"Your reputation precedes you, Mr. Bond"

Every sim has a Reputation. This is increased through interaction with the townies and other not-directly-playable sims on community lots, although if a residential lot has a lot of visitors or walk-bys, it can take a little bit of a rise. It can also be decreased. If a sim has wavered somewhat from being an average cabbage, it means upon meeting new sims, there is a good chance that they already know your sim and their starting relationship takes a positive or negative hit. In Ricardo's case, through socialising and networking, he has become a Reputable Resident.

A reputation that has deviated from the norm does get results. These can be positive or negative.

Here is Damian Regras, who is the TS2 reincarnation of one of my sims in The Sims Online. Damian may only be an Average Cabbage but he is making a good impression. He has been offered a job as a Field Researcher, been given a free plasma screen TV to "test out" for someone, got a reduction in his rent and a neighbor has used his contacts to get him a reduction in cost of goods in the catalogue.

The lesson I learnt from this is that it pays to be nice and that what goes around comes around.

However, not everyone likes to play this way and would rather have a dystopia than a utopia alienating sims instead of influencing them. Had Damian had decided to be a real pain in the backside, he could be at risk of people he had annoyed using their influence and networks to negative affect his life. His rent could go up and any promotion chances could be sabotaged. Karmic retribution comes to TS2.

Personally, I am still trying to get to grips with reputations but I do believe that it is a positive inclusion into the game.

Personally, I am very impressed with the way that a greater emphasis on community has been included with the addition of the social groups and class system placing a greater emphasis on community and getting our sims out of their homes and apartments if they wish to build a reputation.

In the next part of this review, which hopefully will be out over the weekend, I will looking in detail at apartment life, seeing how they function, and letting you know how you can build your own.