The Sims 2

The Sims 2 adds a family's lifetime to the daily routine of a home. Characters grow up, grow old, have children and pass on features of their appearance and personality. The home stops being a permanent stage with an unchanging cast: some residents leave, while others continue their story. You still manage food, rest, work and social life, but can now consider those actions across several generations. A family tree helps you remember relationships between people who no longer share a home.

Each Sim has an aspiration, along with wants and fears. A successful day therefore depends on more than full stomachs and prosperity: events the character finds meaningful also matter. This creates tension between your plan and their idea of a happy life. You can view the three-dimensional house from different angles, furnish it and film it with the built-in camera. The game connects household management with authorship of a family history, where change emerges from repeated small decisions as well as prepared plot developments.