Wii Fanboy review: MySims

We've had a love affair with EA's MySims since the game was first announced. The overall look of the Sims spin-off is so charming that it turned out to be irresistible, especially with all those shots of the new chibi sims engaged in adorable activities. But looks are only one part of the equation -- the real question for any reviewer to address is: does it stand up under scrutiny?

MySims certainly has its flaws, and the numerous comparisons to Animal Crossing have not been off base. However, it's not nearly the clone that it seemed from select screens and video footage; MySims stands alone as its own game. But is it one you want to own? That may depend on what you like in your simulations.

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My sim ... literally.

It's easy to write off EA's MySims as a clunky combination of the cuteness of Animal Crossing and all the worst aspects of The Sims, especially if you only try out the title for a short period of time. Unfortunately, the beginning seems specifically designed to turn players off. Initial loading times are terrible, the create-a-sim process could use a lot more depth, and the first part of the actual game neglects to give players any control over their newly created little person. Instead, you follow the mayor around for a while. When you finally get to dip your toes into the building process -- a good chunk of the game -- it feels clunky and ill-designed. Compared to the PC Sims games, this is not only disappointing -- it's devastating. Building and decorating has always been one of the best aspects of those titles, and in contrast, putting together furniture in MySims at first feels like playing with a Lego set after rolling around in a vat of oil-slicked butter ... at least, if you're a creative builder who wants to explore all the possibilities. For the most run-of-the-mill designs, the needed pieces are highlighted for ease of choice, but building outside of the blueprint can result in a few minutes of huffing, puffing, and swearing to get that piece rotated just right.

At first glance, MySims just doesn't seem like a keeper. We're sure a lot of people turned it off after building their first chair in the workshop -- if they even made it that far. And that's a shame, because the game really just requires a short adjustment period, and then it becomes apparent that not only is it indeed a lot like Animal Crossing, but it lacks a lot of the more tedious functions (in this reviewer's opinion, at least) of that franchise, and instead offers some creative ways to personalize your home and your town. Even the loading times seemed to improve greatly after the initial introduction to the city, almost the point that they were unnoticeable at times after we got into the swing of things.

And once you do get into it, MySims is a fluid experience. You control time, since you can sleep through the day or night at will. There's no mortgage hanging over your head or a need to get a job; all you have to deal with is the occasional request from the Mayor or your neighbors for furniture or buildings, and doing so is as simple as collecting the proper essences and trundling over to your workshop or the building site. And essences are (mostly) easy to find; some grow on trees (fruit, flowers), others are produced by merely interacting with other sims or watching for anything they leave behind when outside in the town, and some must be -- you probably guessed it -- fished or dug up. Essences provide different feelings and moods for your creations. Neighboring sim happen to like something tasty? Paint their creation with red apple essences and see how much they appreciate it.

As simple as the premise seems, just like any Sims game, it can get a grip on you and drain away your free time, even if, like us, you weren't too impressed at the outset. Like a needy flower, MySims blossoms as you spend time on it, and once you get the hang of building, the game is highly engaging. Due to the streamlined, simplistic nature, it's easy to fall into the habit of "okay, just one more thing before I turn it off ..." and then suddenly hours have passed and you're still there, staring at the screen, crowbar in the hand of your little Sim as you break down a barrier to expand your territory.

After a while, however, it becomes a cycle. Get task. Find essences. Build thing. Rinse and repeat until you get tired and decide to turn off the Wii. Social interaction, while a source of essences, isn't really necessary in this simulation, and some may find that to be a turn-off from the outset. If you prefer the building and designing aspects of simulations, however, MySims will be heaven on a disc, and the reactions of the little sims as they go about their business will keep you entertained while you work.

The basics, or the review is in the details:

Controls: Navigation is simple, thanks to the numerous paths and the map, but the building process may have a bit of a learning curve. Also, we found the use of the + button for "okay/enter" somewhat unintuitive, but it doesn't really hamper gameplay beyond a raised eyebrow in the beginning.

Visuals: Completely adorable. While it might have been nice if MySims used Miis, ultimately, the short, squat sims are ten times cuter than just about anything we've ever seen.

Sound: This version of "Simlish" is as irresistible as the look of MySims, and every time a sim laughed, we were pretty sure that somewhere flowers were magically sprouting and angels were receiving their wings. The music, however, is a little more forgettable.

Story: There's a story? It's rather thin, but what's there works for a simplified game. As ever in a Sims title, the "story" is largely up to the player.

Difficulty: There are really no issues with difficulty until later, when things start to get more complicated and essences more rare. It's the sort of challenge that can sneak up on unsuspecting players, particularly since the first hours of gameplay are so simple.

Verdict: While MySims may be lacking in depth, it's long on charm and simple fun. We would have loved to have seen some further tweaks -- for instance, if you pick up and adjust one building block, and then pick up another of the same type, it would be lovely if it automatically fell into the same position -- but most of the issues are quickly surmounted. You probably won't be able to wring as many hours out of this one as you would from a different version of The Sims or an Animal Crossing game, but it's a lovely diversion that offers the one thing the Wii promises: fun.

Final score: 7/10