Every object and character in the game is three-dimensional, unlike The Sims 1, where only the Sims themselves were three-dimensional (everything else was a two-dimensional sprite). Life Stories was built on the Sims 2 engine, which means a major performance boost is no small feat. This still holds even if you want to run the game in windowed mode (which is actually the default), allowing you to play the game while doing anything else on your computer, such as using instant messaging programs or writing something in MS Word (not that we'd ever encourage blowing off homework or office work for a game, of course).
Even with full graphics options enabled, the game ran well, with only a few hitches here and there when many Sims were on the screen at once. We tried the game on a couple low-caliber machines, one laptop and one desktop, that barely met the minimum requirements.
The idea here is that Life Stories can be played on laptops and under-the-gaming-curve PCs, which ordinarily would be unable to handle the game. Indeed, The Sims has historically been one of the worst resource hogs outside of first-person shooters, especially when you throw in all the aforementioned expansion packs. The question, of course, is whether you need this one if you've got the others? Life Stories is billed as "PC Laptop Friendly" on the front cover of the case. The Sims: Life Stories is a new, stand-alone game, and brand, that does not interact in any way with either of the other core games. Until now, we've only had two core Sims games on the PC: The Sims and The Sims 2. The next one is The Sims 2: Seasons, which should ship to stores today.
All releases in The Sims Stories line offer two fun ways to play, directed Story mode and open-ended Classic mode, and are designed with laptop-friendly controls that let you play even when you're on the go!ĮACH GAME IN THE SIMS STORIES SERIES IS A STANDALONE TITLE AND DOES NOT SUPPORT EXPANSION PACKS OR STUFF PACKS FROM THE SIMS OR THE SIMS 2 GAME COLLECTIONS.Let's be clear up front… The Sims: Life Stories is not an expansion pack.
In open-ended Classic mode, you create Sims and then choose how they'll fulfill their dreams through life's biggest moments. You even unlock cool rewards along the way as you achieve set goals. In the new and engaging directed Story mode, you take your Sims through a unique and entertaining storyline full of romance and dramatic twists. Play through all the great moments of your Sim's life in this easy-to-play, laptop-friendly version of The Sims. The Sims Life Stories is the first release in an all-new game series called The Sims Stories.