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| | Publisher: Aspyr Media  Genre: Simulation | | | Mac OS X: Any Version Mac OS Classic: Not Supported |
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Before even getting into this review, one point must be made apparent: I have never played any of The Sims titles previous to this one. Contrary to popular belief, those of us in the games journalism industry do not necessarily play every A-list game that graces our platforms. In fact, when first asked to review this title, my first question was if I needed a copy of The Sims 2 to play, which I was quickly informed was not the case.So here we have yet another title in the series that seems determined to outlast even the Pokemon series: The Sims: Life Stories. A standalone title, TSLS was apparently crafted to beckon to both veterans and newbies alike with something old and something new. Mostly old, though, according to longtime fans that I consulted regarding features that were all new to me. In addition, TSLS is billed as being "laptop friendly," which almost makes it seem like a portable version of The Sims 2. TSLS seems to be an experiment of sorts. It's the first title to deviate from the traditional sandbox formula, instead hemming players into a pre-conceived storyline, complete with specific goals and resolutions. The question is whether or not this new angle is enough to coax longtime players into a purchase, as the rest of the game just seems to be more of the same. Credit goes to the EA team for giving it a go, though whether or not the idea is successful is debatable. Life Stories: Days of Our Sim Lives As its title suggests, TSLS's main feature is its inclusion of instanced storylines, a feature not found in the original Sims 2. Though there are only two stories, one must be played before the second becomes available, a minor quibble for those that may have preferred to start with the second story.The first story features a Sim named Riley. Looking to get a fresh start on life, Riley arrives at her aunt's house, who suddenly finds various excuses not to be home for several days at a time. This gives Riley plenty of time to take over the house as her own, meet her neighbors, acquire work, and live the dream life that only Sims can dream of - a life that includes being told to use the toilet, clean the house, and fetch the newspaper. The second story swaps genders, allowing players to watch over Vince. The CEO of a successful tech company, Vince has long been unlucky in love. He starts the game with a new girlfriend, but twists and turns take him through some interesting experiences as he looks for that perfect special someone. Each of these stories are driven by an ever-changing series of goals that both Riley and Vince decide upon as the game progresses. For example, Riley, upon meeting the neighbors, decides that one of them is hot enough to hit on and proceeds to do so. Once that goal is completed, she may decide later that she wants to get a job, advance in said job, take that object of her affection out on a date, and so on. Completion of each of these goals serves to further advance the story until it comes to its inevitable conclusion. In addition to these goals, an equally ever-changing series of wants will also present themselves. Though not necessary for story advancement, fulfilling these wants will award players with Aspiration points, a form of currency that allows players to purchase special items from an Aspirations Reward catalog. Completing goals also awards players with Aspiration points, though the main drive for completing goals tends more towards driving the story forward than netting more points that could more efficiently be obtained through other means.
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