Almost a year on from The Sims' PS2 debut and a follow-up is already with us. Bustin' Out does all that you'd expect from a sequel, presenting an all-new neighbourhood to play god with, as well as introducing an assortment of new features and gameplay elements that contribute to the ever-improving evolution of Maxis' hit series.

The titular 'Bustin Out' mode is the main focus of the game. This campaign sees you guide your sim through life, with the main goal being to achieve the desirable ... more >>

Almost a year on from The Sims' PS2 debut and a follow-up is already with us. Bustin' Out does all that you'd expect from a sequel, presenting an all-new neighbourhood to play god with, as well as introducing an assortment of new features and gameplay elements that contribute to the ever-improving evolution of Maxis' hit series.

The titular 'Bustin Out' mode is the main focus of the game. This campaign sees you guide your sim through life, with the main goal being to achieve the desirable status of mansion-residing millionaire. There's an assortment of different career paths to take on the quest to achieve this - including such diverse vocations as gangster, athlete, mad scientist, and even fashion victim (is that a career?) - and all it takes is ten promotions in your chosen field and you've reached the dizzy heights of success.

It's not quite as easy as it sounds, however, as a great emphasis is placed on the personality, and therefore suitability, of your character. When you start out, as well as having the task of customising such features as eye and hair colour, physical features and build, you also have to designate certain personality traits that will affect their behaviour throughout their digital lives. Subsequently, not all careers will be appropriate for their particular personality - if, for example, they're a shy and retiring kinda guy, then they're not likely to get very far in the pursuit of movie star fame.

Throughout the game you can unlock and collect 80 new social moves that can further add to the individuality of your character, such as Towel Snap and the Michael Jackson favourite, Moonwalk Dancing. You can purchase transport such as a car or scooter, in order to get out of the house, and there are also hundreds of new objects to acquire, including such physical tests as a Climbing Wall and a High Dive board.

With the inclusion of both network support and the console-friendly two-player mode, Bustin' Out marks the greatest achievement yet for the popular franchise. As mentioned before, the game is constantly evolving and getting bigger and better all the time - if you're yet to experience The Sims, then this is an ideal opportunity.
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