GameSpot editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Excellent
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 03/08/2006
- Updated on: 06/25/2007
- Released on: 02/28/2006
- Originally published on GameSpot: The Sims 2: Open for Business (PC) Review
The Sims 2 charges you with guiding virtual people through nearly every minute detail of their simulated, suburban lives, ranging from when to use the bathroom to who to marry. But one task that has always been a big, black hole in Maxis' suburban-lifestyle simulation is work. Yes, your sims can flourish in a multitude of job paths, becoming filthy, stinking rich in the process, but the actual work is purely theoretical, and you never see them lift a finger. Open for Business, the third expansion pack for The Sims 2, adds an entrepreneurial edge to the action, letting you start your own business. Putting your sims to work may not sound initially enthralling, but Open for Business makes the daily grind plenty engaging, with the same quirky flair that series fans know and love.
They work hard for the money. Virtually hard for the money.
All you need to start your own business is a phone, an open/close sign, and possibly a cash register, the latter two of which represent just a few of the new items that Open for Business introduces. You can use your sim's house phone or computer to start up the business, hire employees, and buy and sell real estate. If you're starting a fresh sim, though, you might opt to first run your business out of the home, since buying and operating a commercial lot can be expensive. The open/close sign makes it easy to call in and send away customers and employees, and the cash register is necessary if you're in the business of selling goods, though there are plenty of businesses that can be done without one.
Once you've established your business, you're going to need to decide what you're in the business of, exactly. If you choose to buy and sell goods, you'll go into a modified version of the "Buy" mode, which allows you to purchase any available item in the sim catalog at a wholesale price, and then sell it for a markup. There are some items that you can sell that you cannot buy from the catalog, such as toys, robots, and floral bouquets. To acquire these items, you'll need to purchase special workstations for your place of business. You can also choose to offer a service, such as a beauty salon or a bar. Lastly, you can create a business that charges people simply for being there. Best of all, none of these business models are mutually exclusive, and you can mix and match as you please, making your lifelong dream of opening a disco/hair salon/electronics store a virtual reality!
The success of your business hinges on a lot of different factors. Open for Business introduces a whole slew of new business-related skills for you to develop, from restocking shelves to sales, and the proficiency of you and your employees in these various fields will greatly impact how your customers receive you. You'll want to keep an eye out for your employees, too, since their moods can affect business, and if you've got a sim that's slacking off on its duties or taking too many breaks, you'd better fire them snap quick.
The game employs a new star system to signify customer satisfaction. As the star rating of your establishment increases, not only will you notice an influx of business, but also you'll get special business perks, which can range from an instant boost in all of your relationships to deep discounts on merchandise you buy. A successful business has value beyond the physical attributes of its location, and you can sell off a solid operation for a tidy profit, making it possible to bankroll bigger and better businesses. Virtually any commercial lot in the game, including many of the lots found in the two prior expansion packs for The Sims 2, can be purchased.
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