Much like the original The Sims game on the PC, expansion packs for The Sims 2 are introducing new elements that add more life to the popular life simulator. We’ve seen Sim characters go off to college, get nightlife, open their own business and now adopt a pet to keep them company. The Sims 2: Pets includes both canine and feline companions to your family roster and now pet lovers can do the same on their portable handheld. The surprising thing is that The Sims 2: Pets for the PSP plays a lot like the PC game but then again this one contains far too many flaws as well.

You’ll start, of course, by creating your Sim family but this time including dogs and cats. Your family can have both but and you’ll find a number of breeds for each one of them. The dog breeds range from Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Dalmatians and Chow Chows, just to name a few. Meanwhile, cat lovers will have breeds like the American Shorthair, Persian, Siamese and even Manx to name just a few breeds. From there you can move your created family into the strangely cramped neighborhood. Like The Sims 2 for the PSP, you’re given a list of objectives to complete throughout the game whether it’s getting your first job or refurnishing your house but this time they added objectives that revolve around pets like training your pet to roll over or teaching them not to “potty” inside the house.

As I mentioned above, you continue to perform all the usual duties of taking control of your Sims’ every needs from going to the bathroom to eating, only this time the game includes pets. Naturally, your pets require all the essential necessities to live such as food and affection. This time around, the computer-controlled characters are actually smart and your pets actually learn. Your dog, for instance, might like digging holes in your backyard. Scold your pup enough times and he or she will learn not to dig more holes in the yard. The same goes for cats that pee on the rug. You can scold them and teach them not to go on the rub but actually do it in designated places. Your pets also respond to rewards, learning that doing certain things that please their master will result in a treat such as food or squeaky toys you can purchase via Pet points you earn for completing objectives.

The real treat here is that your pets never react the same way. Depending on how you created them, pets have their own personality that actually shines through. You might have a friendly dog that gets along nicely with your neighbor’s pets while you might have a cat that isn’t afraid of fighting with other cats and dogs that cross its path. Of course, much like the infants in the original The Sims, you’ll often be stopping whatever it is you were doing to tend to your pet. This is actually frustrating at times since you want to complete certain goals without having to drop what you’re doing just to scold or praise your pet.

The Sims 2: Pets offers enough things to do with your pets throughout the game and it’s fun interacting with other pet lovers out in the neighborhood park in Town Square as well. Unfortunately, the game is far from perfect and it doesn’t even come close to the PS2 version in terms of the framerate and load times. There are load times for everything in this game, whether you’re picking what hairstyle to put on your character or opening a menu screen. When you’re playing with your pet, oftentimes the drop in framerate makes it seem like playtime lasts forever. These might seem like little problems but believe me, they just hold this game back considerably to the point that some less patient gamers will want to stop playing entirely.

As far as the graphics are concerned, Pets does manage to look Ok on the PSP but then again it also manages to contain more glitches than, say, the PS2 version. There are certainly more jaggies in the PSP version, a bit like the first The Sims game on the PSP. Still, the game does manage to cram in some eye-catching environments and characters that go about their business. The animation, when the framerate doesn’t drop, is fluid and it’s fun to watch your Sim and their pet play. Plus, have if you’ve ever dreamed of walking your dog around in a top hat your wish has finally come true.

The sound is nothing new if you’ve been playing The Sims 2 on any platform and it’s no surprise to hear the usual dreamy music as well as your characters speaking their usual nonsensical language (called “Sim-lish“ by loyal fans). This time, however, there are dog and cat sounds added to the mix. It’d good stuff that comes out nicely through the PSP speakers.

Despite the lengthy load times and the constant drop in framerate, The Sims 2: Pets for the PSP delivers a true port of the PC version and fun game for pet lovers. Whether you’re a dog or cat person, this game gives you plenty of options to create and raise a dog or cat Sims-style. If you’re a huge The Sims fan, you might want to consider buying this but be warned that the game’s flaws might just turn you off to the game completely.

Gameplay: 6.5
Creating your own Sims and their pets is neat but going through dog or cat training and taking care of their needs make for a perfect pet lover’s sim. The improvement in the AI is a major plus and the reason this game is actually very fun but be prepared to be frustrated by the long load times.

Graphics: 7.5
Nicely colorful and filled with environmental and character details, the PSP version gets the short end of the stick graphically speaking. The jaggies are inexcusable and it’s far worse than the PS2 version of the game. Still, it’s fun watching your Sim interact with his or her pet.

Sound: 7.5
The sound is nothing new if you’ve played any game featuring The Sims but this time there’s some cute dog and cat sounds. You’ll even find the same Sim gibberish and funny music.

Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Do you remember how tiring it was to tend to a baby Sim in the first game? Well, your pets are just as demanding and you’ll have a hard time keeping them happy. There are even some troublemaker pets you have to deal with so expect some realistic scenarios.

Concept: 7.0
Your pets have plenty of personality and you can even earn points to dress them up or own a lot of cats like that one wacky old lady in The Simpsons. The pet creation options are nice so you can create a pet that suits your Sim’s personality. Sadly, there’s no multiplayer.

Overall: 6.8
Pets is an impressive The Sims 2 expansion pack transferred nicely to the PSP but really long load times and its repetitive nature might not sit well with everyone even true fans. Still, if you’re willing to put up with these weak spots, Pets is a nice distraction with a lot to offer.