After having to deal with university life, unruly pets and even unpredictable weather, it's time for The Sims to get a vacation somewhere far from the usual work / home / pee routine. This sixth expansion in the smash-hit The Sims 2 features three new locations where tired Sims can relax and spend their savings. As usual, the expansion pack will also bring new furniture and clothes, new behaviors and greetings and a mythical creature that can be adopted into the family.
When Sims decide it's time for themselves to go on vacation, they can choose between three destinations. The mountain offers rustic scenery wherein people like to wear checkered shirts and enjoy outdoor activities such as axe throwing and log rolling. Definitely not the right place for high fashion, but spending some time among lumberjacks can have its charm. The beach setting is similar to a tropical island with hula dancers and pirate ships, exotic food and flower-based jewelry. Finally, the Far East looks like an idealized Japan, with women dressed in kimonos serving tea in stylish houses with thermal springs. Well-off Sims can pick their favorite destination and, if they have enough money, move there without having to go back home.
Every location has different clothes, food, flora and greetings. A newbie Sim will probably get "lost in translation," performing the local dances goofily and greeting people in a way they don't like. After some time spent in a location, however, Sims will get used to it and will learn the basic rules to local survival. The longer Sims stay in a place, the more they learn and the better they interact with locals: what do you do when you see a lumberjack? Of course you beat your chest in a King Kong style. Didn't you know? Maybe you should spend more time up on the mountains, eating pancakes and learning "slap dance." Every experience can be brought back home, so that even in their everyday life Sims will be able to enjoy the pleasure of a hot stone massage, a sauna or some Japanese tea.
No money, no vacation: that's the basic rule. In order to spend some time in one of the three new locations, Sims have to work hard and save money on the side. Once they have enough, they can choose different kinds of accomodations, spanning from a small tent in the cheapest camping site to luxurious five-stars hotels. Very rich Sims can even buy a vacation house by calling their agent. Camping is free, so it's a good option for Sims who are running short of money but still don't want to go back home.
Another way to make some money on vacation is to take advantage of the natural resources that every location offers. Beach-loving Sims can collect shells and sell them, while everybody else can try to dig for treasures. They could spend hours without finding anything or randomly find something interesting that can be sold for quite a bit. Planning is important, because Sims who don't pay their bills will be deprived of their possessions when they go back home.
Being on vacation stops time in the game, preventing Sims from aging or dying. Once they are back at home, time passes again and normal activities can be resumed. Sims will however still benefit from their vacation: their productivity at work will be even bigger and their skills might increase. Moreover, every time Sims master a specific activity while on vacation, such as performing a local dance or sport and cooking a local recipe, they unlock an achievement: from that moment on, they can perform the same activity at home. The benefits of spending some vacation time are several and contribute to making each Sim unique.
As in every other expansion pack, there will be special characters in The Sims 2: Bon Voyage. Wise old men and ninjas populate the Far East, while the beach is home to a ghost pirate. As for the mountain setting, which seems EA's favorite so far, Bigfoot will play a major role. Befriending the monster might result in adopting him and bringing him home, where he can become a playable character. This is an interesting option, since all Bigfoot's skills are already at the maximum level. Bon Voyage will pass unnoticed by gamers who are not into the series, but hardcore Sims players will likely want to add it to their already rich collection of expansion packs. They'll be able to fly away in just two weeks.