The Sims: Bustin' Out is a game that presents the challenges of life within the confines of a video game. It's all about finding your place in the world, moving from the parental nest, falling in love, making friendships and succeeding in a career. Along the way, there will be heartbreaks and parties, laughter and tears. But how do such lofty goals fit into the world of games?



The two main modes in The Sims: Bustin' Out are the Get a Life game and free play. The latter feels very much like playing The Sims on a PC – players create many Sims and watch them live out their lives. For a more goal oriented affair players must choose Get a Life mode. Urged by one's mother to get a job and their own place the player sets out to create a life of their own.

So how does one go about this? Well the player has to keep the Sim healthy and happy making sure his/her needs are met. It's also vital to focus on one of the seven main career paths – after all it's only ten promotions to the level of millionaire. At the beginning of the game, a Sim can begin one of a number of different career paths and that effects which of the new locations the Sim can travel to. And the careers are not simply a life of dull drudgery being a desk jockey; there's a chance to be a movie star, cook, fashion expert, mad scientist or even a gangster. A few more jobs that the selection offered wouldn't have gone amiss, but you can't have everything.

Along the way to career nirvana the player will house the Sim in a variety of locals, each becoming more plush following success. Homes can be decorated in the usual Sim manner to create the home of one's dreams. However, it's important to stay focused on the immediate needs of the Sim and not just on the long term goals. The clock keeps ticking fast and with a toilet break taking 30 minutes of game time it can become tricky to meet all these needs. A sim needs food, cleanliness, entertainment, rest and relationships – there's a lot to cram into one day. Managing all these different tasks and trying to reach the next goal can be tough.

To help the player keep those tasks in mind the screen offers motive metres, showing the current needs of the Sim. These bars need to be topped up to keep the Sim happy. It's not always as difficult as you might imagine – dancing in the house with flatmates will do the trick for entertainment rather than a more grandiose party.



It's a shame that the player sees very little of the Sim at work. Other than a few locations that help them learn new skills needed for promotion. Sims is resolutely focused on home life and that's something of a shame because there is great scope for comedy within the office environment, as David Brent fans are well aware.

Graphically the Sims engine is showing its age and control feels somewhat lacking compared to the PC games. It's in 3D but the animations leave something to be desired. The great transitional animation that we see in EA Sports games is missing here so even entertaining animations here tend to seem weaker due to the way one movement switches to the next. There are also camera issues, but that's the plague of most third-person games and Bustin' Out is no better or worse than many games. Xbox is the prettier of the versions and doesn't have the frame rate issues of the PS2 version, but there's very little difference between the different formats. The original Sims is four years old now and in much need of a revamp, which hopefully Sims 2 will provide later this year.

Sounds are good, the atmosphere of home is well realised with the mundane sounds of people living together; clinking dishes, toilets flushing, folks talking toot. The sounds heard during an argument or a fight are perhaps the most entertaining.

There are some different features on offer for the various formats. PS2 Online support allows players to visit each other's houses and swap items. GameCube woners can link up with a Game Boy Advance to earn cash on the handheld to use in the bigger game. All version boast a two player mode that allows friends to guide two characters around in both of the game's main modes.



[Jen]

All the new toys, locations and extras in the world can't hide the fact that The Sims is a pretty old game. While PC owners have had to put up with innumerable add-ons, console owners at least have seen much of this content condensed into two games. One could argue that Bustin' Out should be priced at the level of an add-on rather than a full game but that's the console market at the moment – software is overpriced. It's a competent enough game and die-hard Sims fans will lap it up, however those who are intrigued by the concept, or who have never played a Sims game before would be better advised to wait a few months for Sims 2.

[Alex]

I much prefer the PC version of the Sims, but after many add-ons I'm bored with the whole thing. Bustin' Out has its moments but as Jen said, I really do feel that it is a game for hardcore Sims fans only. Some colourful graphics and some moments of humour can't really hide the fact that this is a four year old game given a lick of paint and put on the shelves at full price. If you are a Sim fan, don't worry, you'll love this to bits – for the rest, it's probably not your thing.