Gamermall.com rating: 8.1

The Sims has had such a successful run and large following it's warranted several expansions on the PC and even a game designed specifically for consoles (featuring a new objective-based mode). With last year's console success, it's no wonder that Maxis wanted to Bust Out onto consoles once again with a bigger and badder incarnation -- but is it actually a better game?

The Facts
* 16 new locations
* 25 new characters
* Over 100 new items and social moves to collect
* Seamless travel around town on a scooter or car
* GCN/GBA link up
* Requires a whopping 161 blocks of memory card to play

Gameplay
Those looking for a true sequel to The Sims or some form of revolutionary gameplay might want to turn back now. Bustin' Out does little to redefine the established Sims gameplay. Instead, Bustin' Out streamlines the preexisting model to make a better console experience.

Like the previous Sims, you have two main gameplay options. One is the goal oriented story mode "Bust Out," which replaces "Get a Life," and the other is the standard Free Play, which lets you control as many Sims as you'd like to no end.

The challenge of Bust Out is to build your Sim from a lowly young adult living with his mom to a millionaire with many riches to hoard. Accomplishing this, as Sims veterans will attest, isn't an easy task. To be successful, it takes careful planning on your part -- beginning with the Create-a-Sim. While it doesn't matter what color, sex, or outfit your Sim is equipped with (although there's more variety in the wardrobe and you can customize individual facial features), your Sim's personality will predispose it to certain career tracks. Active Sims are better prepared for becoming an Athlete or Paramilitary personal than a Mad Scientist.

Once created, you'll find that your Sim is still living with its mom, and she's charged you with getting a job and a life. Your goal is to be so successful at one of the seven possible careers that you'll retire a millionaire (you'll need ten promotions). At the same time you'll be trying to help the good people of Sim City end the reign of the kleptomaniac, Malcolm Landgrabb. To do this, you'll have to constantly monitor your Sim's every move -- like eating, sleeping, having fun, and socializing (just making sure it's happy). If you're unable to keep its spirits up, then you'll find it'll be uncooperative and accomplishing your many objectives difficult. Unlike the last Sims, Bustin' Out is a lot more vocal in letting you know what objectives need to be completed and regularly prompting you with various hints that'll help you move through the game -- which means you'll be spending more time trying to improve your Sim's skills and friendships than doting on its happiness.

Depending on which of the seven professions you'd like to pursue (Movie Star, Mad Scientist, Gangster, Fashion Victim, Athlete, Paramilitary), you'll have the opportunity to move into an appropriately themed house, like a Goth Manor or Fitness Club. You'll be charged with fixing up these locations before the money grubbing Malcolm takes away all your possessions. This usually means buying items that your new housemates don't own (like a bed), and making sure they all go to work. You'll also be able to travel to skill increasing areas like Shiny Things Laboratory, Pentagon, or Club Rubb that will help your Sim develop the skills it needs for that precious promotion, or you can travel to mood increasing locals like Mom's House or Mimi's.

One of Bustin' Out's selling points is that now you'll actually be able to watch your Sim travel from one location to another. While it would be interesting if you could see more of the map, stop at somewhere at will, or have any say beyond the final destination -- watching your Sim drive for a minute is less than exciting. Even with upgradeable vehicles, this travel serves more as an active load screen than anything else.

Bust Out mode is pretty hefty. It'll take a while to complete even if you just follow one career path (especially since it takes an hour to shower). You'll spend a lot of time pandering to your Sim's every need because there isn't enough time in a day to build skills, socialize, and eat. However, if you really want to extend your play time, you can jump from one career to another as long as your Sim's in a good mood. This means you have the opportunity to accomplish all objectives, collect all the items, and learn all the social interactions from the various characters in one life.

If you'd prefer not to play such a structured game, you'll be able to build your own city of Sims (you can create as many as you want). This mode has no true end, so you'll be able to fiddle with Sims' lives to your heart's content without any pesky interruptions. Also, you can take your Sim over to a friend's house on a memory card and tour his or her house and unlock new items and interactions.

The GameCube version does have a unique feature, which makes Bustin' Out an overall better experience. If you link up to the Game Boy Advance, you'll unlock an exclusive item (not that exciting) and you're able to download you GCN Sim into the GBA game. That means you can work on your Sim's skills and mood while you're on the road. This is pretty nifty, because the GBA game is significantly different than GCN title -- which makes it a nice little diversion and can help you improve your Sim rapidly because it's easier to keep it happy. When you're finished with the small screen, you can upload the Sim back to the GCN version -- and it'll retain all learned skills and motives.

Graphics
The Sims has never been known for its graphical splendor. The art style conveys what it needs to, but there really isn't anything outstanding. A few more details have been added to the various models from Bustin' Out, but overall it looks the same.

The only really impressive aspect is just how many animations there are. The Sims are a lot more active, have a more variation in animations (since there's more stuff to do), which keeps watching them interesting. Your Sims are also a lot more physical, often taunting, tickling, fighting, or towel snapping other Sims.

Regardless, there are still some frame rate problems. Occasionally, the screen will stutter as you move the cursor about the screen. But, for the most part the game stays fairly consistent and load times are minimal (unless you count the travel from place to place.)

Sound
There isn't much of a musical score, unless you can catch a couple phrases of the theme music. However, there's usually enough other noise going on in the background that you won't notice the lack of soundtrack. There's the murmur of conversation between Sims, the sound of dishes being washed, the night time noises, flushing toilets, alarm clocks, fire alarms, shrieking of near death experiences. It's all very well done, but nothing that you wouldn't be expected.

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