The MySims (Wii, 2007)

As a huge fan of Simulation games, I couldn't resist diving into the Wii's attempt at a Sims genre. While it has some very unique aspects, it turns out to be a very simplified version of other classic Sims game...

+++ POSITIVES +++

+ Cute graphics - the super-deformed characters are a unique twist to the Sims genre than the human-like characters we're used to.

+ Lots To Do - Make no mistake, you'll be busy in this game. People are always asking you to perform tasks for them and to help spruce up the town. At any given time, you could have half-a-dozen things to do.

+ Lots To Discover - At first, it seems that the limits of the town will quickly bore you, but as the game advances, LOTS of areas unlock for you to explore and discover! A great incentive to keep playing!

+ Laid Back - One thing that I didn't like in previous Sims games was time constraints. In My Sims, several days can elapse with no consequences. Your Sim doesn't need to eat or sleep, which allows you to go at your own pace. This is nice if you need to set the controller down to go do something else and come back several minutes later.

--- NEGATIVES ---

- Slow Loading Time - This is my biggest pet peeve of the game. Just moving from inside to outside, you'll wait anywhere from 5 to 20 seconds for it to reload. It felt like waiting for Sims 2 on my slow PC computer.

- Numerous Glitches - There are several spots in the game where the animations will stall or skip frames, making it appear choppy. C'mon this is supposed to be an advanced gaming system which should avoid things like that (and the slow loading time)!

- Limited Dialogue - While the graphics may seem Animal Crossing-esque, there is typically only a few lines that any one person will converse with you. Fortunately, there are lots of chracters, so this isn't much of a problem, at first.

- Critical Sims Themes Missing - Part of the fun was to try and juggle the many things of your Sim that humans do in real life, like sleeping, eating, getting a job, making money, and even going to the bathroom! All of these aspects are missing from My Sims, which makes it a bit more laid back, but makes the challenge a bit too easy.

OVERALL:

While other Sims games focus on helping Sims live out their lives (in the complex way that we all do), My Sims is more focused on task-management and architecture than the social aspect of everday life. In other words, while other Sims games may feel like real-life for some, My Sims feels more like an ordinary game.

If you've played previous Sims games and found them to be a bit to overwhelming, you may find the right mix in My Sims. If you're a hardcore Sims player who wants to challenge an complexity that other Sims games offer, you won't find it here...