Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Sims 2: Bon Voyage shifts the focus from everyday suburban life to exotic getaways, offering a fresh layer of gameplay that revolves around planning and enjoying vacations. Instead of merely sending Sims to community lots via cars, you now pack luggage, book trips, and travel by ship or plane to three premade destinations—Three Lakes, Takemizu Village, and Twikkii Island—or any custom world you create. This expansion encourages strategic vacation planning, from budgeting Simoleons for flights and accommodations to choosing which leisure activities to prioritize.

Upon arrival, Sims can explore each destination on foot, interacting with new NPCs such as ninjas in Takemizu Village, fire dancers in Twikkii Island, and hotel staff in Three Lakes. These characters add dynamism to community lots, and some even offer unique services like treasure hunts, secret ninja missions, or nightly fire performances. For players who love goals and achievements, these mini-quests provide fun objectives that go beyond the base game’s aspirations.

Vacation homes introduce a building and decoration challenge: you can convert hotel rooms into personalized retreats or build entirely new lots on each island. The ability to design beach bungalows, traditional Japanese inns, or jungle hideaways broadens creative horizons. You also manage your Sims’ moodlets—tropical heat, culture shock, or seasickness—making resource management and proper packing essential for a smooth getaway.

Graphics

Visually, Bon Voyage maintains The Sims 2’s charming art style while introducing themed assets that capture each locale’s atmosphere. Three Lakes features lush evergreen forests, shimmering waterways, and rustic cabins with wooden beams. Water reflections and gentle waves make canoeing, fishing, or ice skating more immersive. The dynamic day-night cycle highlights how these natural areas transform, from misty dawns to starry nights.

Takemizu Village showcases intricate architectural details inspired by traditional Japanese design. Temple gates, koi ponds, and tatami mats are rendered with crisp textures, and the serene gardens and bamboo groves provide calming backdrops for philosophical strolls or ninja training. Meanwhile, Twikkii Island dazzles with vibrant tropical colors—emerald palms, golden sands, and colorful market stalls—enhanced by bright sunlight and animated parrots flitting overhead.

While the core engine is unchanged, Bon Voyage’s new decorative items, clothing styles, and terrain paints breathe fresh life into Sims 2 neighborhoods. Animations for fire dancing, ninja flips, and pirate-themed performances are surprisingly fluid and add a layer of spectacle to community lots. Though the pack doesn’t overhaul lighting or shaders, it makes excellent use of the existing engine to evoke distinct environments.

Story

Bon Voyage doesn’t follow a traditional linear narrative but offers an open-ended travelogue framework that invites players to create their own stories. Whether your Sims are thrill-seeking adventurers hunting for hidden treasures on Twikkii Island or peace-loving yogis seeking meditation in Takemizu Village, the expansion provides tools and scenarios to spin countless holiday tales. NPC interactions—like following ninja masters or trading trinkets at local markets—give depth to these self-directed narratives.

Expanded cultural events and mini-quests inject spontaneity into each vacation. Sims may stumble upon a secret waterfall in Three Lakes, get invited to a midnight pirate feast on Twikkii Island, or engage in a solemn tea ceremony in Takemizu Village. These episodic moments create memorable vignettes and encourage replayability, as different Sims will trigger different experiences depending on their traits and choice of activities.

For players who enjoy legacy gameplay or telling generational sagas, Bon Voyage adds a chapter to each Sim’s biography. A shy Sim might return from a tropical vacation brimming with confidence, while a workaholic may become obsessed with local customs after spending time in a peaceful bamboo garden. These subtle changes in Aspiration points and moodlets can alter long-term story arcs, ensuring that vacations leave lasting impressions on your household.

Overall Experience

The Sims 2: Bon Voyage stands out as one of the most substantial expansion packs for the base game, transforming routine Sim lives into globe-trotting adventures. By centering on travel, cultural immersion, and vacation home design, it adds new dimensions to long-term gameplay. Whether you prefer the snowy retreats of Three Lakes, the tranquil Zen gardens of Takemizu Village, or the sun-drenched beaches of Twikkii Island, each destination feels distinct and richly detailed.

Bon Voyage’s balance of free-form exploration and structured mini-quests caters to both casual players and completionists. Those who relish scenic relaxation can spend hours lounging by the pool or fishing in crystal lakes, while achievers can chase after ninja’s secret scrolls or hidden pirate treasures. The new NPCs and interactive events help each session feel lively and unpredictable.

Requiring The Sims 2 core game, Bon Voyage is a must-have for fans seeking variety and creative building options. Its expansions in community lot activities, vacation home customization, and cultural theming breathe new life into the franchise. For anyone looking to whisk their Sims away from suburban monotony and onto the world stage, Bon Voyage delivers an engaging, visually appealing, and endlessly replayable holiday experience.

Retro Replay Score

7.4/10