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The Urbz: Sims in the City

 
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The Urbz: Sims in the City
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  • Release Date: November 09, 2004
  • Genre: Simulation
  • Style: Life Development Sim
  • Similar Games: The Sims Bustin' Out (PlayStation 2)

Game Description

The top computer game franchise continues to branch out onto other platforms, as it explores a new lifestyle in this spin-off title. Like the 2003 console versions of The Sims and The Sims Bustin' Out, The Urbz: Sims in the City uses the life simulation of the popular PC series as the basis for a role-playing game with a familiar, modern setting. Instead of the pastoral suburban neighborhoods of earlier games, however, The Urbz plays out in a fast-paced city where style and reputation are the keys to success.

Players can design their Urbz characters from scratch, choosing gender, appearance, and name; many additional customization options become available as rewards for reaching certain in-game goals. Each game revolves around the player's single character, as he or she finds a job, makes friends, and gains the cultural understanding required to be accepted as an insider in the city's various districts. Each of the city's districts is designed with a unique cultural style, from the dangerous, seedy slums to snobby, high-society strips.

Shops in each area sell different items that can help the Urbz chase their goals and allow them to develop their own unique personalities, but in order to afford these things, they'll need to find a paying job. Unlike in earlier Sims games, players control their characters when they're at work, where they may gain new skills and abilities as well as a paycheck.

Most city areas also have clubs or other meeting places, but in order to fit in, the player's character will have to show respect to the locals and learn the social interactions they use. As Urbz become better acquainted with the particular styles and values of each area, their reputations increase, and they gain access to more locations, objects, and living arrangements. Ultimately, Urbz can develop a reputation that opens doors to the city's most luxurious penthouses, and wins them a friendly reception wherever they go.
~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide
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Wikipedia: The Urbz: Sims in the City
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The Urbz: Sims in the City
North American PS2 cover art
North American PS2 cover art
Developer(s) Maxis, Griptonite Games
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Series The Sims
Platform(s) GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS
Release date(s) NA November 9, 2004
PAL November 12, 2004
Nintendo DS
NA November 17, 2004
EU March 11, 2005
AUS October 1, 2005
Genre(s) Life simulation
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: T / EGBA, DS
OFLC: M / GDS
PEGI: 12+ / 3+GBA, DS

The Urbz: Sims in the City is a video game for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox consoles, as well as the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS portable systems. It is the third Sims game for video game consoles and is the second Sims game not to be released on PC. The next release for consoles and handhelds was the console port of The Sims 2.

Hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas provided several music scores for the game, which have also been translated into Simlish. Members of the group would also appear as guest Urbz in the game.

Contents

Console gameplay

The objective of the console games is to go to each of nine Districts and build their reputation (called "Rep", in-game). Rep is a measure of how popular a character is; as a character gains more reputation, they gain access to larger apartments and different Districts. In the end, the character will have the largest apartment and be able to visit any of the Districts.

In addition to gaining Rep, the player must also make sure that his or her character has its needs fulfilled, and to increase the character's skills by playing mini-games. The amount of money Sims can make at the various jobs in each of the districts is determined by what skills they've leveled up. As they progress through the game, players will get messages for rent from Darius, the Sim with the highest rep in the city, and get programmed messages to their XAM. Also, other challenges, like helping Sims (or Urbz) get money from people, or taking pictures of Urbz.

The player will be given different tasks depending on the District they're in. The tasks are varied in nature, including fulfilling needs, furnishing an apartment, building reputation, mastering a job, making friends, tagging an object, and helping others.

Handheld gameplay

The handheld versions are played as an adventure game and require the player to complete missions to advance. The goal of the Nintendo DS and GBA versions is to complete the five missions. Like the other games of The Sims franchise, an Urb has eight basic needs; Hunger, Sleep, Fun, and so on. In order to succeed in the handheld versions of this game, these needs must be kept high and steady.

In this version of the game, Daddy Bigbucks plans to buy out the entire city, tear down all of the buildings and turn the town into a theme park. There are three districts that can be unlocked upon completing certain sets of goals. Once the player has beaten the game, they are free to live in any of the houses or apartments so long as they have enough money, the most expensive and last to unlock being the penthouse in King's Tower.

The player also has the oppertunity to change what type of person they are of the four: Richies, Artsies, Streeties and Nerdies. By getting a high rep with the leader of each group, the leader will give the player a list of goals, and upon finishing them all and getting the highest possible reputation with that group, will become part of them.

Reception

The game drew generally favorable reviews, with an average ranking of 70.6% according to Game Rankings[1]:


  • Note: These are the grades for the PS2 version only.

See also

External links

References

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ [2]
  3. ^ [3]
  4. ^ [4]
  5. ^ [5]
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This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

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