The Sims: Life Stories (PC, 2007)

I wish that EA had released a PC laptop friendly version of The Sims back when I owned a laptop. I actually did purchase a new computer system when I was able to so that I could get The Sims 2, as my old system only allowed me to play the original The Sims game and it's expansion packs.<br><br>

The best part of The Sims Life Stories release is that you can play the story mode without needing to have a console system. I have several The Sims games for PS2 and find that I don't play them as often as I'd like because going to the console takes me away from the computer.<br><br>

The Sims Life Stories also has unlockable items in story mode like the console games. It means having to play through what is not locked in order to gain access to the rest of the items and Vince's story. Like the console games this can sometimes be frustrating.<br><br&g​t;

A huge bonus is that The Sims Life Stories automatically is windowed. You can run a windowed version of The Sims 2, however switching between programs is not nearly as smooth.<br><br>

The only minus I can see at all is that the product is standalone. I have all of the Expansion and Stuff packs from The Sims 2 and would love to be able to add some of those items. At the same time being standalone is good because it means not having to purchase many add ons to feel you are getting the complete game experience. Another reason this can be a plus is that sometimes having all the Expansion and Stuff packs can be distracting and/or overwhelming.<br><br&​gt;

The controls are very similar to previous The Sims PC games. In this version there are several shortcuts for Needs such as Prepare meal, Shower, Clean, Go to bed, etc. I found these extremely handy once I got used to them. The only control I can see that has changed that may cause some confusion is the use of the P key for pause instead of the ~. I am used to using ~, 1, 2, 3 to control the game speed. P does make sense for new users however.<br><br>

Overall I feel that The Sims Life Stories holds it's own and is up to par with The Sims line. It's a great way to get new players involved (and addicted!) without them feeling they need to buy all the Expansion and Stuff packs. It's lower computer requirements allow more people access to the game as well. The price is generally comparable to the other releases.<br><br>

I cannot wait for other Stories titles to be released. The only problem is deciding which game to play!

I love this game. I have been playing the game since I got it. It is just as describe. This is a good start for someone who wants to get started in the SIMS series. It's a low budget version of the game but it gives you just above the basics. It has two play modes - story and free. Story mode is a the story of one of two lives. Riley and Vincent. I am playing Riley. She goes through all the nonsence one would go through when they hit a rough patch in life. Once you get through playing her story, you can play it out how you want. I give this game an excellent rating.

If you want to start SIMS, this is good starting point.

EA's laptop version of their wildly popular Sims series holds up well compared to previous releases aimed at desktops. The graphics, while not crystal clear, are sharp enough and the gameplay is comparable to previous versions. Zooming in and out via keyboard controls takes some adjustment, but in the end is more accurate than mouse-driven navigation.
The plotlines of the two life stories players can experience (one male, one female) are fairly linear, but free play is an option as well.
Do not expect all the building and customization features of the more memory-heavy desktop versions, but The Sims: Life Stories is a fun distraction you can take with you on your laptop that will evaporate huge chunks of your free time before you know it.

As a fan of the Sims 2, I hoped I would like the spin-off 'Life Stories' games. I was hoping it would be a more story orientated game along the lines of the Playstation 2 game, 'The Sims 2; Busting Out.' However, Life Stories both is and isn't.

Firstly, the stories within Life Stories are flimsy at best. It took me a day to finish both of them. After that, the game becomes a watered down version of the open-ended 'The Sims 2' but without the bells and whistles of custom content or expansion packs. Because of this, the stories being so bare bones is a let down. This is the main drawcard of the game, and once beaten, the game offers nothing else. There is no real sense of decision in the game, rather, things happen whether you want them to, or not. You cannot chose who to love, who to move in with, or even where to go on a date. Everything is chosen for you. You can ignore the goals given, at the cost of advancing the storyline.

That said, the storyline was entertaining, however brief. It took me four or five hours to beat both storylines, and a lot of the times I was in 3x speed to try to get the story to advance quicker, as I found the idle time between goals very boring. This is partly because I was used to the game thanks to the Sims 2.

I would say that for those very familiar with the Sims 2 game, to give Life Stories a miss. It won't offer anything you don't already know, and the simplistic story doesn't make up for that. However, if your first experience with the Sims 2 is through Life Stories, I expect it to be a much more fun introduction to the game, with the option of going open-ended later.

when i first saw this game at a libray i rent it to see how it was.....
The game was so fun that i played all day.Some times ii played to 2:30 a.m. This game is about you can created a life and a famliy of your own. The other sims games like the sims and stuff they won't let do these amzing things. in the The sims:life stories you cna do pretty much want you want.like:in life storeis you take care of a baby but in the sims all you get to do feed and sing it to bed. the sims:life storeis is a all new way to explor town and sometimes when i play this game it teaches me about how you can take care of your slef and the impoten things of life. In this game the life stories you can play through different storeis like riley storY. And vince storY. Riley story is about how can see find the perfect boyfriend,a great life and a great place to live she even have bad things in her story and good things im her stoy. You have to found thoses things when u play it. Vince story is about all girls he gets just wants hes money he is trying to settled down and have a really life and famliy. HInt(he is really rich). So i rated this game Excellent. Now if u ecuse me i got to play THE SIMS:LIFE STOREIS!!!!!!!