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Review
Installation & Documentation
Ease of use
Value for money
Price (approx)	$88.50
Operating System	MacOS 9.2+ or Mac OS X 10.1+ Full version of The Sims required
Available from	Aspyr & Apple resellers

Receiving The Sims for Christmas three years ago was the start of an obsession lasting over two years. It faded out as time went on and I discovered real life again but, just as I had nearly given up playing it altogether, The Sims Unleashed turned up on my desk. That was three weeks ago and I'm as obsessed again. The Sims Unleashed adds a whole new aspect to the game I was so hopelessly devoted to.

Now your Sims cannot only interact with each other in public places like cafes, shops and pool halls, but they can buy and interact with pets.

At the pet shop, your Sim can buy budgies, turtles, cats, dogs - even iguanas - for their households. You can name them, give them toilets and kennels and food bowls and, just like real pets, they have a random factor built in. Unlike your Sim people, you cannot make your pets do things, just watch them interact with their owners, relieve themselves if need be, feast out of golden bowls and even try to eat your family's pet goldfish if you leave them unattended too long.

On launch, you see immediately how much bigger your game play just became

While The Sims Unleashed has no goal in particular, and no levels or challenges to complete, the fact that you set your own goals gives you the freedom to run the game any way you please. Your goal could be to conquer the hacking world, or to have a successfully functioning 'normal' family (believe me, it's much harder than it sounds!) or just to keep a household running smoothly for a week or so in Sim time.

Sim-ply suburbia
And guess what? Multiple neighbourhoods and even more sections per neighbourhood means you can do all of this on a grand scale, if you think you're capable. Your Sims need constant attention while the game is running (once the game is not running, neither are they). Although the game can chug along with your Sims looking after themselves using their own built-in artificial intelligence and ability (in a sort of autopilot mode), they don't do a very good job (you'll find people burning to death, having fights and moving out, peeing on the floor and generally being grumpy and moody). You're much better off controlling them yourself, which is naturally much more fun.

With pause, normal time and two fast time settings, you can change the pace of the game as often as you please. I have the habit of playing between pause and high speed modes; pausing to give them new things to do, then speeding up while they do them.

Your Sims can call a cab (which is very cool-looking) and explore the old town. You can then make them visit pet stores, cafes, vegetable and seed stores or just the parks. Coffee and pastries are sold from separate stalls, while your Sims can be serenaded by saxophonists or entertained by an organ grinder. Madam Lucille wanders around her mask and candle shop offering palm reading, while Gardener Bob informs your Sims about growing their own vegetables and pest control. Shop attendants, pet trainers and cleaners also wander around, waiting to assist your Sims' every wish.

Pet show judging: "What do you mean FooFoo's not a pedigree?!"

While there is a public pool hall, they can always just play at home with their friends, and there's even a gambling machine to keep them entertained - but beware, they get a bit huffy if they lose $100, especially if you keep making them bet and they keep losing.

Unleashed Sims can grow and eat their own vegetables in their handy little vege garden patches called, somewhat laconically, Insta-Plot Victory Gardens! You can buy them in the Build Mode (under Plant Tools) for $65 simoleons. Seeds can be purchased by going into Show Gardening Shops when in the Old Town Cab. You can buy carrot, green bean, lettuce and tomato seeds from Gardener Bob - your Sims can even profit by selling their veges.

Over all, The Sims Unleashed is a great way to expand you and your Sims' horizons - it adds many new aspects to the game. Being able to interact in a neighbourhood environment makes playing so much more fun, and adding pets as characters makes a big difference to the dynamic of the game. It's highly enjoyable and very addictive and may soon, scarily, have you more involved in your Sims' lives than your own.

© Parkside Media 2004
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