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GC '07: The Sims 2: Bon Voyage First Look

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The sixth expansion pack number looks to add a little more adventure, as well as Bigfoot, into your Sims lives.

LEIPZIG, Germany--It's hard to believe that we're at the sixth expansion pack for The Sims 2. It seems like only yesterday that the hit people simulator shipped. Of course, The Sims 2 shipped in 2004, and EA has averaged about two expansions per year. So what's on tap for Bon Voyage? Well, to sum it up in a single word: vacations.

Bon Voyage will introduce three "neighborhoods" that are themed for all sorts of adventure. There's a mountain/wooded area that's perfect for camping trips. Then there's an island neighborhood for those sun-drenched vacations. Finally, if you have a desire for the exotic, a Far East neighborhood will introduce elements of Chinese and Japanese culture.

But wait, there's more. The idea behind all of these neighborhoods is that your sims can go on exploration adventures where they can learn all sorts of new things, as well as earn achievements and collect clues to secret lots that open up big rewards. For instance, sims can learn the hula dance while in the islands, and then reenact the dance when they return home to their regular lives. There will be dozens of vacation achievements that challenge you to accomplish various tasks for bragging rights. And if you discover the secret lots, you'll be able to adopt Bigfoot as a member of your family or get a powerful voodoo doll that instantly makes anyone fall in love with your character. Or you might learn the secret ninja art of teleportation, which makes getting around easy.

Each lot will be heavily customized for each region. You can expect to see plenty of unique objects, clothes, and building pieces. These include pagoda roofs, lumberjack shirts, Zen gardens, sand castles, and a giant pirate ship, which is the largest object ever made for The Sims.

One of the nice aspects of the expansion is that your sims don't have to work while they're on vacation. Time essentially stops while they're away from home. This means that if your sims get married, they can go on a honeymoon to an exotic locale and not have to worry about work. Speaking of marriage, now the expansion will also allow you to hold the marriage ceremony anywhere. You're no longer limited to the backyard of your sims' home. Getting married on the beach is now completely possible. Your sims can also buy vacation homes for when they get away, otherwise they'll have to put up with hotels.

Of course, anyone who's been on vacation knows that you often need a vacation after a vacation, but at least sims will finally get a chance to get away from it all in Bon Voyage. The expansion is pretty much done at this point, and it'll ship on September 5. We imagine the developers will take a short break once it's finished, and then it's onto the seventh expansion.

20 Comments

  • AlphaHawkP

    Posted Sep 4, 2007 9:37 am GMT

    Heh, well these expansions are usually worth the money, and they've pretty much recreated every original sims expansion. I can pretty much guarantee the next expansion pack, or a future one, will be a remake of the Makin Magic one, and Superstar.

  • Expo_Smacko

    Posted Sep 2, 2007 11:48 am GMT

    Didn't Sims Online come out when they stopped making expansions for the first one?
    So would that mean they would make The Sims Online 2?
    Hrmm
    That would be awesome though.. lol

  • TheGreatPhoenix

    Posted Sep 1, 2007 9:18 am GMT

    waiting for the sims 3 is rather pointless, since it won't be out for another year or so

  • Belkajr

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 9:44 am GMT

    My girlfriend will be happy to hear this. I guess that's another 30$ gone. lol

  • Gruug

    Posted Aug 30, 2007 10:50 am GMT

    Just what the world needs....more Sims. Give me a break...please!

  • greater_bird

    Posted Aug 27, 2007 6:06 am GMT

    skateboard1587, I wouldn't wait. The Sims 3 isn't coming out *that* soon - by the time they release it, the PC you've just got may not be able to run it.

  • skateboard1587

    Posted Aug 26, 2007 6:20 am GMT

    i only got a pc that worked for the sims 2 last month, so even though this looks cool im waiting for the sims 3.

  • smadiso1

    Posted Aug 26, 2007 5:13 am GMT

    If the designers follow suit with the great ideas they had in Seasons then this expansion will be another hit. I'm just hoping it's not a let down like Pets. Sure it's great having the fuzzballs back, but the expansion just felt like it's missing too much. From the sounds of the previews though, EA has not only brought back the original vacation stuff fans loved but has thrown in A LOT of new material to make it different. Keeping my fingers crossed for another great expansion with Bon Voyage!

  • playstation_wii

    Posted Aug 25, 2007 9:58 pm GMT

    I'm just going to wait for The Sims 3!

  • TheGreatPhoenix

    Posted Aug 25, 2007 2:23 pm GMT

    hehe you guys really don't see the pattern here right?
    for the sims 2 it has been "new exp, old exp, new exp, old exp, new exp, old exp" for example collage was new, nightlife wasn't

  • Makhdoom82

    Posted Aug 25, 2007 12:42 pm GMT

    Interesting addon but this sims series has started to repeat !!! Maybe they don't have any more idea for an expansion now !?!?

  • nick21989

    Posted Aug 24, 2007 7:30 pm GMT

    Sweet! Can't wait!

  • tclvis

    Posted Aug 24, 2007 3:43 pm GMT

    Wonder if there'll be hula dolls for the Nightlife car dashboards!

  • lukey9493

    Posted Aug 24, 2007 1:54 pm GMT

    ok they should stop now
    I think 12EP is enough

  • drew38930

    Posted Aug 24, 2007 1:01 pm GMT

    Does anyone realize there were only seven EP's for the original Sims? That means that probably after the next EP, there won't be any more for a little while and then in '08 or '09, The Sims 3! Woo hoo! (no not that kind of "woo hoo" )

  • kilzombie

    Posted Aug 24, 2007 12:27 pm GMT

    can't wait!

  • Howell123

    Posted Aug 24, 2007 12:20 pm GMT

    AWESOME!!

  • titomag

    Posted Aug 24, 2007 11:13 am GMT

    i like

  • The_Answer_1

    Posted Aug 24, 2007 11:10 am GMT

    good

  • aposgr

    Posted Aug 24, 2007 11:08 am GMT

    wow.nice stuff!

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