Sims 2, The

GamePro

Far more than the original, this truly is a game that can be enjoyed by anyone, and should be tried by everyone.

Times Online

This all-new version adds minute details to the daily rituals of the little inhabitants — you can almost zoom in to see specific ingredients as meals are prepared, or read book titles on shelves. Watching the Sims dance is a triumph of animation.

Adrenaline Vault

It has everything that I believe is integral to a classic success: It looks amazing, sounds fantastic, and offers more immersive entertainment and replay value than any other single-player game I’ve ever seen.

GMR Magazine

So much more involving, more expansive, and just plain more, more that that you might need to buy a new PC so you can play it alongside Mommy. [Dec 2004, p.120]

Sydney Morning Herald

A masterpiece. As you guide your endearing digital denizens to health, happiness, fame and fortune, you may become so addicted that your own life suffers.

Computer Games Magazine

A phenomenal game that deserves every penny of its inevitable commercial success. In fact, it's far too big for the simple word "game." [Dec 2004, p.90]

Computer Gaming World

The Sims 2 is as big as life and as consuming. At heart, and with heart, it is a masterpiece.

GameSpy

It's deeper, has more flexibility, it's more engrossing, and it's even easier to modify and expand. But there's something else here as well, something that can't be measured. Sims 2 is simply a lot of fun.

Game Chronicles

Because of the included Body Shop utility, the relative ease of creating your own custom content for your Sims makes this game all the more fun.

Warcry

The Sims2 is even more addictive than "The Sims." The Sims' needs aren't as urgent, freeing up more time for whatever else you want them to get up to. The Wants and Fears system is not only interesting, but also often propels you towards meeting some of your own goals for your little Sims.

GameBiz

Offers a heap of replayability, and then there are all the expansions to look forward to. With all new features, increased graphics, gameplay, and options, there is no feasible reason why you should not purchase this game if you ever enjoyed the original.

Game Over Online

The most interesting element of the Sims is the random, life-like quality of it all. Your Sims do things you never told them to do – never even thought of them doing.

Armchair Empire

As much fun as the original game and its family of expansion packs were, Sims 2’s gameplay is an incredible leap forward that veteran Sims players and newcomers alike will thoroughly enjoy.

GameSpot AU

My Sim is freshly bathed with a full stomach, empty bladder, and a good night's sleep while I am up at 3am - dirty, hungry, tired, and about to pee on the floor because I'm so involved. That's got to be the sign of a good game -- doesn't it?

Loaded Inc

Polished and full of the “little things” that take a game from good to great. I do not think there will be any fan of the Sims series that will disappointed with this title.

GameZone

Take away all of the hype, hyperbole, and this game’s celebrated lineage, you are still left with what can only be considered a masterpiece of gaming.

Gaming Horizon

Who knew having this much control over a little virtual family would be so fun, but there’s something undeniably charming about the sims that will keep you glued to your PC for weeks, wanting to buy that one last toy for the recreation room or add one more addition to your house.

IGN

The new features like aging, aspirations, character design, community property, and all of the great story building tools help to make The Sims 2 a more complete game in every way possible.

PGNx Media

While The Sims 2 is no longer a game about “nothing,” its “something” is deep enough, varied enough, interesting enough and most importantly fun enough to justify its purchase for just about everyone from soccer moms to first person shooter addicts.

Gaming Nexus

Just watch out though because once the game digs its claws into you it’ll own your life. If you want to buy the game give your friends an early notice, because they won’t be seeing you for a long while.

Gamers' Temple

The Sims 2 takes your sims to a whole new level, making them even more fascinating to watch going about their lives and interacting with other sims than they were in The Sims.

PC Format

The whole process feels just perfectly balanced; this is literally the most expert game you can play, it feels great and fans of the original will love it. [Oct 2004, p.84]

Gamezilla!

This is a much more robust, mature and complex game than the original – leaving you with the impression that this is Will Wrights dream finally realized.

Xequted

Because your Sims go through a complete life cycle, from birth to old age and death, you get a much more enjoyable game as you try satisfying your sims life.

Games Radar (in-house)

It's the circle of virtual life -- and it's insanely addictive.

The New York Times

I spent most of my time getting my Sims to seduce one another. Sims are bisexual, fickle and intensely jealous.

WHAM! Gaming

Although it doesn't bring anything radically new to the formula, The Sims 2 has enough amazing twists and tweaks to make it one of those rare sequels that outdoes the original in every conceivable way.

AceGamez

The aspiration side is probably the best thing that has ever happened to The Sims, because you will go out of your way to achieve goals to score points and buy unusual objects.

Play.tm

So if you are under the impression that The Sims 2 is for girls and housewives and that you wouldn't touch it with my rocket launcher you could be doing the gaming node in your brain a great disservice to pass over this title with such wilful abandon.

games(TM)

Playing God has never been as free, rewarding or downright enjoyable as it is here... Quite simply, this is a game so packed with features and so lovingly crated that, for the first time that we can recall, you’ll still be discovering parts of it by the time the add-on packs roll around. [Nov 2004, p.102]

Boomtown

One of the main things that has kept the franchise going strong is the community and The Sims 2 does nothing to reverse that; quite the opposite. Almost everything can be created or modified now.

Cheat Code Central

Whatever magic that was used to create the original Sims, the most popular computer game of all time, has not only been recaptured but the dosage has been cranked to lethal proportions...It's better than the original and all of the expansion packs combined.

3DAvenue

Once in-game it is clear The Sims 2 has improved greatly as far as neighbourhood interaction is concerned.

Game Power Australia

A terrific upgrade to what's obviously been a very successful franchise, but if a third evolution is to continue captivating audiences, it needs to take the Sims well outside of their houses and strolling down the streets of Sim City.

Yahoo! Games

The Sims 2, quite simply, blows "The Sims" away. If you were a fan of the original, you're going to love this....The Sims 2 includes everything from the first game and its expansion packs, and it does it all exponentially better than ever before.

Cincinnati Enquirer

Easily the best computer game of the year, The Sims 2 will not disappoint.

eToychest

Despite all the whiz-bang innovations however, the core gameplay remains the same. The interface in general has changed little, and you'll find that the game from minute to minute is played in the same manner. The schticky retro charm also carries through from the original.

1UP

The Sim generator alone can provide hours upon hours of amusement, especially once players discover the power to recreate in the game almost any friend, relative or celebrity they can think of. This becomes even more fun when those creations begin developing relationships and interbreeding.

GameSpot

Yes, it introduces plenty of new features that enhance the gameplay that was so popular in the original game, but it doesn't drastically refresh it. It also features plenty of options to play with, but it seems like it could've used even more content.

Game Informer

The graphics engine...is stunning, i.e., totally awesome and/or completely beautiful. [Nov 2004, p.166]

RealGamer

The aging system coupled with the aspiration system just makes The Sims 2 more addictive than ever.

Inside Gamer Online

Gamers that wanted more freeform control, as well as those requiring greater focus to keep them interested will be happy to find augmentations in both directions.

ActionTrip

None of the improvements are revolutionary enough to attract people who were initially (or at some point) put off by the concept.

My Gamer

While The Sims 2 delivers great graphics, wonderful music, and a ton of new features and objects; I have to say the minimum requirements should be higher. I have more RAM than it suggests but still feel I need a beefier video card to get rid of the slight glitches that seem to occur while changing views.

PC Gamer

May not be the most ambitious follow-up ever, but it does fix most of what was broken in the first game while introducing an attractive, badly needed, 3D makeover. [Dec 2004, p.108]

Stuff

A movie feature allows you to create short films, right down to the last camera angle, with your Sims as the cast. There are no overarching goals in the game, but that doesn't prevent it from being fun.

FiringSquad

Good God, if this game doesn’t immediately suck you in and render you worthless for hours on end, then I don’t know what’s wrong. I’ve, on occasion, sat down to play for a few minutes and then noticed that it’s been five hours.

XGP Gaming

Maxis could have included a few more items and ideas rather than wait for the first expansion pack release. Even with that misfortune, The Sims 2 is the type of game that almost anyone can enjoy.

Worth Playing

The children are fantastic addition to the game, and they do a great job at raising some serious hell as well. I never understood what Junior’s fascination with the toilet bowl was all about, though.

Game Revolution

More of a refinement of the original game than an exciting new offering. While that’s not a bad thing, per se, it’s lacking the innovation that enticed people to play the game in first place.

Computer and Video Games

There are moments of clarity when you become almost ashamed at what you're doing, such is the senseless waste of time and effort. But the fact that it can actually make you care is a definite achievement. And while we fully expect to grow to hate it - and the inevitable flurry of hateful expansion packs - for the time being we're hooked.

Jolt Online Gaming UK

The Sims 2 is, after all, a lovingly crafted and very well put together piece of software.

Gamers Depot

At first the slow pace can be trying for action junkies, but after a short bit of time you find yourself playing just a little bit longer to finish that last task or to reach another goal.

Eurogamer

It's not just niggling repetition and control issues that detract from the overall package. There are many things that could have improved matters - being stuck in the same house feels somewhat stifling and claustrophobic, and for this reviewer was the main reason it shattered the dream possibility of The Sims 2 delivering a virtual personality simulation the way that classic Alter Ego did all those years ago.

GamerFeed

Perhaps the biggest draw to the new Sims is the fact that your Sims can now grow old and die. This transforms some of the open-endedness found in the original game to one that is significantly more goal oriented.

Total Video Games

Repetitive, yet strangely addictive, The Sims 2 has a style that furthers the original in every way. Graphically and audibly, the game stands out and the unique gameplay means that it really is a genre defining title.

G4 TV

Other problems, such as pathfinding issues will be painfully familiar to die-hard Sims fans. If a Sim places something like a pizza box in a narrow hallway, everyone will get stuck for hours of game time because they can’t step over it.

Edge Magazine

When two Sims lovingly clasp each other as they sleep, even the coldest gaming hearts will begin to melt. [Oct 2004, p.102]

Maxim Online

From the sadist to the social scientist, The Sims 2 gives you an infinite sandbox to play in.

Gamer.tv

If you enjoyed the first game, you'll be knocked out by the franchise's latest lease on life.

Gamenikki

A game sequel done right, with only the blatant and unabashed commercialism working against it...or for it, depending on how you look at the game.