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398 of 409 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
NOT a review - just an effort to post some info., July 15, 2002
Sim-ers have always wanted pets. The additions of fish and hamsters were rather unsatisfying (and sometimes lethal) additions. This new expansion packs will allow your sims to have dogs, cats, parrots, turtles and lizards as well.Lots of new social interactions have been added, althought the Sims website has not been specific as to what those are. Your neighborhoods are bigger - 30 lots each which you can zone for commerical or residential use. Also there are new homes, new parks, a new cafe, new shops and a farmer's market! Your new dog or cat can be brought to these locales and used to interact with your sim neighbors. Just like in Downtown, time freezes when you're in the community sections. Each neighborhood will include a pet store, where you can choose from 12 different cats (e.g., black cat and siamese cat), 12 different dogs (e.g., dalmatians, beagles, french bulldogs, spaniels, rotweillers, labs, greyhounds, german shepherds to name a few), 2 different birds (lovebirds and parakeets), or buy a turtle, lizard or fish. The Maxis folks haven't forgotten any of the details of pets, if you buy a male and a female of the same species, they just might have babies, dogs and cats (and dog and cat people) might not get along, and Kitty might take a liking to your bird or fish Beware - your doggies and kitties (but not the other animals) need to be trained and cared for so they don't go to the bathroom in the house or rip us the trash. Don't worry - Maxis is kind enough to provide a dog trainer if you're feeling lazy. But, your pets are just like a member of your family - they will have needs and skills which can be acquired (through positive and negative reinforcement). Just like people, you have to develop a relationship with them. And just like your people, they can die of neglect, so be careful! Dogs and cats will also misbehave and get grumpy if you don't take care of them. Dogs and cats can also be entered in pet shows with prizes for obedience, tricks and good pet mood. You can't bring your pets downtown (although you can probably pick up a date in the pet park) but your whole family (including your pet) goes on vacation with you. There's new stuff for your house too - you can can garden! Grow 4 different veggies in your patch (you have to buy seeds), careful gardening will result in a crop which you can sell (at the farmer's market) or store (in your new kitchen pantry). You might appreciate your pets here as you'll need to watch out for rabbits, gophers, mice and, as Maxis says ominously, other "unwelcome animals that come a callin'." (Mice, which your cat can keep away, will join roaches as house pets.) There will be 125 new objects for you and your pets (no details on those yet either), a new decorator set (New Orleans French Quarter), new skins and 5 new career tracks (fashion design, chef, vet, teacher, circus performer). Among the new objects are new chairs, new tables, new fountains, espresso machine, pastry cart, spiral staircase, and pet-oriented objects like food bowls, catnip, dog beds, treats, squeak toys, doghouses, pet gyms, chew toys, and scratching posts.
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56 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best Thing Since Velcro!, August 17, 2002
I know as a fact that any true Sim Gamer is constantly begging for more in "The Sims". I have all of the current 4 exp. packs, and knew I needed something new. Ah, how me and my friends have longed for gardens that aren't cheesy little "build mode" flowers, owning shops, cool cafes, and most of all-Pets. Well, a gift from god has been "unleashed" upon us puny mortals that satisfies all those needs! I give you, "Unleashed"!Take a little stroll ito a new place called "Community", sort of like "Downtown Mode"or "Vacation Mode". As in Downtown, the time at home freezes when you go to Community. Once you're there, skip on over to the pet store, where you will find 12 different kinds of dogs, 12 different kinds of cats, around 3 kinds of birds, or a lizard, turtle, or fish. And there's even more--train your new friend to do tricks! But that's not all you have to train them to do. You'll also be required to train them things like, where to go to the bathroom. Too lazy? That's fine. You just need to reach the nearest phone to call a trainer. If you neglect your pet, however, It will wreak havoc. It will tear up your precious garden, drink from the toilet, and if it's ticked enough, get into the trash can and fill your house with litter. Maxis didn't forget the nature of pets, though. If you have a cat and a dog, don't expect them to be best friends. If you get a male and female cats or dogs, expect kittens or puppies. Your pet could scare away unwanted pests from your garden. A cat will keep the mice away, but would probably be very interested in your fish or bird (Heh heh). Take 'em to the park to find a new friend, encounter new enemies, or locate a new lover. You heard me--your pets will help you with new relationships! (Think "101 Dalmatians"!) If you touch another person's pet and the pet doesn't like you, the owner will slap you. You can get your pet an assortment of stuff like toys, beds, scratching posts, exercise stations, chew toys, catnip, and tons of other things. Buy seeds for a variety of crops and GROW WHAT YOU EAT!!! :) It looks different than the traditional plate of food in The Sims! If you have a worthy crop, you can also sell it at a farmer's market for some profit. Heck, you can own a store! Take your pets into a cafe and talk to others there with new interactions. or, go back home and use one of the new 125+ items that come in the Expansion Pack. don't forget the New Orleans French spiral staircase! Since the dawn of The Sims, gamers wanted it. Thank you Maxis! Thank you EA Entertainment! You have never let me down!
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169 of 185 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Prepare to put a collar on The Sims Unleashed!, August 16, 2002
Based on my previous experiences with The Sims and the expansions to follow, The Sims Unleashed will be one hell of a game! Give your little simmies a vast array of new chalanges - Pets, Gardening (Pets will help keep away the little nasties)totally new career paths, (A first in an expansion since Livin Large) an expanded neighbourhood, with re-zoneable lots, and..... (Bet you didnt think there could be anything else!) Over 125 new objects, featuring a spiral staircase, cat posts, dog bowls and more!! Also, based on your sims cleanlieness, mice might come around (like the cockroaches from LL) but if you decide you sim wants a cat, the little kitties can help keep the mice under control. Watch out though, these little animals,(That your sims have now purchased from the local pet store) have needs of their own, like fun, bathroom, hunger and so on, and if you neglet Fluffy's needs, then her ghost will hang around the house, daunting your simmie and reminding him of the time he forgot to feed her, or play with her to keep her company. Your sim will also have to housebreak and train their new pet, praising it for good things and punishing for the bad. But the pets have a massive good side, all those bacholour sims out their looking for love, take Fido for a walk down at the park, and woo in those females with your adorable pooch, and err, you too I guess. (".) Pets can keep social scored sky high, or they can make 'em drop, for instance: If your simmie's mate Mortiamer Goth came around to see and pet Rover for the first time, and Rover didnt like Mortimer, your simmie's relationship with Mortimer would drop, and vica versa. Or on the other hand, if Mortimer also owned a dog, and your sim and Mortimer had a conversation about dogs, then both your sim and Mortimer would be very happy, and score brownie points with each other. However, as you might have guessed, a dog and a cat owner wont click so easily. Oh, and your sims pets aren't just for show, well actually thats all they are. Local pet shows open up the oppertunity for your sim to show of his or her well groomed pooch or adorable kitten, or maybe even their bird, lizard or turtle. (Oh and there's some little fishies too!!)
Enough about the pets, we still havnt discussed gardening, jobs and the new neighbourhood!
*Ehem* Jobs! In The Sims Unleashed there's gonna be a first since Livin Large (a.k.a LL) 5 New career paths! Each career with 10 levels as normal, so 50 new jobs! :) Your simmie can take up and hold (or not hold, depending on their attidute) a career in Education, Fashion, Animal Care, Culinary (The food industry) and even run away (well run away within the working hours) with the Circus!
*Moving on quickley* The new neibourhood! The 'normal' neighbourhood will be expanded into 40 residential and commuinty lots, which you can re-zone to your choice. You can create parks, cafes, shops and markets, and then have your sim call for a shuttle to be taken around to explore the new areas. Unlike Downtown in Hot Date,(HD)the areas wont be full of complete strangers, instead, will be populated by the people of that neighbourhood (its much bigger now so dont worry about the areas being empty!)
*Almost done!!* Gardening now, is the last leg of this review/preview... Now your sims can litterally 'live off the land' by buying vegie seeds at the local market and harvesting crops, to eat and/or sell, and by using their new pets to help shoo off the gofers and rabbits. Theres a new pantry which will store the simmies seeds and vegies when they're ready, and will act a bit like a fridge, as in the sims can grab out a healthy snack whenever they please.
Hope you enjoyed reading about the new Sims game, The Sims Unleased. Written by Meghan M, age 13
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