Summary
While the genre-definingSimsseries has been consistently updated with new installments and spin-offs since its release at the dawn of the new millennium, there remain many reasons to return to it after more than 25 years of sequels and reimaginings. WithThe Sims' re-release as part of Electronic Arts’Sims Legacy Collectionpackage, unique aspects of the first Sims title are being highlighted by modern players and have seemingly stood the test of time.
From its unique isometric camera, which remains a distinctive aspect ofThe Sims' identity, to its off-the-wall sense of dark comedy,The Simsremains unique - even within the bounds of its franchise.
1The Game’s Soundtrack
From Classical Samples To A Nostalgia-Infused OST
Although Maxis' genre-defining life simulation title has consistently enforced a tone that is equal parts goofy and sentimental,The Sims' nostalgia-infused soundtrack remains a unique feature of the series' inaugural title. Composed primarily by Jerry Martin and Marc Russo,The Sims' 2000 OST is brimming with the kooky creativity the franchise has become known for. Still, its moments of calm and introspection are core to its distinctive sound.
In conjunction withThe Sims' renditions of classical orchestrations on the radio, the title also presents tracks featuring Simlish gobbledegook that bolsters its sense of simulated realism. While many of the iconic staples ofThe Simshave continued intothe series' multiple sequels and expansions, the originalSimstitle’s melancholic dream-like soundtrack enforces a thematic soundscape that has arguably been ditched for a more quirky tracklist.
2The Neighborhood’s Original Households
A Selection Of Quirky & Named Families That Give The Neighborhood Some Personality
DespiteThe Sims’ardent focus on player freedom and independent play, the series' neighborhoods and cul-de-sacs are littered with developer-created families for players to interact with. Even with the ballooning roster of named households in recent titles,The Sims' initial selection of pre-made families is filled to the brim with subtle storytelling and charming characters.
Considering that even the most recent Sims titles keep pre-made households introduced in 2000 - such as the Goth family - around as the series"wouldn’t feel complete"without them, the character and quirkiness ofThe Sims' households have resonated with players. However, with some households such as the eccentric Mashuga family not making the jump from installment to installment,The Sims' unique flavor of silliness has remained solely to Maxis' inaugural release.
3The Game’s Randomness
Despite Careful Planning, The Sims Is Happy To Ruin A Player’s Plans
ConsideringThe Sims' classification as a life simulation title, it is intended to give players near-omnipotence in their control over their Sims' comings and goings. The random events that can fall upon characters throw a severe spanner in the workings of many players' plans. From late-night burglaries leaving Sims with a house stripped of valuables to a deadly electric shock from a broken television, the illusion of a living, breathing virtual world is kept up with the challenge of the player’s control.
While the consequences of such events can be fatal for a player’s Sim characters, the inclusion of such randomness"made the game both more realistic and also much more interesting.“Although later entries in the franchise have keptThe Sims’inclusion of randomness, the power of such events to completely upend a playthrough has been seemingly toned down.
4The Scope Of The Game’s Expansions
A Curated & Creative Selection Of DLC Packs
Although EA’s contemporary sequelThe Sims 4has seen an extensive flurry of DLC"covering a range of topics and adding various new features to the game,“the broad nature of the series' first dabbling with expansions has resulted in seven much-beloved packs.
From mechanical upheavals and environmental diversification to the creation of magical spells,The Sims' expansions are seemingly still mentioned with adoration due to the core game’s solid foundation and the DLC’s boundary-pushing creativity. Although the series would go on to include many aspects ofThe Sims' expansion pack content in future numbered entries, there remain many bombastic ideas that are exclusive toThe Sims' three years of DLC.
5The Game’s Increased Difficulty
Creating A Strategic Simulation Experience
Beyond the off-the-wall wackiness within some ofThe Sims' more creative encounters, Maxis' 2000 life simulation title remains a title that keeps a solid foothold in reality. However, with future titles in the series having"evolved to add in the fantastical"and to streamline some of The Sims' more obtuse gameplay systems,The Simsarguably remains the installment that makes keeping one’s virtually sentient creations alive the most difficult.
From random events threatening to bestow instant death upon them to rapidly deteriorating needs,The Simsrequires players to keep a very close eye on their household and to intervene when necessary to ensure everyone can survive and thrive in the neighborhood.
6The Game’s Unique Isometric View
The First & Only Time A Numbered Entry Is Presented Such A Way
The skewed omniscient perspective of an isometric camera position has become renowned for its use inthe deep narratives of role-playing games.The Simsseries' one-time use of the system for its inaugural title is one ofThe Sims' unique features.
Despite its use in titles such asFalloutandDiablo, an isometric view of gameplay bestows a level of environmental understanding that is pivotal in life simulation games likeThe Sims. As such, while the more free-form camera of futureSimstitles provides players with a more intimate and character-focused experience,The Sims' isometric perspective arguably positions players of Maxis' first installment as more of an omniscient god character than any other title in the franchise.
7The Game’s Dark Humor
Taking The Hard As Nails Experience & Putting A Quirky Spin On It
The fatal accidents and spine-chilling events ofThe Sims' creative systems are positioned in a world that is seemingly as close to a simulated reality as 2000 technology could provide. However, the first title in Maxis' acclaimed series takes much of the sting out of such instances with its uniquely comedic spin on its darkest moments.
FromScream-esque phone calls in the dead of night toa personification of Death collecting a Sim’s soulwhen they die,The Sims' dark comedy is an aspect of the release that has been iterated and evolved in subsequent series installments. Yet, withThe Sims' focus on randomness and an omnipotent perspective, the elements of black humor that are included go a long way to carry the title’s tone.
8The Game’s Simplicity
Despite theSimsfranchise’s continued success, Electronic Arts' implementation of arguably anti-consumer practices into the series' most recent titles has bloated and watered down the core experience of playing the series' take on simulation. However, in the first years of Maxis' initialSimsexperience,The Simsremains a concise yet concentrated simulation experience that accentuates its"simple visual styles and streamlined gameplay loops.”
Its borderline minimalist take on the life simulation genre has been greatly expanded in future installments in the series, with great success in many circles of players, yetThe Sims' 2000 release remains an arguably uncorrupted vision of the series' most fundamental systems, mechanics, and charm.
