What makes this game so much fun? For whatever reason, I can't put a finger on it. But this much is true: if the game were more complex, if it had less humor, if it changed one thing, it would not be so successful as a video game! Certainly, this game is addictive. I had never played the PC version, but some buddies of mine have been crazy for it. I bought "the Sims" for XBOX the day it was released. It lived up to my expectations. Tons of fun, with lots of humor, very open-ended, and addictive!
Let me write this homage to the folks at Maxis/EA: thanks for a revolutionary game! There's nothing else available like "the Sims." And I'm glad they made the commitment to bringing it to the XBOX console with the quality seen in the PC version.
I especially enjoy the "Get a Life" game mode. The player creates a Sim and must meet goals to advance to newer and larger houses. Sort of like a game within a game. Not only is the goal-oriented play addictive and interesting, it also acts as a very effective tutorial for the more open-ended "Play the Sims" game mode. I really applaud Maxis/EA for including the "Get a Life" mode, which I do not think is available in the earlier PC version.
One gripe I have (which is an insignificant gripe) is that I was not able to import my Sim from "Get a Life" into my "Play the Sims" neighborhood. I would have really liked that option.
Since I needed to create a brand new character for my "Play the Sims" neighborhood, I created a young, single black man living in a modest home and starting a career in the military. One of the coolest things about the Sims is that you can create a character just like you (I am a 25-year old married white male). But sometimes even better is the ability to role play the life of someone very different from you!
