The Sims: The Right and Wrong Ways to Play

Don't tease me about my hobbies. I don't tease you about playing the Sims...

...Unless you're doing it wrong. "But, Victoria!" you admonish, "How can there be a wrong way to play a video game?" Believe me, belligerent gamer, there is most definitely a wrong way, especially when it comes to a game like The Sims. This game isn't exactly known for being the healthiest game to play but, of course, most games aren't. Still, there's something in particular about this game that calls for some caution to be taken. Trust me, if you value your mental health and emotional stability, you will listen carefully. This is business of the serious variety.   

The Wrong Way

First things first. For the love of all that is sacred, do not make yourself or anyone you know personally. Trust me, it will just become weird. Making yourself as a sim just leads to a whole bunch of self esteem issues that really shouldn't be brought up when you're trying to have fun playing a video game. Not to mention, your friends might not appreciate the fact that you've created them in a virtual world and would rather spend time with them there than in real life. You have to admit, it's a little bit insulting. Creating a fantasy life for yourself hints that you might be unhappy with your own life. If that's the case, you're probably better off not playing The Sims but, instead, working on fixing that. I've seen many people who have had their lives eaten up by losing themselves in a virtual world rather than facing real life issues head on. By making yourself a sim, you will be skirting the very fine line between fun and socially damaging.

The Right Way

Alright, let's say that you've managed to avoid the dangers of becoming a recluse with The Sims. What now? Well, that's the beauty of this game! Your options are endless! You have an entire town to populate with a bunch of houses to fill. The great thing is that you can be original and create characters for your town or, if you're feeling uncreative, recreate characters from your favorite shows/video games/movies. Make it even more enjoyable by inviting a friend over to play with you. Player Two and I are quite proud of the little town we've created (trust me, it's ridiculous). The point is, you should remember that The Sims is a video game meant to be played for fun. It isn't a place for you to vent your anger or create a hormone driven world of melodrama. That, my dears, is what fanfiction is for.

What do you guys think? Do you have a particular way you like to play The Sims? Did you name your town Awesomeville? Let me know!