'Sims 2: Nightlife' adds vampires, love and cars By: _Teresa Reilly, Collegian Correspondent_ () Issue date: 10/11/05 Section: _Arts & Living_ (http://media.www.dailycollegian.com/news/2005/10/11/ArtsLiving/)
Electronic Arts Games has released its newest addition to the "Sims" collection, "the Sims 2: Nightlife." It creates a whole new set of possibilities to the already impressive "Sims 2." This new expansion pack includes everything from a new pleasure aspiration, to cruising around in your very own car, to getting bitten by a vampire. After the immense success of the original "Sims," EA Games released an entirely new version of the popular game in Sept. 2004. They're reaching higher with this version; "the Sims 2" adds a smorgasbord of desires and wants to the lives of a Sim, allowing for a much more detailed playing game. Now players can build multiple levels of a mansion, thus opening up the possibilities for houses. Users can also pick the exact facial features of their Sims, which allows you to create a decent replica of yourself. In older versions of the game, part of the goal was to get married, have children and create a family. "The Sims 2: Nightlife" has taken the process of finding that special someone to a whole new level. If you happen to have trouble finding that person of your dreams you can call up the Matchmaking Service, which will not only hook you up with a date that is destined to go well but will also provide you with love potion (at a cost, of course) that will make you irresistible. Your dream Sim date will fall from the sky and a meter will appear in the right hand screen to let you know how the date is doing. This meter also provides you with what your date's wants, helping you to figure out what to do in order to have the perfect date. If your date goes well you may receive a love letter in your mail (or a hate letter if things don't go as planned) or even flowers on your doorstep. If, while on your date, the atmosphere gets a little boring, you can hop into your new car and cruise over to the new huge downtown area. You and your date can do anything from bowling to karaoke to a nice walk in the park to a fine dinner. At night, however, you may want to watch your back for the vampires that prowl. Should you encounter a vampire in your travels and happen to get friendly with them, you might wind up with a bite on your neck and the sudden ability to fly as a bat. If life as a bat doesn't appeal to you, simply call up the Matchmaking Service and buy the anti-vampire potion that will cure you. "The Sims 2: Nightlife" carries over 125 new objects, including a DJ station, photo booth and karaoke. Perhaps the best new series of objects are cars. Before this new addition, a car would come to pick you up and carry you to work or wherever else you desired. Now you can buy your own car, build a garage for it and drive yourself to work. With the creation of the "Sims 2" came the addition of aspirations, which basically define what your Sim's needs and wants will be. In "the Sims 2: Nightlife," a new aspiration is added to the possibilities, pleasure. In the pleasure aspiration, your Sim will crave great dates and crazy parties, while fearing embarrassing moments and anything that requires effort. All great games have their various downfalls and "Sims 2: Nightlife" is no exception. As the "Sims" games continue to expand and include more things, the space that they require also increases. This new expansion requires 1,303 MB of space on your PC, in addition to the original "Sims 2" (which is required to play the expansion) which needs 2,808 MB of space. With all that space being taken up in your computer, the game tends to lag a bit and if your Sim happens to die (which they tend to more frequently in the expansion for whatever reason) you're most likely going to have to wait out a brief game pause. "The Sims" alone is an amazing game that allows you to control a world in a way that is impossible to in real life. If you are a fan of the popular game in any of its forms than the $30 you spend on this expansion pack will only add to the fun. The creation of "the Sims 2: Nightlife" will once again leave you open to a new world to discover. ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com
