Review I

No doubt you have all heard of people who live in glass, or see-through homes - the general public watching their every move for days or weeks on end via PCs and TVs. These human guinea pigs, do they not sound even slightly strange?

But, even weirder, are those who watch them. How can there be such fascination with watching people going through their daily lives? Still, Maxis has given us the chance to do just that, to entertain our voyeuristic side, so let's have a perv at The Sims and see what all the fuss is about.

Initially the game is quite confronting, where the player can watch the Sims get changed, eat dinner, and have a bit of a "how's your mother" before the day's over. You get to choose whether your character is going to go to the toilet or alternatively you can let them wet themselves.

If you run short of funds to get that house you've wanted you can always become a serial killer and starve your wives (nudge, wink !) to death just to take all their moola. Hey, it's good money, trust me.

Deluxe Edition

Deluxe Edition combines the full version The Sims with the first and best in the series of Sims expansion packs, The Sims Livin' Large. This expansion pack puts Sim families into fun situations and settings; adds dozens of intriguing items that include a home chemistry lab, heart shaped bed, crystal ball, and more; and entertaining new characters that include a grim reaper, genie, clown, and more.

The Sims Creator, which only comes in the Deluxe edition, is a new customization tool that lets you create your own Sim characters. You can create a variety of Sims by selecting new clothes, designing new attire, and adding accessories such as belts, ties, and jewelry. You can even import faces into the program and apply it to a Sim character.

The Deluxe version also comes with two new designs sets that offer 25 new objects (found only in The Sims Deluxe Edition), as well as 50 new clothing choices. While some experienced players may find the new customization tool and design sets worth the price of the Deluxe Edition, most who already own The Sims and Livin' Large can probably pass on it. Despite the additions, this Deluxe version is mainly geared towards those who haven't yet discovered the pleasures of controlling those compelling, virtual human characters.