The Sims 2: Nightlife Hands-On (PC)
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As is typical with Sims games, it's hard to focus on getting any one
particular thing done because there's so much to do. Like buy a car. Did I
even need
a car to become a vampire? Of course not, but I had to have one. For the
chicks. Five car models are available, with about a dozen paint-jobs for each,
so even the smallest car has some variety. You can give your little hatchback
a Wayne's World paint-job, or leave it with rusted fenders and mismatched
panels. There's also a pick-up truck, a minivan, a classy sedan, or of course,
a slick sports car.
Buying a car requires that you first build a driveway, which attaches to the
road. Later on you can add a garage door and a garage. Some of the sample
homes in the expansion pack have some classy carports, so it's possible to be
creative with where you house your wheels. Aside from getting you downtown or
to work without requiring a taxi or carpool, cars can be a date destination
in and of themselves. You can sit inside and listen to the radio, make out, or
-- to put it delicately -- steam up the windows. If the family minivan is
rockin', don't come knockin'!
(http://media.pc.gamespy.com/media/739/739565/img_3041385.html)
What hotblooded young single can resist sultry bowling action?
Okay, so now I had wheels in the driveway, but no fangs in my face. I
decided to scope out the Crypt O' Nightclub, surely a vampire haunt if I ever
heard
of one. Sure 'nuff, this place was the pimp: old gothic wrought-iron
railings, dark decor, red walls, black curtains, dead trees, and a DJ spinning
the
hardest of house beats. In Nightlife you can sidle up to the bar, order a few
drinks, even chat up and hit on the bartenders. I proceeded to do all of
these things, but no vamps were in sight.
It seems that if you have a few drinks and then hit the dance floor, you'll
stumble around like a stricken pi¿ata. It was awesome. Not very smooth,
though. However, I did manage to get the patrons to join me in a rousing line
dance.
(http://media.pc.gamespy.com/media/739/739565/img_3041386.html)
Making out in my sweet ride.
Okay, day two: me and mom hit the bowling alley together. You'd think a
night at the lanes with mom would be a terrible way to meet people, but one
cool
thing about Nightlife is that "the magic" can happen anywhere. If you click
on your own Sim and select "Scope the Room," you'll check out the whole
place. Sims that get your motor running will shimmer and they'll appear in a
thought bubble over your head. I immediately took to this chick named Onya:
being
that my Sim had the "Pleasure seeker" aspiration, my wants immediately rolled
over and turned into things like "Talk to Onya" and "ask Onya out." Hedonism
is good.
Turns out that vampires don't like to bowl, or if they do, they must only
come during league night. So after another night on the town I was back to the
drawing board, with nothing to show for it but the phone numbers of several
hotties. I put these to good use: Nightlife now has a "Group" feature, so it's
easy to kick off a party with a bunch of friends. Clicking on the telephone
will allow you to "Manage Groups," so you can stick a bunch of your friends
in a group. Then you can invite the whole group simultaneously either over to
your house or out on the town.
You can either host a formal group outing -- which will be scored, like a
date, and may give you rewards -- or you can go out "just for fun," which is a
way of getting a bunch of people together with no strings attached. I didn't
want to be tied down in case I met up with my vamp, so I called up a bunch
of girls (including the local college cheerleader) out just for fun to
"Rodney's Hangout." Rodney's is a great little bar with a piano, a pool table,
and a
couple of poker tables. My group hit it off big time. There was dancing to
the jukebox, beverages, and before I knew it I was playing cards.
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