Apart from cats and dogs, there's barely anything more in terms of pets. Goldfish and hamsters can be bought directly in Buy Mode, but the only possible interaction with them is feeding them while they spend their entire life in a cage or in a glass bowl. One would expect more than just cats and dogs from a game called "Pets." What if, for example, I want a bunny, a turtle or a talking parrot? What if I suddenly feel the need to have a pig, just because it was the trend among Hollywood stars a few years ago? The game doesn't answer such serious questions, which is unfortunate for pet lovers looking for something different.

The animations for the pets are realistic and smooth: dogs shake their legs while they sleep and gradually get better at catching the frisbee; cats clean their face and curl up nicely on the sofa. They can be friends or try to scare each other, with dogs barking and cats arching their backs. The interactions with human characters are very good and include several different options, going from the simple stroking and hugging to playing with toys and teaching commands, a task that will require the character to spend long hours repeating the same words in Simlish. Whenever a Sim hugs a cat or plays finger waggle with it, it's like seeing a real human being doing the same action. Maxis seem to have concentrated their efforts on the animation of pets, forgetting the main interest of The Sims fans: having a complete second life on screen.


Many of the usual problems that The Sims series has on consoles are still the same in Pets. The control system isn't very intuitive and switching to the traditional mouse-focused PC style makes the experience even less precise, instead of improving it. There aren't as many building and customizing options compared to the PC version and, apart from unlocking new items and breeds by accomplishing some goals, the only way to have more stuff is to enter the character codes of pets created by other players. The only possible mode is the Free Play, since there isn't a Story Mode based on a series of missions.

Bonuses include the many songs reinterpreted in Simlish by famous bands such as Hot Chip and The Flaming Lips and even the possibility of meeting Hilary Duff and her Chihuahua Lola at the town square, but they aren't enough to compensate for the general lack of depth that affects this game. The focus is completely on pets, but in the long run this could keep away fans in search of a complete experience of virtual life; maybe that life isn't fulfilled by just feeding a cat new fish-shaped biscuits. The Sims 2 Pets expansion pack could be a good purchase for PC gamers, but buying it for $39.99 on consoles is the kind of choice that will only satisfy the kind of people who keep a place for their cat at the dinner table.