SIMS 2 hits the shelves, and it doesn't disappoint

Yes, it is true. The number one-selling PC game of all time has reproduced: the 3-D SIMS 2.

The SIMS 2 was released on Friday, September 17, 2004. It is a complete upgrade from the original. Aside from being 3-D, there are new families, three different neighborhoods to choose from, new items to buy and new ways to construct the Sims and their houses.

Creating Sims in the SIMS 2 is a lot different from its predecessor. Not only do you choose the hair color and hairstyle, you also choose whether they wear hats or scarves. You construct their faces through eyebrow thickness, eye color, nose size and even jaw line. When choosing the clothes they will wear, you choose everyday wear, underwear, formal wear, swimsuits, pajamas and active wear. The Sims also age. Babies grow into young children, who grow into teens, who grow into adults, into elders and then they die. Yes, Sims can now die of old age.

The homes in the SIMS 2 are also different from the first game. There are three different neighborhoods to choose from: Pleasantview, Strangetown and Veronaville. If you do not want to play with any of these, you can create your own. The families Goth and Newbie have been carried over from the original game. Instead of the usual two-story houses, however, there are now three stories. Roofs are now more than roofs. They can be accessed and objects can be placed on them. You can still pick the different objects for each room, but now there are more options. Color-coordinating your objects with your room is now easier. When you choose your bed or refrigerator, you can choose what color they will be. There are also new decorations: plants, posters and statues.

Another change in the new game is the jobs. While there are still ten job fields with ten levels, each age group has different jobs. Teenagers have different jobs than adults, who have different jobs than elders. The jobs now have job tokens. Reach a certain achievement or level in your career track and unlock a reward. The objects differ with each job field and each age group.

Aside from changes in the usual items from the original game, there are also new things. The Sims now have aspirations and fears. The Sims can aspire to wealth, knowledge, romance, family or popularity. Each aspiration comes with goals that earn a certain number of reward points. For example, if your Sim aspires to wealth, one of their goals could be to marry a wealthy Sim. If this goal is achieved, the Sim will earn a certain number of points. These points add up to earn rewards, like the jobs.

The SIMS was a great game, the best selling of all time. The SIMS 2 promises to be even better, with all of its upgrades and changes. The game has already hit the shelves and can be found at any store that sells computer or video games, such as Best Buy or K-MART. If you buy this game, make sure you have a lot of free time to play it, because it can become very addicting and you can lose track of time. Never played the original? No problem. The SIMS 2 has a step-by-step tutorial to guide you through your playing, along with a small booklet included in the box.