In contrary to the previous expansion, University, Nightlife is completely integrated in the main game. You still live in your normal house, from where you can take a cab to the big city Downtown at night. In case you want to party 24/7 you can always go live there. Downtown is the biggest add-on to the game and adds restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, poker clubs, karaoke bars and regular nightclubs. Superb, as your Sims have gotten a brand new Aspiration: pleasure seeker. These hip guys and gals only want to party, date and cruise around in expensive cars. Watch out though, because after a wrong move on the dance floor or a failed date they're immediately depressed.

Your Sims having their own car, it's finally possible. You can't drive it yourself (there's a shortage of minigames altogether) but now you can leave for work later and it's in any case better than a taxi. After a successful date you can use your brand new sport scar for another and more naughty purpose, but I won't be reviewing that aspect. It was already possible to date people, while watching some television at home, but now it's gotten harder and more fun. In a club you first show you're interested in someone and then you walk up to him/her to start a conversation (pick-up lines like "I'd look good on you" are unfortunately not possible). After the talking you invite your prey for a date and if the answer is positive, the fun begins.

For the occasion a date-meter and sex appeal-bar have been added. The date-meter rises and falls as how your dates elapses. If everything goes well the meter will rise and the date will extend, but when the meter falls your evening might end early and you're off for a new hunt. Some Sims are impossible to seduce, others will immediately fall in love with your Sim and then the dates become very easy. If the date ends well your Sim will get presents, but when it ends wrong (or your partner discovers your Sim is cheating on him/her) you can expect flaming bags of poo in front of your virtual door... several times.

More than 125 new objects are present, which is always nice. Karaoke sets, DJ gear, photo boots (naughty use also possible) and many others. The coolest addition are vampires. When your Sim gets bitten, your game changes completely. Food and sleep become unnecessary and you also stop aging. Too bad there are disadvantages too, the sun can kill you and your Vampire-Sim gets completely depressed when in a room with windows (a coffin is the only solution). Drinking a potion gets your Sim back to normal.

Nightlife of course still relies on the Sims 2 engine, which still looks fantastic. Because of the big, stuffed with Sims areas the game becomes a lot heavier though. Where I could run the original game with everything checked I now had to lower the details to keep it playable. This is too bad, as the target group (like my sister) doesn't consist out of people knowing how to configure something. Soundwise, this expansion is about the same as the main game, including irritating jabber.