Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Well worthwhile addition
Being one of the most addictive games that I have ever played, I couldn't possibly see what another expansion pack could add. However, 'Hot Date' adds a whole new dimension to the game. For one there is the downtown area, which is fantastic. This means that you can go on dates with other sims, meet new sims downtown, go out for meals, to a bar and lots more. In downtown there are several new characters to meet, such as the blonde bombshell and the lounge lizard. The new social interactions that come with 'Hot Date' are probably the best part. Now there are several different ways to talk, joke, hug and kiss, all with different reactions. Obviously the makers had a sense of humour because over-excessive interactions such as leaping into another's arms are great fun to watch. All of this really adds a whole new dimension to an already great game. Plus, now that your sims have interests (which they change by reading various magazines), it's a lot more challenging to meet and get along with someone. For instance, it's incredibly difficult to fall in love with someone after one date only, although new items such as the love seat and the picnic certainly help!The only small thing I would say is that there are barely any new objects for use in the home, which makes it a little tedious once you have tired with the downtown area. However, the fact that you can build your own downtown area on an unrestricted budget means that you won't get bored of it for a very long time. There is also the interesting addition of the first animal character, a bear that will react appropriately to your teddies and bearskin rugs. Just like 'House Party', 'Hot Date' is another winner.
Rating: - The Truth Behind Hot Date ...
I'd like to take this opportunity to say "thank you" to Maxis ... For turning me into a slacker. Thanks to you, I can't hold a job, keep friends in my own neighborhood, and after spending hours designing my dream house, I only use it to sleep and shower in! And why? Because I'm ADDICTED to Downtown! :)"Hot Date" is absolutely the best concept for an add-on yet, and it can only get better from here ... Especially gratifying as well, since the recent cancellation of the "Simsville" game that many of us were looking forward to. But now you can get your random-interaction fix AND browse for some groovy threads, have a drink, and watch the general mayhem of Townies on a mission ... Complaints? I only wish that there were more free lots for development. You can always bulldoze a Maxis-designed lot, but having more than one vacant space would have been nice. The new Downtown Exchange at TheSims.com is an excellent idea though, perfectly supplementing the Sims Exchange already in place. And I like all the new interactions available, but I can't understand why other Sims are allowed to tease *you* and you aren't given the option to tease back. Come on now, what says "hi, I'd like to get to know you" better than sneaking up on a Sim and scaring the bejesus out of them? :) All in all this is a great add-on that's not to be missed. More walls and floors, lots of new objects, and tons of interactions (including new gestures and movements) make this an essential addition to The Sims collection. If my Sims had thumbs, they'd be way up!
Rating: - A great expansion to The Sims
This is yet another Sims expansion pack, yes that makes a total of three now. But somehow Maxis managed to make it the best yet, with the main upgrade being the ability to take sims downtown, there are also many more social options that are now all organized into efficient menus. But back to the downtown, each neighborhood has it's own and there are no money restrictions downtown so feel free to build to your hearts content. There are a lots (125+)of new objects available, some are only available downtown. You can build restaurants, bars (non-alcoholic of course), nightclubs, parks, and two of the downtown lots are beaches. The minimum system requirements have gone up however, now you need 64MB of RAM to play not 32 and it takes up 600MB of hard drive space more than any other sim expansion. The sound and graphics haven't changed at all, but the gameplay is MUCH improved and it doesn't feel like your sims are living in a bubble anymore. There are however some bugs in Hot Date sometimes people get stuck cuddling on couches (another new interaction) or in dining booths, some people have complained about sound issues after installing Hot Date, and some other problems. But despite that The Sims Hot Date is a fun, enjoyable addition to the sims and if you like this game at all get this expansion, it's WELL worth your money.
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