"The Sims House Party Expansion Pack" Expansion Pack Review (PC)

Dance cages, campfires, bubble machines, and catered parties are just some of the activities that come with "The Sims House Party Expansion Pack." Are your Sims looking for a way to spice up their parties? The new expansion pack may just be what your Sims need.

"The Sims House Party" GamePlay

The new themed decor is a bit more realistic then the castle theme in the "Living Large" expansion pack. The new themes are: cowboy, luau, and rave. All are very well done, and lives up to the Maxis standard. But if you are like me, and use realistic wallpaper and objects, chances are the new wallpaper and floors won't be used much.

Some of the new objects are a campfire, costume trunk, and dance floor. The dance floor is hilarious. The sims dance a particular way depending on the kind of music playing. For example, put some country music on, and sims on the dance floor square dance with each other. Some of their dance moves are priceless. My sims' favorite new object is the bubble machine. They'll blow bubbles until they burst out laughing, which always cracks me up laughing with them. I do enjoy watching the Sims play charades and sing camp songs. Some of the added furniture I'll only be using in rooms for teenage sims.

One of the new NPCs in the game is a caterer. You can hire him for 350 simoleons. The caterer will keep the buffet table and punch bowl full, and also mingles with the guests. (Keep an eye on him, he sometimes forgets he is not there to party.) Need to liven up a party? Hire an entertainer to pop out of a cake. You can choose either a male or a female entertainer. He/she will "jump" out of a cake and dance for the party goers. Changing clothes has just gotten easier with this expansion pack. You no longer have to waste hours trying to find the right clothes. Instead, when you change clothes time stops, and there is a screen showing the clothes your Sim is trying on. This is an excellent reason in itself to buy the game.

Sound & Graphics

Not much change here, the sims continue to talk in their own language. However, a nice addition is the DJ booth. This allows for a selection of songs within each music type, ultimately making it so it will take longer to tire of hearing the music. The overall look of the graphics didn't change, however there were some good improvements to the sims body language and dancing styles. Now the sims don't simply just stand around deciding what to do, they strike a pose. They also use different movements while talking with other Sims. The poses give them a personality, making them more real than they already are.

Overall Impressions of "House Party"

As much as I love "House Party," I am a bit disappointed in it. It's a lot of work picking up the pieces after the party, so I don't throw parties very often. As I said before, I like furniture that is realistic and something I would buy for my own home. This expansion pack doesn't offer that. For me, the new group activities, and quicker way to change clothes was worth the money. Just remember its not going to change how you play the game, it's just an addition to an already spectacular game.