Product Reviews

There are now five major expansion packs available for the Sims 2, each one expanding the range of activities available to your Sim. However, this release is the first in a new range of standalone games and isn't compatible with The Sims 2 or its expansions. The clean break has allowed EA to make a couple of useful revisions to the game and provide a new way into the franchise.

Life Stories uses the same excellent graphics engine as The Sims 2. Thankfully, EA has succeeded in significantly reducing the minimum specifications. Unlike The Sims 2, it will run on most PCs and notebooks. Some compromises

In Life Stories you take responsibility for a single Sim and help guide them through a number of key events in their lives. First, you play the story of Riley, a young woman who returns to her home town with romance in mind. By successfully navigating her first big date, you unlock the story of Vince, a rich entrepreneur who has been unlucky in love.

The stories take the form of a linear set of tasks that advance the plot. Both work well to introduce new players to the wide range of activities on offer in the Sims, and several amusing twists and turns keep you interested throughout. Alternatively, you can use the free-play mode to create your own Sim and play out their life without interference.

If you haven't played the Sims 2 and want a gentle introduction to the game, this would be ideal, especially if you want to run it on a notebook with integrated graphics. The stories remove some of the flexibility that made The Sims 2 so enjoyable, though, so for long-term fans of the series there's not enough here to make Life Stories worth your time or money.