The
Urbz: Sims in the City, an introduction.
Last
year saw the release of The Urbz: Sims in the City for PlayStation
2, Xbox, GameCube and GBA. The game was a console spin-off
of The Sims where a more zany approach had been taken with
a greater emphasis on style, reputation and fitting in with
others in your Rep Group. We reviewed the game on the PlayStation
2 last year and on the whole it didn't feel as good as the
previous versions of The Sims that had appeared on the mainstream
consoles. With that in mind we weren't expecting much from
this DS version but in actual fact we were pleasantly surprised.
What's
the game about?
You'll
begin the game by creating your Sim. You get to choose the
name, gender and look of your character (the variation is
not as great as it is on the PlayStation 2 version but this
is to be expected). Next you'll have to answer a series
of questions that will determine your Rep Group (such as
Nerdies, Streeties, Artsies or Richies). Finally you'll
begin the mission based game which starts with you being
fired from your job and eventually being jailed. Throughout
the game you'll have to complete a series of missions and
each mission is made up of a number of goals such as buying
things from an auction or developing a friendship rating
with a certain character. There's no rush to do any of these
things and you can play the game as you see fit but the
story won't move forward until the goals have been achieved.
You still have your Sim's needs to maintain though and you'll
have to take them to the toilet, keep them clean and provide
them with food amongst other things. The game is almost
identical to the GBA version of The Urbz except for a few
DS exclusive additions. The most important of these is the
new Splicer Island where you can make custom pets for your
Sim. You'll have to locate the blueprints for the island
though and find a way to get there.
What's
good about the game?
Whilst
we thought the PlayStation 2 version of The Urbz was largely
a step back from the previous versions of The Sims that
had appeared on the console, the DS version seems more enjoyable
to play. The DS version is very similar to the GBA version
of the game in terms of story, how it looks and how it plays.
The use of the touch screen is a bit peculiar to say the
least. Instead of controlling your characters movements
with the stylus you'll have to use the more conventional
directional pad. The touch screen is mainly used to display
information and you can use the stylus to switch through
the menus whilst your game continues. This may seem a little
strange but it actually works very nicely. The mini-games
(which act as your jobs) are mainly played with the directional
pad and buttons and these probably would have been better
if you could have used the stylus.
What's not so good about the game?
Perhaps
the most disappointing thing about the game is that it's
not very different from the GBA version with the exception
of the information displaying touch screen. Of course this
won't be a problem if you don't own the GBA version but
if you do it's probably not worth picking up this DS version.
Another source of irritation is that your Sim will break
off a conversation if one of there needs requires addressing.
Whilst this makes sense to a certain degree (if your character
needs the toilet for instance) it does become rather annoying
at times, especially if you've taken a long time to find
the person in question.
How
does it look?
Aside
from being played over two screens the game is identical
to the GBA version. This means the game is a 2D isometric
affair. This may seem a little disappointing but in some
ways it makes a lot of sense. Although the DS can do 3D
graphics the games, so far, that have featured 3D graphics
haven't looked that great and I doubt whether the console
could produce 3D graphics that would look as good as the
2D ones on offer here. In terms of presentation, the game
looks good and the layout of the information in the game
(which appears on the touch screen) has been kept simple
and clean.
How
deaf gamer friendly is the game?
There
are absolutely no problems at all for deaf gamers with The
Urbz. All of the information in the game is displayed in
text and thanks to the use that has been made of the touch
screen you can access this information at any time without
breaking off from playing the game. The Sims will occasionally
make the odd sound (not actual speech though) and there
aren't any captions for this but to be honest it's of no
significance. During conversations you get to see a close
up of the characters you are talking too so you get to see
their expressions and the entire conversation is shown in
text so you'll always be aware of what's going on.
Final
thoughts.
Make
no mistake The Urbz: Sims in the City is a good game but
whether or not it's a good choice to pick up for your Nintendo
DS will depend on a few things. If you own the GBA version
of the game it's not worth it for the few extras on offer
here. If you don't own the GBA version and have previously
enjoyed the handheld versions of The Sims then you'll be
pleased with what's on offer. The use of the touch screen
is an unusual one but in some ways it does make sense because
you can access the game menus without breaking away from
the main game. The DS catalogue is pitifully small at the
moment and if you're looking for a good game to keep you
entertained for 30+ hours then The Urbz is well worth considering.
Overall
Game Rating: 7.9/10
Deaf
Gamers Classification:
(Click
the letter or here
for details)
The only disappointment is that
it's not that different from the GBA version of The Urbz
and if you already own this then the DS version isn't worth
it. However if you've yet to pick up The Urbz and have a
DS then this is well worth a go. The use of the touch screen
is a bit peculiar but nevertheless it works well.
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