2 Festive Holiday Stuff Review

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(More customer reviews)I have built an entire neighborhood with Christmas themed houses only.This expansion pack is great for people who really love Christmas!

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Product Description:
Spice up your Sims' winter holidays with this updated collection of seasonal items, clothing, and d

The Sims 2 Family Fun Stuff Pack Review

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(More customer reviews)This was a fun extension to the Sims 2 games. I cannot be overly effusive as it merely gave a few more choices to furniture selection and decorating concepts. This was just a stop-gap while waiting to obtain Seasons. The Holiday pack is better. If your looking for more clothes for sims in the family fun pack- look at Glamour Life before this one. It is worth it for a few extras to enhance the other games, though!

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Product Description:
Add excitement to your Sims' family with this all-new collection offurniture, clothing, and decor. Decorate the home with an assortment of coolnew furnishings, including upscale living room items and adventurous bedroomsets. Dress your Sims in matching attire for an amusing day out with thefamily. With 60 new items from castle beds to cruise ship replicas, yourSims now have more stuff for family fun.*Requires The Sims˙ 2 to play.

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The Sims 2 University Expansion Pack Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this game last night and played it for two hours.I must say it's quite good. The gameplay is fairly easy; it's really less complicated than I imagined it would be.

What's New

* New "Young Adult" Stage - Once your Sims have gone through adolescence, they're ready to enter this stage in their lives and go to college. You do so by moving them first into the "Family Bin" and then move them to a dormitory (as you would normally move a family into a house). You can also choose from the Young Adult Sims already available in the Family Bin, or you can custom-create your own collegiate Sims (create up to eight per household).

* New Buy and Build Objects - Although I haven't completely explored the expansion pack, there are some new objects that add more fun to the game, like additional exercise machines, decorations, arcade games, communal showers, bonfires, etc.

* Influence - When you interact with other Sims or fulfill certain Wants, you gain Influence points. This feature allows you to "influence" other Sims into doing favors for you, like writing your term paper.

* Three University Lots - Sims State University, Academie Le Tour, La Fiesta College.

* Majors - Choose from a variety of courses which will help shape your Sim's future career path.

How the Game Works:

As I mentioned earlier, the gameplay is fairly simple. You can choose to play your former teen-aged Sims, pick the ready-made ones from the Family Bin, or custom-create new Young Adults.

Young Adults have four stages representing each year: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior. Each stage or "school year" has two semesters, which has an X number of hours to complete. At the end of each semester, there is a final exam that your Sim has to take.

Complete all the academic work required (by going to class, doing term papers, studying, etc.), and your Sim will do well in school. The "Academic Panel," which normally shows career/skill path, displays your Sim's GPA, major, and minimum grade level to be attained. If your Sim fails, he/she goes into "Academic Probation" and has to repeat the previous term. If he/she fails a second time, he/she gets kicked out of school and into the "real world" where they transform into normal adults.

As a Freshman, your Sims start out living in a dorm. But as they gain more simoleons, they may choose to live in a private residence. As they meet more people, they can join a frat or sorority house by making a telephone call.

After your Sims have successfully completed all four years, they graduate and move on.

When my Sim goes to class, it's not shown what's going on in class. It's similar to when an Adult Sim goes to work. You only see/play your Sim when he/she is actually home. Partying and interacting with other Sims is the whole point of the game.

:)

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The Sims 2 University PC

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The Sims Castaway Review

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(More customer reviews)First off, I am a huge fan of the Sims 2 Games, and own almost all the expansion packs.

When I first played the game, I didn't stop until I finished the Castaway Story completely through. I couldn't get enough. I then created my own characters to play the game through, hoping (maybe) that something may be different or that I would be faced with a different challenge... Although this game is incredibly fun and creative, I do with there were more story variations, or different characters to chose from who would then bring their own stories to the game.

Overall, a fun game, but I don't know how long it was meant to last...

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The Sims 2: Mansion & Garden Stuff Review

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(More customer reviews)I still believe the stuff packs are overpriced for the amount of stuff they offer. $12-15 would probably be a fairer price. So if you happen to find a sale, definitely go for it.

Mansion & Gardens Stuff is by far the best stuff pack EA has offered. The three decorating styles; Second Empire, Moroccan, & Art Deco, are lovely. The flowers are shrubs are beautiful, a welcome addition to landscaping. I like how the windmill & solar panels will lower the sim's bills. The ceiling fans are a decorative object, but they do actually move so it's a nice realistic touch. I haven't noticed that they affect the temperature of the sims so they are probably merely decorative.

I love the Mansard roof pieces. It makes it so much easier to have attic space that my sims can live in without being affected by the weather. I've had issues in the past of them freezing or getting heat stroke if I had bedrooms in the attic with certain types of roofs.

Knock on wood, I haven't noticed any major glitches with Mansions & Gardens. What a relief. The grand staircases are very nice, but they sure do take up a lot of space. Your sims will autonomously slide down the banister. Usually we do not get any new interactions with stuff packs, so this was a nice surprise. Our sims can smell the flowers too.

The only thing I didn't care for is that some of the new siding is too dark and there's only a few selections. I'm not really fond of the screaming bright yellow. I wish they would have added some of the previous siding colors we've had with the new corner trim. EA could have made this a real expansion pack with more items and options and I would have been over the moon.

I'd consider this stuff pack a must for Sims 2 players.

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Product Description:
Design impressive estates and meticulous gardens for your Sims with three all-new styles. Infuse your Sims' mansion with the intricate beauty of new Moroccan designs, add a touch of retro-modern style with stately and new Art Deco elements, or build in the imposing new Second Empire style. With a host of new architectural and landscaping items to choose from, your Sims homes will look more stunning than ever!

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The Sims Castaway Stories Review

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(More customer reviews)This is what I've been waiting for.I'm a huge fan of the Sims.I had most of the original Sims and most of Sims2.I liked those games - for a while.After you've done all the new stuff and had a couple of kids, the fun just kind of died.I have always always said that if there were some sort of directed story to the Sims that I had to play out, I'd like that so much more.

When EA came out with the Sims Stories, I was excited because that had finally happened.The first 2 titles just didn't excite me much, so I passed.They announced Castaway and I couldn't wait.It was released first on platforms, but I *hate* Sims platform games.The graphics aren't as nice and the gameplay is always lacking.So, I waited for the PC version.

It's very fun and very *new* as far as Sims go.There are familiar elements, but also great new twists.I highly recommend this title to people who, like me, love the Sims but have lost interest over the years.It's totally renewed my Sims playing.

The *only* drawback, and it's kept me from playing all the way through, is loooooooooooooong load times.At first I thought it was my computer, but since I have a great graphics card and tons of memory and ram, I thought maybe it wasn't me after all.After a bit of searching, it seems that lots of people are frustrated with the long load times between scenes.It plays out basically as follows:Game loads, objective pointed out, load new scene for up to 5 minutes, play 30 seconds, then on to a new scene taking up to another 5 minutes.If I'd have known that before I originally posted my review, it would have gotten less stars.

Anyway, enjoy!

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The Sims Castaway Stories

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The Sims 2: Teen Style Stuff Review

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(More customer reviews)With reviews of stuff packs you often see multiple complaints regarding the amount of content versus the price. This is easily arguable and when comparing the amount of content in an expansion pack versus a stuff pack and then the price comparison you are indeed better off buying the expansions. BUT, sometimes you are in the market for something in particular. Yes, there are many custom content creators out there who can rival EA for quality and value, but not everyone is comfortable downloading custom content and others prefer knowing the content they get is going to be completely game compatible. That is when stuff packs are the most useful.

All that said... Teen Style Stuff is my first stuff pack purchase. I've been interested in other stuff packs but the price has made them not essential to my gaming experience. The gothic furniture was my main interest but the socialite and sporty styles were also a draw. With Teen Style Stuff the pack does stress the teenaged sims.

There are new full body outfits for teen males and females, new pajamas and work-out wear for girls and work-out wear for boys. A handful of new hairstyles, which include styles with visors and trucker hats. These visor and hat styles do match with the outfits for the teens. In addition to these there are items for practical use such as beds, end tables, chairs, lamps, a tv, a radio and a computer. You'll also get a lot of decorative items including a 'rug' that looks like a clothes strewn on the floor. Lastly, there are wallpapers and floors to match it all. (For screenshots and pictures of the items mentioned you can check EA's The Sims 2 website or google for them).

After loading this stuff pack up into my game I sat down and played with the available items, including making new teen sims with the hairstyles and clothing. The clothing choices I very much liked though they were pretty much color variations on the same small handful of styles (but that's how it is with the game anyway). The hairstyles didn't thrill me really, but the hat options were fitting with current trends. As far as the items go, I had fun creating a couple of bedrooms with them and I liked that while there were three different styles most items could be mixed around between them to some extent. The only things I wasn't really impressed with were the flooring options. The carpets did not match very well with the wallpapers in my opinion.

Overall, I am very pleased with this stuff pack. I was able to purchase mine for the $15.99 price here on Amazon which is a bit better of a price than the $19.99. If you know what you're getting the price shouldn't be a deterant. I chose this pack because I felt it had the most items I would actually enjoy and make use of, and it is just what I was hoping it would be. This might be Teen Style Stuff but the decorative items and practical items would be perfect for children and even dorm rooms if you have the University expansion. This is not the stuff pack for you if you do not play many child, teen or young adult sims.

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The Sims 2: Teen Style Stuff PC CD

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The Sims 2: Best of Business Collection Review

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(More customer reviews)I love this expansion pack. There are a few things that I would change, but all in all a great game.

Pros:
Test out all your crazy ideas without loosing your real money
Adds new demension to Sims2
Makes raising lots of kids without being in the poorhouse easier (work from home)
Makes for an easy second job

Cons:
Start up cost of some businesses is horrible, hard time making it back
Some things don't make sense:
1. why is the business "open" from the moment you make the phone call...even if that is 2am?
2. why does it take people so long to buy some things (food for instance)...this should not take literally hours.
3. Please...have a meter for the levels of badges (sales, stocking, etc)
4. Make the cash register a bit easier to use...come on, are all sims that stupid to begin with?
5. Please let the employees "wear out" in relation to the work they do (a server should get tired before the cashier, not at the same rate)
6. It should not take a whole day to run after new employees to assign their jobs and uniforms. You should be able to click and do it, not run after all of them to actually talk to them each time.

In Conclusion:

I find this to be a great add on. I have not run into any gliches so far. As to the complaint that I hear all the time--that people go into your house whether you lock the door or not--lock the door before anyone goes into your house. As soon as you start the business, lock the doors before people arrive. This has solved the problem for me.

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The Sims 2 Best of Business Collection PC

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The Sims 2 H&M Fashion Stuff Review

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(More customer reviews)Overall I would have to say that this is one of the better stuff packs content wise.H&M Fashion will add a significant number of new outfits to your sim's wardrobe, gives you three new premade community lots (h&m stores) and a handful of new objects.In my opinion the outfits alone are worth the pricetag.The latest expansion packs have been sadly lacking in this area (though seasons did add the whole "outdoor" thing) and it was nice seeing some new options.Though the men's clothing looks much better than the women's. There's also three new swimsuits for the guys.One thing that I thought to be kind of wierd was that the new swimsuit "outfits" are designed with flops on the feet.While this looks cool when they're just standing around the tiki bar, it is kind of odd seeing them jump into the pool or hot tub with sandals on.The rest of the stuff pack complements Open for Business nicely if you own it.It will give you some new objects to spice up the look of any clothing store you might own (such as mannequins, clothing racks and shelves, counters, etc...) plus a more modern looking cash register that could be used in any retail situation.It also gives you the building tools to create a "runway" as it were.While this sounds nice and it looks "hip", it's kind of pointless.There's no "walk down the runway" or "start a fashion show" interaction.So you could just tell your sim to walk back and forth...?Anyways, to sum up, this stuff pack is not a bad investment if you find the clothing options to be getting a little stale.And, unlike Celebration, which only applied specific events, 90% of the content in h&m could be applied to mainstream use.

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The Sims 2: Bon Voyage Review

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(More customer reviews)Two words:Bugs and SecuROM v7.

I'd have a lot more fun with this game if I was actually playing it.But as usual, this EP shipped with a bunch of gameplay bugs and also an ugly, potentially dangerous form of copy protection by Sony called SecuROM.

A Brief on Bugs:

- Game shipped w/a programming error that created Tour Guide after Tour Guide, unchecked.Too many character files in a sim 'hood means too many opportunities for them to corrupt and your 'hood to go boom.A third party fansite had a fix before EA did (like two WEEKS before EA did).The fansite fix didn't weigh in at a whopping 15 MB like the EA patch did either, considering the EA patch fixed very few things and another will be needed.Must be fun to download on dialup.
- One of the game's Twikii Island locations has an object issue that slows gameplay to an excruciating crawl.A prebuilt lodge in the woodsy vacation hood has no grill or phones, so sims can't cook or order room service and must leave to eat.A secret location in the Twikii hood is so poorly constructed it grinds the game to a halt.Stuff like this should've been caught in testing...BAHAHA!Like they test this game, ugh.Poor devs.I do believe they want to make a great game, but the time constraints put on them by EA management makes them churn out bugfest after bugfest.
- Funky installation errors told some people that they had to uninstall previous EPs to install BV, so they followed that advice and TADA!Doing so wiped out their entire saved games folder.Sure, you should always back up before installation, but that shouldn't happening in the first place.
- This EP has a new 'feature' called the Launcher, which will connect to the internet to inform you of patches or other EA spam before you get to play.Many people, myself included, found that 1) this game takes long enough to get running, extending the misery for spam isn't appreciated and 2) bypassing the Launcher via running directly from the SP6.exe made for much smoother gameplay, possibly because the game isn't still trying to connect to the web. *shrug*I don't know, but it did make a difference for me; the game was hitching and lagging the few times I used the Launcher, but was much smoother when I bypassed it and yanked my wireless router cord out of my computer when I played.EA denies the game 'phones home', but denial is their standard fallback position, and it might have more to do with the ugly new noose they've decided to put around our necks w/this EP...

Say 'No' to SecuROM:

SecuROM is Digital Rights Management (DRM) or copy protection software. EA doesn't want you copying the games you buy from them.'Kay. *cough*violatesFairUseAct*cough*But SecuROM v7 is DESIGNED to disable software, like CD/DVD burner drivers or emulation software, that it thinks might be used for 'pirating'.DaemonTools, Alcohol 120, and the like.

Oh, and factory installed versions of Nero and Roxio too...?

Yes.Seems the version of Securom shipped w/BV wasn't updated enough; anything it doesn't recognize as kosher gets shut down, so if you've got a newer comp, it could very well affect you most of all.It doesn't happen to everyone, but that it's happening at all is unconscionable.Because of a game, some people are having drives REPLACED because they don't know about Securom's effects, reformatting their computers, finding their antivirus settings altered, and in the biggest of ironies, some are searching the web for ways to strip their comps of Securom and use a NoCD cracked .exe to run their purchased games, as they cannot otherwise.

Securom is PIMPING piracy!More simmers than ever are now aware of how to go about it, out of fear of what Securom might do or has done to their own or other people's comps.

In the US, none of the boxes came with any warning whatsoever that the DRM used might cause these kinds of issues.If you install BV, Securom installs with it, andthe 'removal' tool from Sony EA was forced to post on the official site (after being harangued into investigating several weeks after BV's release) DOES NOT fully remove Securom from your comp.You're stuck with it, and due to it's very rootkit like behavior, it is a total bear to completely remove.Once you or a tech remove it, w/the Sony tool or otherwise, you cannot play the game you paid for.And problems Securom can create with driver software may or may NOT go away when you remove it, either.

BV has been out 3 months and EA has still not addressed this very serious issue in any satisfactory way.In fact, EA is blithely sticking with Securom for all its future games (it's in a lot of them already).People are contacting the FTC, states attorney generals, and the BBB about this issue.

Some who aren't suffering make light of it, blame people's comps, or call others hysterics, but when something that came unannounced with a game starts dictating what you can or cannot do with your comp outside of the game, it's not hysteria, it's major.It's affecting PAYING CUSTOMERS, people who gladly pay for every title they play and would never condone nor be involved with software piracy, and worst of all - Securom is a total failure as copy protection.NoCD cracks (ie. Securom-less game .exes) were available within 24 hrs of the game's release.

Anyone can understand a publisher's need to protect their product, but not at the expense of people's personal property, time, money, aggravation, livelihoods, etc.If this is the wave of the future, I want no part of it - we own our computers, not EA or Sony.

***If you are responsible for the welfare of your comp, you need to seriously evaluate the possible damaging consequences of installing this EP or any other game that uses such invasive and possibly debilitating copy protection software.***

EA has a Securom board on their official TS2 site, look it over, draw your own conclusions.

Check out the Bioshock, Neverwinter Nights 2, Command and Conquer, and Supreme Commander game boards too.It's not just BV that has these issues; those games all use Securom too and have similar problems.

Do I have anything nice to say about BV?The water's pretty, and walking to lots is cool.But my simming buzz is pretty dead right now from game bugs - and worrying about the future of my computer's functionality if I decide to upgrade a component or add a peripheral that Securom decides it doesn't like.

I wish I'd never installed it.

*Edited, as time marches on.Please see comments for updates.

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The Sims 2: Bon Voyage PC CD

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The Sims 2: Open for Business Expansion Pack Review

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(More customer reviews)Before the Sims 2: Open for Business, Sims owners could be in control of every aspect of their sim's life, save for one: work.They would make relationships, gain skill points, go to college, even become vampires, but for a few hours every day they would dissappear from view, leaving a hole in the day for the game's players.Well, that's not the case anymore.With Open for Business, you can now govern their economic ambitions, too.What it becomes is a fun, if more challening than expected, mini-game that tests the micromanagement skills of Sims players.

You can open up any number of business types: from bakeries to furniture stores to salons.You can even charge sims to just come over and hang out at your place if you want to.The flexibility is there for you to sell almost anything (because that's essentially what it all comes down to); I personally found it easiest and most profitable to sell televisions and artwork (somtimes in the same store), but you can do whatever you want.You can hire managers to do the work for you, you can buy real estate and sell it, you can sell cars; there truly is a lot to do in the game.

Now there are some game imbalances to take notice of.First of all, you need a truckload of cash to start a business.Without cheating it's usually quite difficult to pull the money together to start even the most basic of businesses.It would have been nice to have some sort of investing process, where you could invite others as investors or even stock owners, but as is, it's a pretty basic business simulation.The second imbalance comes when you do eventually create a successful business: it's so successful that you have more money than you know what to do with.Granted this isn't really a gripe, but it's certainly in stark contrast to the beginnings of your business.

The actual running of the business can be one of two things to different players: a fun, challenging break from normal sims gameplay or a boring, tedious excercise in micromanagement.I personally felt the former, but I could see why it could be tedious.Not only do you have to worry about your own needs, you need to worry about giving your employees breaks, and making sure your customers are happy.Also, they are in constant need of reminders why they are in the store in the first place; the sheer number of times I used the "sell" command on various customers is staggering.However, this is all exectued quite well, and it is really rewarding to see repeat customers coming in everyday to buy your cakes and pastries (although it gets a little suspect when they buy a new television every day).I enjoy the challenge and feel that most people will.It's a departure from the guarranteed-to-win dating mini-game from Nightlife, also.

I also have to mention the awesome robots that have been re-introduced to the series.You get to build your own robots from the ground up, from cleaning robots to fully functional Servos that work as people without needs (with the exception of the occasional recharging).

Other people are having trouble with bugs in their games, but I have yet to run into any (other than standard Sims 2 bugs).I did find it particularly difficult to run some businesses, though - i never could get that trendy new nightclub/salon off the ground.Oh well.

Pros:
Great new mini-game for Sim owners
Adds a lot of new content and options
Fun
Rewarding businesses
Robots!

Cons:
Lots of micro-management
Some might find the challenge a turn-off
Buggy for some people
Slight game imbalances

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Set your Sims up in their own businesses. Build trendy boutiques, bustling bakeries, hip salons, thriving cafes and countless other businesses. Hire a staff to stock the shop and sell goods to a variety of customers. Will they build the favorite neighborhood shop or the next entrepreneurial empire? The Sims™ 2 Open For Business is loaded with over 125 new objects to help your Sims get down to business.

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The Sims 2 Seasons Expansion Pack Review

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(More customer reviews)Amazon priced this item just shy of the $25 mark to entice us cheapos to add another item and get free shipping.That is a good marketing strategy since this Seasons expansion is such a worthwhile title.

That said, The Sims 2: Seasons is what I would call a legitimate expansion pack for The Sims series.Unlike the Stuff Packs or some other expansion packs, Seasons really rounds out the series in my opinion.

Being a cheapo, I like spending $15 on a DVD that is 123 minutes as opposed to 93 - I feel I am getting my money's worth.Also, I like spending $25 for a Sims expansion pack where new career paths (and rewards) are added, lots of new items are included, and game concepts are added or upgraded.

The Sims 2 Seasons is legitimate in my opinion because it does just that: gives 6 more career paths (Adventure, Games, Law, Education, Music, and Journalism); new clothes (for each season, all ages) and items (like the Country decor theme); and new interactions, aspirations, and rewards.

Besides all the busy micromanagement that so many of us Simmers love, I mentioned that Seasons rounded out the series.What I meant was that now you don't have to focus so much on the careers just to make money.Nightlife and Open for Business are much like Seasons in that regard - you can make money by being a DJ, bartender, lemonade salesman, or garage saler.

In Seasons, it really expands what you can do outside of the normal "grind for your boss" routine.And if you remember the first The Sims where you make magical potions and cast spells (Makin' Magic expansion pack), that also kind of ties in with Seasons.

Basically, you can now grow fruits and vegetables, catch fish, and other hobbies, then use them to make cash, health drinks, special potions, etc.Also, gifting is introduced (when you don't want stuff but think your neighbor might).

This slows down the game quite a bit because (A) now you're interacting within the frame of each season and (B) you can still be productive and working towards certain goals without the typical bustle of The Sims 2 that we know and love.Now you can just be a farmer and tell the rest to go to hell.I appreciate that.

The other thing I'd like to point out is the basis of the game: the four seasons.Living in San Diego, CA, we only have two seasons: Paradise and The Next City's Best.In The Sims 2 Seasons, you have more control over the weather than you might think.

First of all, you can determine which neighborhood(s) have seasons and which seasons you'd like to have occur (and when) - for example, one neighborhood can only have spring and winter, if you want.Next, with the new neighborhood Maxis provided ("Riverblossom Hills"), they added some of their own content, but since the seasons can be applied to any neighborhood, I just ripped off what I liked and rarely played the new neighborhood.

Another thing I love in particular about Seasons is the expansion of Wants and Aspirations.I also love how this expansion pack ties into the other expansion packs (Maxis tries to keep them all interwoven to maximize their value - so we all buy every expansion!).You can get a fishing badge (like the sales badge from Open for Business) or find new Wants for each Aspiration (like Romance where the wants change during Springtime).

A lot to build on if you love the series.Of course, as I always like to mention, if you wait another 5-10 years, all of these will be included on The Sims 2: Complete Edition for about 1/3 the total cost.:)

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The Sims 2 Seasons PC

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