Someone died in the kitchen. What made matters worse is that this "urn" – the virtual symbol of death – could not be moved. Thus, now death litters the kitchen and I have no idea how to remedy it. My Sims don't seem to mind. They'll mourn over it if I tell them to. They'll even murmur a silent chant. But who –or how this Sim croaked – still remains a mystery today.

The game I'm referring to here is the highly entertaining The Sims 2 for the PlayStation 2. The scene mentioned above is an example of the game's strange sense of humor. Much to my relief, the tongue-in-cheek comedy I enjoyed in the original PC version remained intact in this console version. No, it's not a port of the Sims 2; it's an individual entity sharing 90% of the original game, redesigned with console gamers in mind.

Livin' Large

Keeping the foundation intact, The Sims 2 allows you play God in a virtual world. Every Sim has basic needs, aspirations, and desires. The game emulates life in every possible way, only you control its outcome, and you control its inhabitants. What you won't find here is the ability perform a job (as seen in The Urbz). Also removed from this console version is Aging and Child Bearing, two aspects that made The Sims 2 on the PC quite a challenge.

The game is comprised of two parts: Story Mode and Freeplay. I first began the Story game by creating a Sim using the (seemingly) infinite supply of body parts, clothes and accessories. There's even a Sim "generator," a process that takes more time than needed by throwing up a family tree and randomly generating the grandparents, the parents and then finally the resulting Sim. If customization is your ticket, then there's plenty to do. If not, this process will become tiresome.

House Party

After the creation process, my Sim began his life as a roommate with a few other Sims. The process of living began with help screens that gently led newcomers into the responsibilities of controlling a Sim. The story was not apparent, but there was some feeling of forward progression. Communication also seemed easier on the PS2, zooming in on the talking Sims, blurring out the background. Hues depicted moods, thus offering a hint as to which direction the conversation needed to take. Facial expressions and body language also hinted to a Sims current demeanor.

The same aspect applied to the Freeplay mode. Instead of following a story, Freeplay granted "free living," offering gamers a chance to play a pre-generated family or start from scratch. Wanting to try my hand at building a house, I soon discovered that construction was just as detailed as its PC counterpart. Erect walls, throw down floors, slap up some wallpaper, plant a few trees. I found the wall-building process a little clunky, partially due to the controller and partially due to the visual angle. Otherwise, I found the construction process fulfilling.

Makin' Magic

The visual experience was pleasant. I'm still not sure which version sports the best graphics: PC or PlayStation 2. Both are excellent in their unique way, both rendering detailed interiors and facial features. I've always loved the character design and the way the Sims embody actual personalities. The exterior environments seemed more graphic on the PS2, depicting landscapes and adjacent houses with detail. In addition, gamers can import images to use in-game using the EyeToy. The sound and music was equally gratifying, offering the original theme song, a few Sim "hits" on the radio and the infamous dialogue (that begs to be translated into its own book). Speech was not synchronized with mouth movements, but that was minor flaw in the overall audio package.

On a whole, I loved this version of the Sims 2. While I'm disappointed that we can't follow the Sims to work, a part of me is thankful that we don't have to deal with Aging and toddlers. The Sims 2 is a great title to include in your library, and could be convincing enough - in its wonderful design and gameplay - to permanently enlist newcomers. You have to admit: once you play God, there is no turning back.