At the end of a grueling day, there’s nothing like relaxing by playing some video games to unwind.  EA Games and Maxis studios invite you to take a load off from a long day of work, socializing, and completing routine tasks such as showering, eating, and tidying up by playing a video game… that has gamers’ video counterparts going to work, socializing, showering, eating, and tidying up.  Sound odd?  It isn’t odd, it’s the latest edition of the Sims for home consoles, and for the two of you out there who don’t know about the Sims phenomenon, the Sims is all about doing what we all do in our day to day grind. 

A mega-hit on the PC, The Sims moved to home consoles last year with moderate success.  While the PC versions focused on building a family of Sims and letting them loose with no goals other than their creators’ ambitions, the console versions feature a goal-oriented mode that dictate a single Sim’s life (Proponents of free-will need not worry – it takes merely a few minutes of game play to unlock Free Play mode, which mirrors the PC versions).  It’s this mode, called Bustin’ Out, that really separates Bustin’ Out from its PC counterparts. 

If you’ve never had the joy of playing the Sims, it’s truly an original idea from the makers of such classics as SimCity, SimFarm, and SimAnt.  The Sims is like those little Japanese Tomagatchi pets on anabolic steroids, but instead of playing with litter-box filling pixilated critters, Sims players work with digital dudes and dudettes, adjusting their personalities like Prozac, choosing their career paths like a smelly high school guidance counselor, and buying items for their house like an interior decorator with some freakish Ikea catalogs.  There are no real bad guys, no high scores, no levels to unlock, no intelligible dialogue.  Gamers simply make their Sim (or Sims) and guide them through their existence.  Though they have minds of their own, gamers must constantly issue them commands to do the most routine activities such as eating, relaxing, and even using the toilet.  The reward for satisfying a Sim’s needs is a happy Sim, and a happy Sim gets promoted at work giving him or her more moolah to buy more things.  It’s the American dream on a television screen.  That’s it.  Nothing more.  It’s a simple idea, but it is as incredibly addictive as its top-of-the-PC-charts-for-years reputation leads it to be. 

The Bustin’ Out mode, as stated before, is a goal-oriented social and career ladder structured game, in which different features, from new duds and items to social interactions, are unlocked.  The goals may be as simple as finding a job or more complex such as throwing a successful opening art gallery party.  Most of the fun of the original Sims game, building and outfitting a house, has been taken away in Bustin’ Out mode, but improvements can be made to existing houses at your own will.  Just as most of you fastidious gamers probably do, your Sim begins the game living with its mother.  Once a few initial goals are completed (Mom’s house serves as a tutorial/starting point) it’s time to move on out.  Depending on your Sim’s career choice, different abodes will be available.  Fashion Moguls may find artsy studios or hoppin’ clubs as possible domiciles, whereas Mad Scientists may be living in sterile labs.  These living spaces are already furnished and already have inhabitants.  It’s up to the player to make sure their Sim gets along with their surroundings and roommates.  Sims can get married, have children, even die, but they do not age, get sick, or pass on their genes.  These improvements are expected in the Sims 2, which most people are waiting on pins and needles for. 

The Bustin’ Out goes further than just moving from place to place.  “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” they say, so why not hit the scene and make sure your Sim has a little fun instead of grinding away in the Rat Race?  Let your little fella’ bust some maneuvers at the local club, go visit a friend, or get them rock hard abs you’ve always wanted (whether they be on your body or a local hottie’s) at the local gym.  These other locales have clear advantages to helping out your Sim’s mood, particularly the social aspect, but there often isn’t anything that can’t be accomplished at home with a few thousand simoleons, and staying out all night may leave your little guy tired for work the next day.  A vehicle takes your Sim from locale to locale, and they’re upgradeable (though I didn’t get any more booty in the sports car than the little scooter).  

Being more of an expansion pack than the Sims 2 (wait for that one – it should be sharp), the graphics and audio have been upgraded, but not substantially.  The look of the game is a bit clearer, but even on its 720i graphics support it wasn’t much better than the past edition.  Of course, being an expansion, the biggest addition to the graphics is the inclusion of many, many more animations and new items.  It’s all superficial and material, but the die-hard Sims fans clearly cannot get enough lamps or chairs for their mansions. 

The sound of The Sims Bustin’ Out is a wash.  Nothing glaringly new, just a lot more of the same.  The wah-wah ala Charlie Brown’s parents speak is back, of course, and the typical sounds of the TV or jukebox provide ample ambience. 

The Sims Bustin’ Out will not make believers out of cynics who have tried the other versions, as it is basically the same game with a few extras, but for those of you who have admitted your Sim as part of your family (freak!), The Sims Bustin’ Out is worth your while. 

Gameplay: 8.5

A brilliant idea rehashed and designed to make even more money for EA games.  The gameplay is still fantastic, but Bustin’ Out just doesn’t add enough for casual Sims fans.   

Graphics: 8.0

Better than previous versions, but the console versions will never be as good as the PC versions.  The new animations are the best addition to the game and look fantastic, however.

Sound: 7.0

Pretty standard stuff here.  I don’t think I heard anything that I hadn’t heard before. 

Difficulty: Easy

It’s easy enough for anyone to get into.  If you know anything about the basic human needs, you can play the game.   

Concept: 7.5

I know I’ve touted the Sims as being one of the best game ideas ever, but until they really add depth from the original version, it remains conceptually stale. 

Multiplayer: 7.0

No Xbox Live support (it IS an EA game, after all), but they do allow for simultaneous control, which wears thin after a while.   

Overall: 7.8

Lacking the user-friendly controls of the computer versions (though the controls on the Xbox were surprisingly manageable) and anything groundbreaking, The Sims Bustin’ Out is nothing more than a slight improvement over the other console edition.  Having said that, if you’ve always wanted to give the Sims a try and haven’t played the older version, this is definitely the version to pick up.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to replenish my green bar under the toilet icon.