Neubs's Full Review: Sim Theme Park for PlayStation 1
I am an avid SIM-fan. I like to create things while my friends stare in amazement of how I could spend 6 hours straight constructing a city, hospital or in this case, a theme park. These games are only meant for a certain type of person, you know.
I played the old Theme Park out. I sat in anticipation of a new Theme Park, for I had heard the rumors of a new and improved version.
I finally got my copy and got to work. From the beginning, I was extremely annoyed that the instruction book was so small and incomplete. The original Theme Park came with a much more detailed book, stating ride descriptions, customer moods and of course, creating track rides.
The new book definitely will not work for a new user. It will be confusing and difficult. I guess they were hoping all the oldies would buy in.
I like some new features of the new Theme Park. I enjoy being able to change the cost of shops and sideshows without having ALL of them default to that price. I mean, I want to rip off my guests when I know they'll spend more, right? I also like the new staff pages. You can train your staff, give them raises and check their individual motivation. I do feel that the older game had a better system for setting their designated work area. I see my mechanics and janitors wandering away from where I just assigned them. But overall the staff options are way improved, and you don't stress out trying to find which of your 200 janitors is slacking off.
I also enjoy that there is a goal on this game. To get to build another park, you need those gold tickets. Not just cash from selling your last park. The camcorder option is also cool, and the track rides are pretty right on. I like access to my laptop, which keeps everthing in one place for me, and is much easier to access then the old theme park.
What do I dislike? Well, for someone like me that breezes through these games with little or no assistance, the narrator guy makes me scream at my television. I just want him to go away. He does obnoxious things, like insists on ride upgrades when you don't have the money to upgrade. And then he'll keep saying it. I kept jumping to my options menu to see if I really turned the tutorial off. I guess that's part of the game. I now leave the TV on mute.
Overall, I am a SIM-fanatic. So despite the annoying narrator, I'll continue to play, until I dominate the three parks and get bored.
And then hopefully something neew will emerge. My vote? I'd love to see a SIM-mall or SIM-company. Or maybe they'll put that SIM-family game on Playstation...one can only hope.
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