Honest Reviews Please

[stim_SC]

I need some honest reviews on Pets. I have played every single expansion pack since Livin' Large, except Pets. I'm home for the holiday now and my mom, who has always been vaguely interested in my Sims game, mentioned seeing the Pets expansion and, knowing me, was shocked I didn't have it. She's cute and told me to let her know if I wanted Santa to bring it, which is funny in itself since my parents haven't bought me a video game since House Party.

But I need some good, honest reviews. I'm very discriminating when it comes to video games. I'm in a degree track that feeds into video game story development. I get upset with game disappointment, even when its irrelevant. Example: I'm upset the Wii's graphics are anything but an improvement over the GameCube, even though I have neither.

I'm also a college student. Video games are not something I can toss around. The cost of Pets is 1/3 of my weekly budget. Yes, I could ask for it for Christmas, but I could also ask for something else, such as train fare. At the same time, I've been getting practical gifts for the past three years and it'd be neat to get something just because I want it and don't need it.

I've read some of the other threads, but I'm still unsure.

How is the game play? How glad are you that you bought this? Did it meet your expectations? Do you feel it came out too soon? How many bugs are there? I run my games below the recommended system requirements but have never had a problem with it before. What are the chances Pets will be different?

I know this is long winded and drawn out, but I genuinely want to know. I've been with this franchise for a long time, I've seen its ups and its downs. Your input is greatly appreciated.

[photo]

i love it personally... i love the new sets that came with it and i think that the pets add a needed "something" to the game. there are some bugs that people have reported though i haven't seen any (maybe i'm just lucky). i too run the game below system requirements (i run on a laptop with 512 but the graphics card is less than great) and i've never really had any issues either (with this game or any of the other expansions). i would definitly recommend this expansion to you or anyone else!

[crocobaura]

Why don't you ask a friend who has it to let you play for a couple of hours, so you get to see for yourself what the expansion is like?

[stim_SC]

Why don't you ask a friend who has it to let you play for a couple of hours, so you get to see for yourself what the expansion is like?

Absolutely none of my friends play computer games. They all own macs and are obsessed with their PS2s. Sad for me in this regards.

[jenny]

I like this ep, it adds a whole new level of realism to the game...I guess it really depends on how you actually play the game and how much time you spend playing.....but I think its worth it.

[stim_SC]

ii too run the game below system requirements (i run on a laptop with 512 but the graphics card is less than great) and i've never really had any issues either.

That's good to hear! Dell just replaced my old 700m with an XPS M1210 (they totaled my laptop after they fried my motherboard), so I literally have a nice new laptop. But if you can get away with 512mb ram and a bad graphics card (integrated intel, by chance) I'll hopefully be a-okay.

Thank you muchly.

[longdaysend]

my opinion of pets is it is a waste of money and not worth it. i even uninstalled it on my pc because it is riddled with bugs and makes game play less than fun. of course many people play it with no problems but it is just pets..i mean they added a few (and i mean FEW) new tools to build mode but its basically just pets and if you like the idea of sims having pets then its a wise investment... i found the pets annoying and too glitchy to be fun yet..maybe after a patch it'll be a bit better....i wouldn't buy it again given the chance to go back in time...thats my 2 cents :D

[chronicboredom]

To be brutely honest, if you prefer legacy/drama type gameplay like myself pets is not for you. I admit that I did like the EP within the first week but it quickly loses its novelty and is boring. The pets are nothing special, new items are boring. I'm glad I got it because I had a huge improvment of speed and graphics and do sumtimes use pets but overall most of the stuff is unused.

[Meems]

I think it's worth getting. Pets add a nice little certain something to the game, and I don't actually find them hard to take care of. Plus, I like having an EP that DOESN'T add a whole new neighbourhood for once.

[Cheeseisgood]

I like it. The pets are cute, but overall, it adds little or nothing to gameplay. No new sub hood, no new sim to sim interactions. Just plain old pets. So if you want plain old pets, get plain old pets. If you're looking for more, then leave it.

[Kaeru_SC]

I'm glad I got Pets, but I maybe wouldn't have got it if it was 1/3 of my weekly budget (I'm a student too, but I enjoy the benefit of free tutition so it was only 1/5 of my weekly budget :D). The pets look great and give more flavour to the lives of my sims, but I wish for more interactions with them - you can give love (stroke, rub belly, feed treat), play (razzle & fetch for dogs, finger wiggle & cat teaser for cats), praise/scold, teach commands and take them for a walk (when they go off the lot), and feed and wash them, but that's it really. I wish there was more games to play and more toys and stuff for them and that you could brush their coat. All in all, Pets is nice, but it didn't make me go "Wow" even though I just wanted plain old pets.

[emcake]

Well, I was going to say something but I can't remember now because I am too mesmorized by Cheeseisgood's little dancing parrot.

Oh yeah... My opinion is the same as a lot of people's. Pets was fun for about 3 days and then it got a little boring. The pets don't have as much personality as sims do. They're all pretty much exactly the same no matter if they are a genius or a doofus. BUT I still think it's a must-have because they're, like, pets, ya know?

Don't spend your money on it, get it for Christmas. Christmas is time for frivolity!

[Cheeseisgood]

Yeah, go for it at christmas! And yes, Emcake... my dancing parrot has that effect on people... :P

[Vengeance_SC]

I'm with emcake and cheese, get it for Christmas. That's what I'm doing ;)!

[chyrun]

But if you can get away with 512mb ram and a bad graphics card (integrated intel, by chance) I'll hopefully be a-okay.


Hey, I've got all the eps and only 256MB RAM and a very crappy graphics card and can get away with.

Pets is definitely worth it. :knight

[Brookaliscious_SC]

personally, it depends on what you are into. i like some parts of it, but hate others. the pets in general are really cute and it is a blast to make them, but the options to play with a pet are limited. i also like the fact that you can't control them (unless you type in the cheat), so it's funny to see what they are going to do next. also, they breed, but, most of the offspring look either exactly like one of the parents or like neither. also, the size of the dogs are somewhat fictional. like a pit is the same size as a pug...

if i were you, i would probably wait to get the pack, but then again, asking for it for christmas would mean that you don't pay for it and if you play it and don't like it, then you can sell it someone. i hope this helps! :)