Aug 31, 2007

The Sims 2: Castaway, or "Sims 2: Guess where the idea for this came from," as we're renaming it. Clearly a Sims game - we'd recognize that mix of skill building, house construction and clothes making anywhere - EA have ignored Ubisoft's Lost license and made their own version of the TV show.

Washed up on a beach, the name of the game is building a community with mysterious "other" Sims (read: the Others). A more plot-led experience this time, reaching certain skill milestones allows for island progression. You slowly unearth local mysteries, including a suspicious door (read: the hatch) and a second island (read: the second island).

Your Sim is guided by the analog stick with the remote pointer handling menu selection duties. While the usual drudgery exists - eating, pooing in the ocean - the plot-driven exploration focus is a neat addition. There's real reward in uniting your castaway band - each member contributes skills from the jobs they held before they took a trip on the wild side. 

Wisely, the hardcore survival aspect of Lost in Blue has been toned down. Konami's moppets would kick the Sims' collective asses in a survival-off, but we don't think the mass Sims audience is ready for the grueling sight of their beloved gibberish-speakers eating sand, crapping their pants and being eaten by bees. Wise move, EA.