Urbz: Sims in the City, The

Armchair Empire

Takes the Sims series in a new and good direction.

PSM Magazine

It's as addictive and funny as any other Sims game - that's plenty good. [Holiday 2004, p.80]

GamePro

Urbz offers a nice, fresh twist on the Sims experience, for both veterans and newbies alike. Yet, despite seeing the goofy characters in a new fish tank, there isn't enough freshness throughout to keep you down wid it. It's not bad, it's just not baaad-you feel me?

GameSpy

It might not be as deep as its PC counterpart, but it's perfect for console gamers, who are generally looking for a more casual experience. By the end, my buddy was living the high life, and I was actually proud that my Urb was finally one of the popular kids.

AceGamez

With quirky graphics, familiar sounds, a nice variation in missions and tasks, a high level of interaction where jobs are concerned and some great new power socials, The Urbz is a worthy addition to most peoples' collection.

Game Informer

I feel that the game opens up too quickly and that, while there a respectable nine districts, each has very similar goals and features. [Dec 2004, p.164]

3DAvenue

Possibly the best choice for those wanting a Sims game without having to do the house decorations and design, and for those who just want to be able to keep playing and playing without worrying to much about time management and having to deal with mundane tasks in an on going fashion.

IGN

It's fun if you really enjoyed the Sims and want to play a glitzy, more streamlined version of the game. But some players will probably miss the non-linearity.

Next Level Gaming

The good is it is a very fun game. The bad is it seems a bit watered down from the original game.

Gaming Nexus

The series was solid to begin with and it seems that the developers tinkered with a formula that didn’t need to be changed.

GameSpot

Maxis' bold changes to the original formula set forth by The Sims aren't all for the better, but they make The Urbz a very distinctive and surprisingly solid game.

GameZone

I don't know about you, but my idea of a good time does not involve the viewing of a man or woman going to the bathroom. All nude parts are purposely blurred, but even so, it was completely unnecessary.

Yahoo! Games

Fun for a while, and the customization is quite compelling at first, but before long the innate repetition, linearity, and ultimate emptiness really begin to grate.

DarkStation

What's really interesting about this game is that for all that it's doing differently, it still just does not feel all that much different from the typical Sims formula.

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

It's rather like cotton candy - fun if insubstantial, without any redeeming nutritional value. But there are times when cotton candy hits the spot just fine. [Jan 2005, p.102]

Game Over Online

It's fun, but a shallow fun, based on shallow characters ' maybe the perfect game for the kids from "Clueless" or "The OC."

Electronic Gaming Monthly

The streamlined motives are a tremendous improvement in alleviating tedium - so why the heck is the skill advancement so painful? [Holiday 2004, p.108]

Gamer.tv

A very sweet game and, thankfully, very easy to play from the outset. While nowhere near as comprehensive as "The Sims," this is as endearing and sylish as keeping people as pets gets.

games(TM)

The Urbz feels like a step back for the franchise; despite EA's efforts to bring gamers a "console exclusive' there's not a lot on offer here. Fans won't find anything new, but newcomers may well discover the pleasure of the series and seek out EA's back catalogue of simulated lifestyles. [Christmas 2004, p.114]

G4 TV

A pleasant change from "The Sims" that is tailored to those who would find the constant reinventing of personal style an appealing diversion.

TotalGames.net

The Urbz is simply not fun. At all. Not only are your Urbz's bodily functions hyper-accelerated, but satisfying one of them, naturally to the detriment of another, is too time consuming with animations lasting an uncomfortably long amount of time, especially when you'll be seeing them so often.

Detroit Free Press

Seems that once you've done it all in one district, though, you'll end up doing the same things elsewhere. The only fundamental changes are the background and the inhabitants. There's no real final goal; you just keep playing until you get tired.

Boomtown

If The Urbz was marketed as ironic social commentary it may have raised a wry smile, but the frivolous manner in which it tries to appeal to the cool-set eventually becomes irritating.

Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

A "Sims"-Lite with a 12-year-old's vision of life painted glossily (and thinly) on top. You'll either love it or hate it depending on your view of games and the world. [PSM2]

Sydney Morning Herald

The developers totally misunderstood what makes The Sims so appealing. There is little opportunity for creativity (furnishing your apartment is tedious), no drama and a mistaken emphasis on conservative conformity.