Partly in preparation for the new game, partly because I really didn't like this at the time of release.

I still kinda don't. But it is deeper than I gave it credit for at the time. Back in ought seven, I pulled up the UI, didn't immediately see an option for building pipes, and promptly set the disc on fire.

(Oh, by the way, if you have the code, you can contact EA to get this game added to your Origin account. So if you set your disc on fire, don't fret.)

Anyway, there's more to this game than it looks like at first. You just have to wrap your head around two things: the idea of building your city with a theme in mind, and the notion that the sims in your city are just as fickle about their entertainment options as they have been about, say, fire stations in past games.

If you can get there, mentally, you'll find this game as least playable, and actually enjoyably complex in some surprising areas.

But shit, I gots ta have my pipes, do you know what I mean?

Word.