Simulation games have always been a guilty pleasure of mine. Becoming a god who can control the fate of people, zoos, cities and even Jurassic Park, is an enormous power rush, even more so than getting the perfect head shot against your alien attacker. And with such power, I of course always use it for pure evil. Nothing beats building the perfect city and unleashing a 100ft gorilla loose in it just for kicks or ‘accidentally’ forgetting to finish construction of that new roller coaster before opening it to the public. It’s this amount of absolute control over the world that I find defines a quality sim game.
However, newer games in the genre have taken this level of control to extremes with the ability to control every facet of your characters’ lives. Though many applaud these advancements, I find it more difficult to reach those satisfying moments of debauchery. I want my character to hook up with the next-door neighbor and use the hookah…errr, bubble blower, not whine about how he needs to eat, shower or use the bathroom every few seconds. It’s time we take a step back in the sim genre and realize there is a point where too much control equals boredom. This is what the developer of Kudos 2 chose to do, and the result is an enjoyable game that harkens back to the genre’s roots.
Kudos 2 is the sequel to the successful text-based life sim Kudos by Positech Games. If you’ve ever played The Sims and found it a bit too tedious or your character’s constant demands annoying, this is the game for you. In Kudos 2, you’re dropped into a beautiful world and given to choice to create a male or female character and guide them from age 20 to 30. In that time you’ll experience all the of typical aspects of life; going to college, finding a career, getting drunk with your friends and stumbling into work with a hangover. The main draw is the simplified gameplay which allows only one activity to be performed each day, two on the weekends. This ensures less focus is placed on preparing food and using the bathroom and more on making friendships and advancing your career, keeping the game interesting and fast-paced.
Any fans of the original game will notice the vast change in graphical presentation. Kudos was criticized for its sullen-looking characters and dark backgrounds. Kudos 2 has attempted to lighten the mood with a colorful comic style. The result is a much needed light hearted feel, similar to a mix of The Sims and Animal Crossing. The scenery at dusk alone massages your temples, making you reach for a cigarette to savor the beautiful moment. In addition to the great interface, the game oozes humorous snippets from every menu. Upon launching the game, I examined the options menu and had a good laugh just from the Currency selection. It’s clear that from the start of the game, the player is encouraged to relax and take in the easy going vibe Kudos 2 exudes.
Players have the ability to create thousands of unique characters and the Kudos 2 mod community is sure to produce tons of options to keep you entertained. And if despite all these options you can’t find any clothing or physical features that tickle your fancy, Positech’s website offers a complete tutorial on how to mod the game in easy steps, so anyone with patience and a little time can mod Kudos 2 to their liking.
I’m sure some readers will scoff at the idea of a text based life sim, but I assure you that Kudos 2 is an addictive game that merits a playthrough simply because of its carefully-crafted touches. One great feature is that the friends you hang out with directly affect the type of person you become. If you befriend liars and cheats, you’ll become one yourself. Of course I had to test this out by becoming a lying cheat with charisma to burn, so I could woo every girl that crossed my path. Unfortunately, the game didn’t allow me to date multiple people at once, so I was stuck in the horror of sim monogamy. Despite this underestimation of the awful acts the player will attempt, the friendship system is a welcome change of pace from other life sims where it doesn’t matter who you befriend, as long as you have the appropriate number of friends to advance your career. Kudos 2 goes that extra mile to make each friendship feel unique and important to your character’s future.
In addition to the superb friendship system, Kudos 2 provides a wide variety of career paths, each of which is well developed and very enjoyable from start to finish. Each career path provides a good reflection of real world experiences and improves the game overall. As a test I forced my character to reflect my own life and pursue a career in science. Despite his fervent pleas to maintain a social life, I found it hauntingly familiar to my own existence. Gradually it became increasingly difficult to maintain friendships or a relationship thanks to the amount of classes and work. Eventually my character had a nervous breakdown from stress. Ah, the joys of science…
While Kudos 2 may not be as in-depth as The Sims, it has all the makings of a great game. The story paths are rich and diverse and offer weeks of enjoyment. Every goal you set within the game is easily attainable given the proper career and social choices, making the game a perfect choice to play regardless if you have only a few minutes or a few hours.
If you enjoy sim games and have $15, give Kudos 2 a look. Also be sure to write Positech Games and demand more debaucherous antics for the sequel.
