The Sims 2: Pets [PS2]

No matter the color and shape of your favorite pet, the animations and behavior that bring them to life are outstanding. Maxis obviously took cues from Nintendogs when coding these pets, and they've come up with animals that are just as endearing. Cats purr and prance, dogs pant and howl, all in a manner that will instantly have real-life pet owners recognizing and latching onto behavioral characteristics.

With all that code dedicated to behavior, apparently there wasn't much left for accessories. For a Sims expansion, that's surprising, somewhat like selling shoes without laces. Sure, there are a few bowls, toys and so forth, but Pets could use a lot more objects with which to spoil both pets and their owners, whether in the Simmish world, or the real. Instead of extra objects, we get a touch of celebrity, as Hilary Duff makes an appearance. Remember her?

While most of the pet routines are based very much in the real world, owners might want to indulge in the more fantastic option of animal employment. Send the dog off to help fight crime, or the cat to become a fixture in the entertainment world while your Sims kick back and relax, or build the social network that grew tattered while trying to educate Fido. And if discipline becomes too much to deal with, there are always training centers willing to train your pet...for a fee, of course.

It's worth mentioning, too, that while the PC version is an expansion, if you're playing on the PS2 or GameCube, Pets is essentially a standalone game, with the content you'd normally get from The Sims 2 in addition to the new Pets content. That makes it a great value for people who have wanted to check out The Sims on a console. The trade-off is that menus and options can take a few seconds to load, making the experience not quite seamless.

It's worth sitting through a few slow-loading menus, however. Rarely does an expansion (or companion, in the case of the PS2 and GameCube) see content integrated so well into an existing game. After a few minutes playing Pets, you'll feel as if the animals have always been a part of your gaming life. And isn't that exactly the point?