Not everything comes together just right, however. The interface can be, at times, immensely frustrating. Washing dishes is (no pun intended) a real chore, especially if several are scattered around a table. You have to pick up each one and cart them over to the sink or dishwasher; finding the right command to wash them can sometimes be tricky, especially if other food is on the counter nearby.
When you move in to socialize with another Sim, the camera swivels around to show the two of them talking. (One cool effect is that the lens filter changes, based on your relationship. Angry sims will have a harsh red filter, while two lovers will see each other through a warm, fuzzy lens.) Unfortunately, Sims seem to do a little dance before they actually get situated to talk to one another, as if they can't quite get it together. Frequently a Sim will actually leave the house, run around to another door, then approach the Sim from another angle just to talk. Worse, if you try to talk to someone while they're eating, your Sim might get stuck waiting and will be unable to move for a while.
There are tons of options for decorating houses (including some wild furniture sets), but unfortunately, the build options are limited. You can only have one-story homes, and no raised decks. For this reason most houses tend to look like military bunkers, and you never really get any satisfaction out of building your own.
Sims have tons of fashion options, but relatively few ways to build up a home.
Meanwhile, Sims themselves don't age or change. They can't have children. Sims 2 for consoles is more of a "young single swinger" simulator than a whole life simulation. That's not in and of itself a bad thing, but that lack of depth hurts the long-term replayability of the game. As game designer Will Wright might say, 'The possibility space is fairly small.'
Tiny Computer People Speak Out
That said, there's still something addictive about this game once you get past the initially slow start. There are dozens and dozens of things to unlock, and charting your progress through the title really sucks you in. Once you get into the swing of it you constantly find yourself setting mini goals ("Just a couple more skill points for the next promotion") or experimenting ("How would this guy like it if I slapped him in the face with a fish?")
Two players can play simultaneously on the same console. Each one steps into the role of a Sim and you play together. (In story mode, only the main Sim has any game-advancing goals -- the other one is open season.) This mode can be slow-going, since both players have to hold down the fast-forward key in order to speed up time, but it is enjoyable to be able to share the same game space with a friend.
Not everyone will get into Sims 2, but once you get over its quirks it's an enjoyable little toy to play with.