Sims2
A Lay User's Review
Run - DO NOT WALK - away from any place selling this unimaginably addictive version of the already "so-addictive-it-should-be-illegal" game. We picked up Sims2 yesterday. Oh, yeah. Niiiiiiiice.
A little background for those of you who have been either living in a cave or who actually have a real life: The original game The Sims is something of an electronic doll house. You design the dolls, you design the house, you tell them what to do or turn on free-will and let them do what they want based on the personality traits you choose for them (tidy/messy, active/lazy, nice/mean, outgoing/introvert, etc). Get them jobs, pay bills, have babies, create a Sim Serial Killer (my favorite)... It's beautiful, man. Expansion packs let you bring home pets for your family, go on dates downtown, vacation in exotic locations, throw super parties, learn and perform stupefying magic, or follow their dreams to super-stardom. With these expansions came new clothing and Sims "skin" designs, new house design options and new objects for your Sims to purchase, and with free downloadable objects and designs readily available, there were tens of thousands (or more) ways to do your family right. A hideously addictive game for the control freak in all of us.
The new version... *sigh* I'm in heaven. You can find a real "review" just about anywhere online, and more power to you. But for this post I'll just cut straight to introducing my new Sims. It's my tradition that the first family I make in any new neighborhood is The Simsons. Lacks imagination, you say? Blow me. This particular iteration of the Simson line is in the form of Jordan (the husband) and Katie (the wife). Jordan is a Type-A money-glutton, who married Katie because she was the perfect executive wife to further his career. Katie, the perfect hostess, married Jordan because she longed for the life of social glitter and popularity that requires the kind of money Jordan was driven to bring home.
At first things went well. Despite their small home and modest furnishings they were both well on their way to realizing all of their aspirations. Jordan took a job on the business fast track. Katie spent most of her time socializing and networking, but supplemented their income with a part time job until Jordan's career really took off. Jordan was thrilled with the extra income, but Katie soon began to crave more social interaction than she was getting. Katie's poor attitude led to trouble at work, and when the restaurant let her go she chose to focus on her social networking rather than take another position elsewhere. By that time Jordan had been promoted out of the mailroom and could support the two of them well enough.
But these two love-birds had not yet realized (or were still in denial about) the fullness of their problems. Jordan's promotion meant longer hours at work, and Katie was getting increasingly lonely. To give Katie something to focus on (and get her off his back) Jordan agreed to try for a baby. They succeeded first try, but - sadly - Katie's aspiration meter bottomed out as she repeatedly threw up and wet her pants during the pregnancy. Jordan continued busting ass at the offices, while Katie struggled to keep herself and the house pulled together. By the time the baby was born she was in a full-on deep depression and still craving someone to talk to. In desperation Jordan gave her another baby (due to be born any day now).
Now Katie is borderline suicidal. Jordan - having gotten demoted at work - is struggling night and day to pay for adequate domestic help for his chronically depressed wife and to feed his ever growing family, and is increasingly bitter that the money he works so hard for can't be spent on the amenities he craves. Their first child, Jasmine, is the picture of Simulated Dysfunction... more close with the Nanny than with either of her parents, and barely potty trained though well beyond her toddler days.
If Katie survives the pregnancy, if the baby survives the pregnancy... will Jasmine grow to adulthood? Will she ever be able to form lasting bonds, having been raised in such an environment? Will Jordan ever enjoy the life he's struggled for? Or will he die a bitter, impoverished old man who's wasted the prime of his life supporting emotional leeches? Will Katie ever recover from this lasting depression? Will she ever be able to mother her children? Will Katie abandon her family to find the attention and adoration she craves? Will Jordan sell one or both of his children to pay for his lavish lifestyle? Will the poor, ignored Jasmine smother the baby in it's sleep?
Tune in next time...
Run - DO NOT WALK - away from any place selling this unimaginably addictive version of the already "so-addictive-it-should-be-illegal" game. We picked up Sims2 yesterday. Oh, yeah. Niiiiiiiice.
A little background for those of you who have been either living in a cave or who actually have a real life: The original game The Sims is something of an electronic doll house. You design the dolls, you design the house, you tell them what to do or turn on free-will and let them do what they want based on the personality traits you choose for them (tidy/messy, active/lazy, nice/mean, outgoing/introvert, etc). Get them jobs, pay bills, have babies, create a Sim Serial Killer (my favorite)... It's beautiful, man. Expansion packs let you bring home pets for your family, go on dates downtown, vacation in exotic locations, throw super parties, learn and perform stupefying magic, or follow their dreams to super-stardom. With these expansions came new clothing and Sims "skin" designs, new house design options and new objects for your Sims to purchase, and with free downloadable objects and designs readily available, there were tens of thousands (or more) ways to do your family right. A hideously addictive game for the control freak in all of us.
The new version... *sigh* I'm in heaven. You can find a real "review" just about anywhere online, and more power to you. But for this post I'll just cut straight to introducing my new Sims. It's my tradition that the first family I make in any new neighborhood is The Simsons. Lacks imagination, you say? Blow me. This particular iteration of the Simson line is in the form of Jordan (the husband) and Katie (the wife). Jordan is a Type-A money-glutton, who married Katie because she was the perfect executive wife to further his career. Katie, the perfect hostess, married Jordan because she longed for the life of social glitter and popularity that requires the kind of money Jordan was driven to bring home.
At first things went well. Despite their small home and modest furnishings they were both well on their way to realizing all of their aspirations. Jordan took a job on the business fast track. Katie spent most of her time socializing and networking, but supplemented their income with a part time job until Jordan's career really took off. Jordan was thrilled with the extra income, but Katie soon began to crave more social interaction than she was getting. Katie's poor attitude led to trouble at work, and when the restaurant let her go she chose to focus on her social networking rather than take another position elsewhere. By that time Jordan had been promoted out of the mailroom and could support the two of them well enough.
But these two love-birds had not yet realized (or were still in denial about) the fullness of their problems. Jordan's promotion meant longer hours at work, and Katie was getting increasingly lonely. To give Katie something to focus on (and get her off his back) Jordan agreed to try for a baby. They succeeded first try, but - sadly - Katie's aspiration meter bottomed out as she repeatedly threw up and wet her pants during the pregnancy. Jordan continued busting ass at the offices, while Katie struggled to keep herself and the house pulled together. By the time the baby was born she was in a full-on deep depression and still craving someone to talk to. In desperation Jordan gave her another baby (due to be born any day now).
Now Katie is borderline suicidal. Jordan - having gotten demoted at work - is struggling night and day to pay for adequate domestic help for his chronically depressed wife and to feed his ever growing family, and is increasingly bitter that the money he works so hard for can't be spent on the amenities he craves. Their first child, Jasmine, is the picture of Simulated Dysfunction... more close with the Nanny than with either of her parents, and barely potty trained though well beyond her toddler days.
If Katie survives the pregnancy, if the baby survives the pregnancy... will Jasmine grow to adulthood? Will she ever be able to form lasting bonds, having been raised in such an environment? Will Jordan ever enjoy the life he's struggled for? Or will he die a bitter, impoverished old man who's wasted the prime of his life supporting emotional leeches? Will Katie ever recover from this lasting depression? Will she ever be able to mother her children? Will Katie abandon her family to find the attention and adoration she craves? Will Jordan sell one or both of his children to pay for his lavish lifestyle? Will the poor, ignored Jasmine smother the baby in it's sleep?
Tune in next time...