Introduction
Want to know more about the Livin' Large (Livin' It Up) before spending your hard earned money on it? Take a look at these reviews, then..
Different people expect different things from the Sims. If you knew right off what to expect from the expansion, you'll certainly have a blast playing Livin' Large! As for myself, I'll wait and see what the sequel brings. I hope to God it doesn't cause the series to sail into mediocrity… Ahhh, what am I saying?!? I'm sure there's no chance of that happening, while Will's on the job…
Final score: 79%
Final score: 79%
While Livin' Large doesn't bring any truly ground-breaking renovations to the original experience of The Sims, it isn't supposed to. As an expansion pack, it does its job admirably, bringing new skins, sets, themes, characters and jobs to the mix, while simplifying the interface and improving the quality of the sound. The new situations and scenarios brought about by the new additions are truly enjoyable, and are easily sufficient to cause former Sims addicts to suffer another relapse. In other words, Livin' Large is something no self-respecting Sims fan should be without, and might just be enough to entice skeptics to hazard a try.
Final score: 4 out of 5
Final score: 4 out of 5
Good expansion packs give you more of the original, and great ones make something new with the old framework. Livin' Large sits right in between, offering up some new objects, characters and options with a distinctive, much-needed injection of style -- but in the end are more window dressing than substantial changes to the Sims world. But fans of the original will be pleased with the new variations, and if you ever thought that Bob Newbie was just a little bit boring, look out, because he just changed into his buttless chaps and he's headed for your hot tub.
Final score: 8 out of 10
Final score: 8 out of 10
If you own The Sims, cash in your aluminum cans and spend the $20 on the game. Then, beg, borrow, or steal another $20 and load up on caffeine, munchies, and caffeine - you’re going to need it as you rediscover the game all over again. It’s a well-developed addition and you’ll get a kick out of the nifty features Maxis put the time into making for your personal sadistic enjoyment.
Final score: 4.5 out of 5
Final score: 4.5 out of 5
While the appeal of the new expansion pack for The Sims supposedly lies in its crazy new items and tile sets, Livin' Large is, at its heart, just more of the same. The new careers are just like the old ones; there are just different requirements for them. Similarly, the majority of the new items don't actually do anything that couldn't be done before. That's not to say that none of the new items are exciting, because that certainly wouldn't be fair, but most are less innovative than the average new download from The Sims homepage.
Final score: Hit
Final score: Hit
Livin' Large adds a lot of new material to the game. New skins, objects, friends, jobs, and challenges all extend gameplay and stick to the sense of humor and originality that exists in the game. The Sims has remained very popular since its release, and those that feel they have seen everything the game includes will appreciate the new stuff here.
Final score: 4 out of 5
Final score: 4 out of 5
If you have The Sims, buy it. If you don't have The Sims, get The Sims and buy it. I highly recommend trying out this twist on a virtual pet, it's addictive and worth every cent.
Final score: 95%
Final score: 95%
The Sims: Livin' Large is a must-have add-on for The Sims. Hard-core fans will love how the new features affect long-term gameplay, and casual players will find some of the more outrageous scenarios quite amusing. Sure, the fan community offers many skins and houses you can download for free, but this official expansion adds challenges and levels of interaction that allow you to take an already wonderful game in new and different directions. One can only hope that the Sims universe continues to evolve, and that our virtual lives can become even more enriched, chaotic, and varied.
Final score: 8 out of 10
Final score: 8 out of 10
When all is said and done, Livin' Large doesn't attempt to fix any of the inaccuracies or break any of the boundaries of the original Sims. It simply adds to the gaming experience known as the Sims and does so successfully. If you grew tiresome of the repetitive nature of the Sims, Livin' Large probably won't change your mind if for more than a few hours while you acquaint yourself with it's new additions. However, if you're still hooked on these virtual life forms, Livin' Large is a must-have expansion pack. For the majority of us, it's probably the later.
Final score: 80%
Final score: 80%
If you're a huge fan of The Sims, maybe it would be wise to allow Livin' Large to sit on the store shelf a month or two to allow the price to drop. Meanwhile, just download the stuff from The Sims site. You won't get Servo, but he can wait a month or two, can't he? It may be ultra-cool to see your Sim rocking with his guitar and watching the chicks go wild (even if he has a gay lover), but the price is a little too high right now.
Final score: 2 out of 5
Final score: 2 out of 5
If you still enjoy playing with your Sim, Livin' Large isn't a bad buy, though if you want to go cheap, just download many of the new items from the official Sims website for free. If you don't mind spending the money, Livin' Large is fun. Don't expect it to rekindle your interest in The Sims if you've set it aside due to boredom, though. There's not really a new gameplay experience here, just new stuff.
No final score
No final score
If you didn't like the original game, this expansion probably won't change your mind, but if you loved The Sims, then Livin' Large will have you lovin' it even more.
Final score: 4.5 out of 5
Final score: 4.5 out of 5
The original game has sold a bazillion copies, and I think the fumes from all that money have gone to EA's head. In fact, most of what can be found in this expansion could have easily been released as downloadable enhancements (actually, a lot of the stuff is downloadable). Still, The Sims: Livin' Large is a nice, though hardly necessary, expansion to one of the most innovative games yet to come down the pike, and a must-have for any true Sim fanatic. Just make sure you're willing to spend the Simoleons.
Final score: B
Final score: B
Overall, however, The Sims: Livin' Large proves to be a successful shot in the arm the nine month-old game needs to ensure its life through the competitive software season. And I'm sure this time next year we'll all be knee deep in - you guessed it - The Sims 2.
Final score: 80%
Final score: 80%
Altogether, Livin' It Up does exactly what a decent expansion pack ought to do. It boosts familiar gameplay with lashings of intelligent new elements, and lobs a few cheeky in-jokes to the fan base, and sticks its tongue out at gaming journalists (just check out the journalism career track - you'll see). Although it's not going to set the world on fire the way The Sims itself did, Livin' It Up is a more than respectable addition to the phenomenon and deserves every bit of the adulation fans are sure to heap on it.
Final score: 9 out of 10
Final score: 9 out of 10
The Sims: Livin' Large is the official expansion for Maxis' extremely popular strategy game, The Sims. For the most part, Livin' Large adds more of the same to The Sims: more character skins, more career paths, more home furnishings, and more of the original game's quirky, sarcastic humor. The expansion makes very few major changes to the way The Sims is played, but these few new features - and the many other minor additions the expansion contains - should be enough to recommend it to any fan of the original game.
Final score: 8.1 out of 10
Final score: 8.1 out of 10
The Sims: Livin' Large is, in many ways, a grade-A expansion. It adds literally hundreds of new objects, new careers, new NPCs, new tilesets, and more. All of this is great, and I would absolutely suggest that anyone who has not yet purchased the Sims should go out and buy both the game and the expansion. That said, fans of the original game can find nearly as many objects and tiles on the net for free, and may not get enough replay value out of the expansion pack to make it worth the cost. If you dream of creating a Vegas casino, complete with heart-shaped beds that really vibrate, for your Sims, then Livin' Large may well be worth your dollar. If you're looking for a core gameplay enhancement, look elsewhere.
Final score: 82%
Final score: 82%
Yep, this is a hoot, from top to bottom. The new characters and the new soap opera situations all make for a lot of fun in the same fascinating world.
Final score: 9 out of 10
Final score: 9 out of 10
Good harmless entertainment and one of the best games I have ever played
Final score: 86% and 96%
Final score: 86% and 96%
Personally, the add on is 100 % perfect, except if you take away 20 % for boring and repetitive it still retains an 80 % score which is pretty good for a simulation. I will tell you this, it sounds a lot better with head phones on. And in fact, The Sims original was one of the top FIVE games of 1999. So take that Shoot ‘em up fans ‘cause Sim fans have a contender!
Final score: 8 out of 10
Final score: 8 out of 10
If you're still playing the Sims, and loving your neighborhoods, relationships, and career paths, then this game will definitely give you some new reasons to play -- and new things to do with your characters. But if you feel like you've burned out on the original Sim experience, there might not be enough new material here to keep your interest through a whole new set of characters and lifestyles. I love lounging with my pals in Vegas but I definitely wasn't as excited about making sure all my characters had gone to the bathroom and brushed their teeth before bedtime this time around. Or maybe I've just started becoming more interested in doing those things myself, in real life this time around. Livin' Large may not be the leap we've come to expect from add-on packs these days, but it will certainly be a much-needed fix for die-hard fans of the original.
Final score: 7.5 out of 10
Final score: 7.5 out of 10
Despite it's shortcomings, The Sims: Livin' Large is still a worthwhile buy, especially if you loved the original game and want more of the same stuff. I think that the developers have done a good job providing interesting add-ons in the expansion pack, however, there is still room for more improvement, and I hope that future games starring The Sims would live up to the high standard set by the original.
No final score
No final score
Livin’ Large is a bit of a cash in on Maxis’s part. If you are a fan of the original then by all means get this. It does add to the enjoyment to the game as it changes the game play slightly and does give you more choice with respect to items for your sims. It could be argued that, seeing as the add-on can only be used with the original, then it has done its job. It adds to what was an already an entertaining game yet at the same time does not detract too much from its original premise.
Final score: 70%
Final score: 70%
Written at 19:47 2000n Sunday 1 October 2000 by Matthew.
Last updated at 21:40 2001n Tuesday 20 November 2001.
Last updated at 21:40 2001n Tuesday 20 November 2001.
