"The first time you start up The Sims, your only option is the Get A Life mode. This rich and deep mode of play begins in a dream sequence as you are living life in an enormous mansion with all sorts of wonderful and expensive things around you. But as soon as your dream girl or guy walks in, you wake up to realize that you actually live in a tiny house, with your mom no less. To make matters worse, the TV is on the fritz, your mom doesnt know how to cook, and the chump change in your pocket isnt nearly enough to move out on your own. This first stage of the game has three objectives: fix the TV, learn to cook, and swindle (the game says borrow) -- whoa, d??vu -- 800 bucks from mom to move out. Once you move out, the set of objectives will change to other things like getting a roommate, getting promoted in whatever occupation youve chosen, and so forth. This brings the immersion to a whole other level: a Sims game that you can actually beat, now thats what Im talking about."