At times, the gameplay is slow and not the kind of hyperactive one-on-one action that usually accompanies two-player modes. I spent most of my time figuring out which sim was mine, as the other sims had a tendency to crowd into compact circles. The two-player makes for a nice break from the normal gameplay, but the execution is less than spectacular.

Next to the gameplay enhancement, the game has received a grade-A, 3D makeover, viewable though a full-rotation 3D camera. The new look gives the game an entirely new level of realism—albeit a cartoon reality—and game elements that have been around from the beginning also received a mini-makeover.

The camera in the console version offers a marked improvement over its PC sibling, zooming and turning at a rate that would be enviable on computer. It was, however, disappointing that you can only zoom in a certain distance. So if you were hoping to get close and personal with your simulations, it’s not going to happen. C’est la vie. Maybe we’ll have our chance in Sims II.

Though it can be difficult to play PC games with a console game controller, Edge of Reality did a commendable job mapping the various keys to the controller. It may take a little practice to memorize the controls, but not too much before you’re simming with the best of them.

Like the other Sims titles, the console version will have equal pull on women gamers. It still has the same great low-maintenance gameplay, which allows you to sim for a few minutes and then quit and save at any point. Plus, with the two-player mode and added complex relationships with Mom and Mimi Landgrabb, it adds a new element of virtual socialization that could easily tweak interests of the femme population. Plus, in the season of Dead or Alive Beach Volleyball, it’s nice to play a game where the women stand on equal footing with men.

Other than several aural and interface tweaks, along with a few new items, this game is pure, unadulterated Sims goodness. If you’ve been looking for a nice steady role as a god-like figurehead, Sims for PS2 has the fix for you.