Software:The Sims: Unleashed

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The Sims: Unleashed
Developer(s)Maxis[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)Electronic Arts (PC)
Aspyr Media (Mac)
Platform(s)Windows, Mac OS X
ReleaseWindows
Mac OS X
  • NA: January 2, 2003[1]
  • EU: March 2003
Genre(s)Social simulation
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

The Sims: Unleashed is a 2002 expansion pack developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts for The Sims. The fifth expansion pack for The Sims, Unleashed expands the game's neighborhood to include a community area named Old Town which allows players to purchase pets, including cats and dogs, and farm their own produce. Unleashed was announced by Electronic Arts in June 2002 and released in September,[5] with a Macintosh port of the game published by Aspyr Media in December.[6] Upon release, Unleashed received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise directed to the scope and variety of the gameplay additions in the new neighborhood and pet mechanics, although expressing disappointment at the limited degree of control and gameplay mechanics involving pets. The concept of owning pets would be later re-introduced in Software:The Sims 2: Pets, Software:The Sims 3: Pets, and Software:The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs.

Gameplay

Unleashed introduces an expanded default neighborhood, including residential lots and commercial lots in Old Town.

Unleashed expands the default residential neighborhood of The Sims with a new commercial district, Old Town, increasing the number of community lots from 10 to 40. Old Town features new lot types, including pet stores, gardening shops, and food service areas. Players can also rezone lots for residential or community use. As with community lots in other expansions including Hot Date, Sims can access Old Town lots by calling for transportation.[7] The expansion introduces 125 new items, including 30 new pet and gardening objects, and objects for community lots. Five new careers are also introduced, for Animal Care, Circus, Culinary, Education and Fashion career paths.[8]

In Unleashed, Sims can now adopt pets for their families, particularly dogs and cats, which count as members of a family and move independently. Pets can be adopted from the local adoption center. Players choose the pet's species, breed, and name. Players cannot choose their personality points; pets come with random personality points. The game also introduces pet birds, fish, turtles and iguanas that act as interactive objects. Sims can interact with pet dogs and cats in different ways, such as rubbing, playing and clapping. Other social moves include praising and scolding. Pets can also be trained to obey Sims, either by normal Sims or the local Pet Trainer, and can be entered into a pet show at community lots.[8]

Unleashed introduces new mechanics for Sims to do gardening and farm produce. The expansion includes landscaping tiles that allows players to plant and cultivate seeds to sell at the Farmers Market or stored in a purchasable pantry.[7] Sims maintain farmed produce by watering plants daily, removing weeds, and warding off pests including rabbits and gophers that can eat plants. Some plants, such as carrots and lettuce, require replanting after each harvest, whilst others, including tomatoes and beans, continue to grow after harvest without replanting.[8]

Reception

Sales

Unleashed was a commercial success upon release. The expansion was estimated by NPD sales charts as the 2nd best selling computer game of 2002 by units sold,[9] outperformed only by Software:The Sims: Vacation, and the 6th best-selling of 2003.[10] The game also topped monthly sales charts, including NPD charts in the United States,[11] ChartTrack and Virgin Megastores charts in Europe,[12] and IEAA sales charts in Australia.[13]

Reviews

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic79/100[14]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGame3.5/5[15]
CGW5/5[16]
Eurogamer6/10[17]
GameRevolutionB[18]
GameSpot8/10[7]
GameSpy4/5[19]
IGN7/10[21]
PC Gamer (US)78%[22]
PC Zone78%[23]

According to review aggregator Metacritic, Unleashed received "generally favorable" reviews from critics.[14] Critics generally praised the scope and variety of new content. Describing the expansion as making the game feel "brand-new", Elizabeth McAdams of Computer Gaming World commended the "variety and sheer size of the expanded neighborhood".[16] Describing the expansion as the "best so far", Rhianna Pratchett of PC Zone praised the game's "hefty" additions as providing "a touch of the innovative spark of the original game".[23] Andrew Park of GameSpot stated the game was a "worthwhile add-on" for fans, given the addition of "several major features" to the game.[7] Jason Bates found the expansion of the game world to be a "pleasant surprise" with a "ton of brand new lots to play with".[21]

The addition of pets received a mixed reception. Andrew Park of GameSpot considered pets to be "implemented extremely well" due to the range of options for training and social interaction.[7] Elizabeth McAdams of Computer Gaming World found the feature to focus on "high-maintenance" tasks, although the needs of pets was less complex than other sims.[16] Marc Saltzman of PC Gamer expressed disappointment that players did not have control over pets, stating that they "don't do much other than get taken care of".[22] Tom Bramwell of Eurogamer found the addition of pets to a less significant gameplay feature that "never really goes anywhere", noting the distraction of pet routines that "can take time away from more important aspects" of the game".[17] Jason Bates of IGN described the system as "disappointing" and "stubbornly rigid", commending the "involved and entertaining" features for cats and dogs, the ability to interact in "interesting and meaningful ways" with them, but found animals to have an overall disruptive presence on lots.[21]

In line with earlier expansions, some critics found the expansion to offer diminishing returns on improving the core gameplay experience of The Sims.[17] T.J. Deci noted that Unleashed did not seem to utilise its higher system requirements into improved graphics or features,[15] a point shared by Andrew Park of GameSpot, who noted the expansion failed to "fix the core game's problems", and that the graphical engine was "showing its age" and featured Sims that looked "blocky as ever".[7] Reviewers also noted the expansion also introduced several performance issues and bugs. T.J. Deci of Allgame expressed disappointment that the expansion introduced "gameplay defects" including "baffling" and "poor" Sim pathfinding, "slowdown and jerky animations".[15] Marc Saltzman of PC Gamer observed "steep system requirements", and "clipping problems".[22]

Accolades

Unleashed received the award for Computer Simulation Game of the Year at the 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards.[24][25][26]

Notes

  1. ↑ Ported to Mac OS X by Westlake Interactive.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wiley, Galen (January 2, 2003). "The Sims: Unleashed Ships". https://www.insidemacgames.com/historical/news/story.php%3FArticleID=6808.html. 
  2. ↑ "The Sims Unleashed". http://www.gpstore.co.nz/product.x?1456984. 
  3. ↑ "EA Ships The Sims Unleashed Expansion Pack". September 25, 2002. http://pc.gamezone.com/news/09_25_02_12_03PM.htm. 
  4. ↑ "UK release dates". http://eurogamer.net/release-dates.php. 
  5. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (19 July 2002). "Camp EA 2002 - The Sims: Unleashed impressions". https://www.gamespot.com/app.php/articles/camp-ea-2002the-sims-unleashed-impressions/1100-2874806/. Retrieved 28 February 2024. 
  6. ↑ Bidwell, Chris (27 November 2002). "Sims Unleashed Macbound". https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/11/27/sims-unleashed-macbound. Retrieved 28 February 2024. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Park, Andrew (1 October 2002). "The Sims: Unleashed Review". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-sims-unleashed-review/1900-2881955/. Retrieved 26 February 2024. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Cohen, Mark (2004). The Sims Unleashed: Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games. ISBN 0-7615-4097-0. https://archive.org/details/The_Sims_Unleashed_Prima_Official_eGuide. 
  9. ↑ Interactive Digital Software Association (2003). Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry: 2003 Sales, Demographics and Usage Data (Report). pp. 5. https://archive.org/details/esa-essential-facts/IDSA_2003EssentialFacts/page/8. 
  10. ↑ Interactive Digital Software Association (2003). Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry: 2004 Sales, Demographics and Usage Data (Report). pp. 5. https://archive.org/details/esa-essential-facts/ESA2004_Essential_facts/page/n3. 
  11. ↑ "Top Sellers". Computer Games (147): 24. February 2003. https://archive.org/details/computer-games-issue-147-february-2003/page/n21. 
  12. ↑ "Charts". PC Zone (123): 26. December 2002. https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_123_Christmas_2002/page/26. 
  13. ↑ "The Official Australian Games Chart". Hyper (110): 97. December 2002. https://archive.org/details/hyper-110/page/n97. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "The Sims: Unleashed". https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-sims-unleashed/. Retrieved 25 February 2024. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Deci, T.J.. "The Sims: Unleashed Expansion Pack". Archived from the original on 16 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141116041446/https://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=40615&tab=review. Retrieved 26 February 2024. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 McAdams, Elizabeth (December 2002). "The Sims: Unleashed". Computer Gaming World (221): 122. https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_221/page/n125. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Bramwell, Tom (6 October 2002). "The Sims: Unleashed". https://www.eurogamer.net/r-simsunleashed-pc. Retrieved 26 February 2024. 
  18. ↑ White, AA. "The Sims Unleashed: PC". Archived from the original on 23 April 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060423034529/https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/pc/the_sims_unleashed. Retrieved 26 February 2024. 
  19. ↑ Kosak, Dave (26 October 2002). "The Sims Unleashed". http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/the-sims-unleashed/588219p1.html. Retrieved 26 February 2024. 
  20. ↑ Lafferty, Michael (1 October 2002). "The Sims: Unleashed". Archived from the original on 29 December 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20041229230805/http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r20652.htm. Retrieved 26 February 2024. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Bates, Jason (3 October 2002). "The Sims Unleashed Review". https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/10/03/the-sims-unleashed-review. Retrieved 26 February 2024. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Saltzman, Marc (December 2002). "The Sims: Unleashed". PC Gamer 9 (13): 116. https://archive.org/details/pcgamer2002holiday/page/n121. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Pratchett, Rihanna (December 2002). "The Sims Unleashed". PC Zone (122): 95. https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_122_December_2002/page/n93. 
  24. ↑ "2003 Awards Category Details Computer Simulation Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. https://www.interactive.org/awards/award_category_details.asp?idAward=2003&idGameAwardType=31. 
  25. ↑ "Conventions Spring Eternal". Computer Games (151): 28. June 2003. https://archive.org/details/computer-games-issue-151-june-2003/page/26. 
  26. ↑ "AIAS Award Night: EA Conquers Las Vegas". PC PowerPlay (87): 17. June 2003. https://archive.org/details/PCPowerplay-087-2003-06/page/n15. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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