"The Sims" Electronic Arts Reviewed by Jerry I went into this game with a bit of skepticism. After-all, how exciting can the monotony of life be? I have to say, I was quite surprised by the answer. "The Sims" takes the concept of games like Roller-Coaster Tycoon and SimCity and brings it down to a more personal level. You are given control of a family of "Sims", guiding every aspect of their little lives. Everything from their profession to how often they brush their teeth. You can begin the game with a pre-designed family of Sims, or you can tailor their appearance and personalities to your liking. After you've furnished your starting house with the essentials, you set out to find your Sims work. There are a wide range of careers to choose from, and each career has multiple levels of advancement. As your Sims progress in their career, their weekly earnings increase, allowing them more luxurious items. Maxis has put alot of effort into creating unique and entertaining items available to your Sims. There are close to 150 different items available, each piece having it's own attributes, from energy-increasing coffee makers to comfort-increasing toilets. As an added bonus, you can also pause the game and go into a robust "build" mode, which allows you to completely tailor the layout and look of your Sims' house. You can add or remove walls, build a second-story, change the flooring, and more. If you're unhappy with the color of the house, you can choose from a large selection of paints, wallpaper and even walls. The meat of the game, however, is managing the every-day aspects of your Sims' lives. Left to their own devices, they'll use the bathroom, eat, watch television, etc. If you're not careful, however, you may find one of your Sims sleeping on the couch, relieving themselves in the kitchen, or skipping out on work! Throw in neighbors, burglars and kids, and you can see how involved the game can be. Given the recent sequel mania and flood of first-person shooters, "The Sims" proves to be refreshing and unique. We rate this highly addictive game a "Great Buy." Official Game site Sim Freaks The Well Dressed Sims Sim Fever Screen Shots Click to enlarge