The Sims: Livin' Large Review

If you still think that I'm talking crap, and I expect the impossible from an add-on, you'll be happy to read the following sentences --- here are some of the goodies you can expect to acquire in the expansion:

Fifteen New Player Characters (Skins) --- choose to play as a Mad Scientist or Monster, as well as any of the characters from the original game.
Four New Non-Player Characters --- Genies, Clowns, Game Show Hosts, and a Grim Reaper all add to the gameplay.
Five New Career Paths --- Musicians, Slackers, Hackers, Journalists, and Paranormal Investigators can now all climb the career ladder. 50 New Jobs that let you choose your career path (say Musician) and then work your way up from subway musician to piano tuner, wedding singer, lounge singer and then rock star.
Fifteen New Objects: Holiday decorations, exploding garden gnomes, fortune telling crystal balls, a genie in a lantern and even a behavior altering, potion-producing chemistry set all provide new scenarios for your Sims to contend with. New situations in which your Sims can find themselves: from roach (ants actually) infestations to alien abductions - you will need to figure out how your Sims have found themselves in these fixes - some are more prone to these happenings than others...
Three New Architectural Styles:
Castle Build - the perfect creepy setting for the neighborhood's mad scientist.
Vegas - a tacky, but not cheap aesthetic. Create the ultimate bachelor pad with the clashing colors and odd décor.
Retro - a revival of the 50's-60's Mod look. Upscale and chic, with dynamic lines, graceful curves, and a minimalist feel.
Over a Hundred New Catalogue Selections --- more choice of home comforts with a variety of new furniture, electronics, and decorative features. Thirty new walls, and floors (phew)...

I mean if that's not Livin' Large, in terms of goodies, I don't know what is! From all the additions listed, there is only one more aspect, (other than Social Incompatibility) that stands out from the usual mo' money philosophy. Apart from being just another novelty, the aforementioned NPCs, like the sad clown, (well, call him pathetic really) add a Pythonesque flare to the game, with their rather peculiar antics, and irrational game-roles. Tragic Clown will show up every time a household member feels down. Instead of cheering up the under-the-weather Sim, he will throw a fit, exhibiting manically depressive behavior, followed by outbursts of hysteria. The only way to cheer up the depressed Sim is to pick on the damn clown --- insult him and smack him around a bit! Clearly an ironic twist that has more than a few analogies in real life, and a nice touch from the dev. team...

Will Wright and the Maxis boys are currently working on the multiplayer version of the game, so I didn't even go into the "where's the shopping mall" issue. The idea is suggested (hinted) with the inclusion of more neighborhoods, but it will certainly achieve its full potential in the Sims multiplayer. I can't help but feel I was being too harsh (bit of an ass), and expected too much from Livin' Large... Different people expect different things from the Sims. If you knew right off what to expect from the expansion, you'll certainly have a blast playing Livin' Large! As for myself, I'll wait and see what the sequel brings.

I hope to God it doesn't cause the series to sail into mediocrity... Ahhh, what am I saying?!? I'm sure there's no chance of that happening, while Will's on the job...