There are three neighborhoods where you can live in the base version of The Sims 2: Pleasantview, Veronaville, and Strangetown. But whereas every other Sims game has players opt to dive headfirst into the series' strangeness, The Sims 2 grabbed your mouse-wielding hand and yanked you right in. The Sims has always been weird-just pick up The Sims Makin' Magic or Livin' Large and you'll see what I mean. The best part? Its immersive and completely-and-totally-out-there stories. The game's fantastic expansion packs helped make the game more charming and wild, but compared to later titles, it lacked the feeling of infinite possibilities. While I still poured an ungodly amount of time into the game-and adored nearly every moment of it-much of that time was also spent yearning for more options.
THE SIMS GAME SERIES SERIES
Sure, it can absolutely be argued that it takes a certain degree of imagination and projection to make The Sims games enjoyable in the first place and that monotony is part of their charm, but the first entry in the series required a lot more give than most of us would probably be comfortable dishing out nowadays. With limited character customization, ways to interact, careers paths, and lots available to move into, it didn't take long to feel as if I was ultimately telling the same story over and over and over again. While impressive at the time, The Sims series' humble origins were ultimately just that: humble.
The worst? Limited gameplay quickly makes the game feel repetitive. The amount of room The Sims gave its players for social exploration cannot be overstated and remains incredibly important. When I picked up the game as a 7-year-old, it was the first time I had played something that allowed for gay relationships, and that feature ultimately made me more aware of my own bisexuality. It was also socially significant, allowing players to play out different social scenarios, try on different lives, and explore empathy and relationships in an entirely new way. Though both simulation games and role-playing games were alive and thriving in the '90s, The Sims was unique in how it mashed the two genres together-letting players assume various personas, hone their skills, and lead them through human stories, all while also providing a challenging and incredibly intelligent simulation experience. Now Playing: The Sims' Darkest Mystery: The Fate Of Its Most Famous Sim | Lorescape The Sims The Simsįrom both a technological and sociological point of view, the first Sims game marked a massive turning point for video games.
So, here's a list of all the features we simply can't get enough of, as well as the parts we've been glad to see go.īy clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's However, while many of The Sims' innovative changes seen throughout the series' 22-year run have been winners, we can't deny there's been a few duds in there as well-such is the cost you pay when constantly reimagining one of gaming's most beloved series. Not only did the simulation game revolutionize the genre upon its release and act as a major entry-point into games for so many, the series keeps improving upon it, and remains one of the most inclusive and inviting gaming experiences around. But then again, there also aren't too many series like The Sims.įirst released 22 years ago today, The Sims is one of the most iconic video game franchises of all time and for good reason. There aren't many series that can claim to have created an entire language, and even fewer that can proudly state they got Katy Perry, Carly Rae Jepsen, and My Chemical Romance to sing some of their most iconic songs in it.