Ever wished there were a fool-proof way to tell what a person was really like? We're talking warts and all here, and not just the tried and tested crowd-pleasing facades we tend to build around ourselves to avoid getting arrested/laughed at/slapped/ignored or worse.

Well, there is, and it doesn't require expensive polygraph tests, sodium pentothal or lashings of grain alcohol. If you really want to get an insight into the true character of a friend, loved one, classmate, colleague or even yourself, just set up a session on The Sims: Bustin' Out, and take notes. A lot of notes.

Having spent bleary-eyed days playing and watching OPS2 teammates playing Bustin' Out, it's amazing how people's foibles and character kinks manifest themselves in their sims' habits and behaviour. Take yours truly, for example. Never one to pass up the opportunity to wreak havoc in an unsuspecting game world, it was a bit of a surprise to discover a hitherto unknown streak of pure prissiness coming to the fore.

You see, it rapidly became impossible to leave a single filthy plate out or pile of trash unswept in the trailer my sim (Hoe) called home. Which wouldn't have been so bad, but Joe was sharing with a complete pig of a friend called Dudley at the time, who never - repeat, never - did any housework. Bastard.

And you know something? If it weren't for the discovery that you could hire a French maid to come around and 'do' for you, Joe would still be stuck in a garbage-centred spiral of despair like some dust-bunny-obsessed hermit. And let's not even get onto the subject of Bing Bling and Mona popping over while we were at work and clogging up the filter in the hot tub...

See what we mean? The idea of creating a virtual person and living their life on PS2 may appeal to you. It may not. But take something from us; give it time and even when keeping your creation happy, well-adjusted and free from urine-soaked trollies occasionally slips into will-sapping tedium, you'll stay hooked because, much like the real thing, however bad the individual moment may be, life is good. Overall.

Of course, this isn't the first time The Sims has set up home on PS2. Back in February, Will Wright's insanely popular existence-'em-up made its console debut. And, while the results proved that developer Maxis had though long and hard about how to tailor the PC experience for more goal-orientated console gamers, there was a lingering feeling that the series could offer bigger and better lifestyle thrills the second time around. Which is where Bustin' Out comes in.

This time around - and barring virtual agoraphobia - you're no longer tied to the old homestead (however humble or bling it may be) but are encouraged to explore a wealth of unlockable new locations around the suburbs of Sim City. Even more exciting than that, your sim is now able to bust out of the confines of the standalone PS2 and spend a weekend in the new online co-operative mode.

Essentially, the basic set up is the same as The Sims part one. You create your very own John or Janine Q Public and set them loose in the sim world, nurturing and guiding them through career, friendship, love, leisure time and, if you're really cack-handed (or just black-hearted!) death. You do this in two main ways. Firstly, by making sure eight criteria for a good life are constantly met. At the most basic, this means taking your sim to the bathroom before his/her bladder passes bursting point and you've got to fetch a mop - don't do this while visiting your girlfriend by the way. But the criteria also include sleep, entertainment, social interaction, hygiene, food and home environment. So, if your sim fails to get enough shut-eye or brush his teeth once in a while, he'll start to get cranky and other sims will notice the pong. Fail to keep a tidy house and similarly your quality of life will suffer.

Conversely, keep all of the criteria topped up and you'll unlock new skills, give your creation a better shot at a promotion and generally reap the rewards of being a well-balanced little sim.

Alongside the perpetual balancing act you have to maintain between Joe's physical and social needs, there are character traits that you can develop by using the items around you. For example, practise speaking in front of the mirror and you'll enhance your basic charisma. That boring old chess set in the living room and the easel behind the sofa? Make use of those and you'll develop your logic and creativity respectively. So it goes.

In Bustin' Out it really is a case of 'you live and learn'. Just don't worry if things don't come easy the first time you do them. The skills that are really worth having take time to develop. The DJ-less decks in the funky new Club Rubb look enticing, but the first time you man the wheels of steel you sound like you couldn't mix a drink, let alone two cuts. Keep at it though, and you'll start filling the floor, rather than clearing it.

Inevitably, capitalism plays its part in all of this. Your sim has bills to pay, and he wouldn't be a very cutting-edge guy if he didn't have a decent spread of mod-cons in his crib. So you need to get your fella some green, and that means finding a job. Thankfully, reality doesn't intrude too far. Your sim won't be setting off on a career as an entry-level data processor, but instead could become a mobster, a scientist (mad), a fashion victim or a movie star, amongst others. You don't just start off your career as a full-on mobster. That would be silly. Instead, you start off as a pickpocket (hours are 10-1pm, the bus leaves at 9) and, depending on your mood and skills, move up that promotion ladder. Nice.

While acquiring an espresso machine and a pool table is probably enough of an incentive for living, the game also gives you another ongoing task. Each time you first arrive at a new location, nasty property mogul Malcolm Landgrab is there stealing the tastiest items for himself. Recovering and replacing these through interaction with other sims and amassing cash forms an interesting and on-going side mission as you explore the game.

Having the freedom to visit other locations is a great addition to the Sims experience. It would have been great if the A-B journeys were interactive in some way - instead of merely being the glorified loading screens they are - but given the variety of locations on offer (haunted house and love shack anyone?) and the richness of tinkering that's possible once you get to your destination, it becomes hard to criticise Bustin' Out.

Graphically the game is richer than last time and the PS2 copes particularly well with the tiny little details that don't always make the transition from the higher resolution PC monitors to living room TVs intact. The sound is also uniformly spot on. Subtle musical cues blend with the great spot FX and hilarious 'Simlish' conversations between characters to create a soundtrack that's informative as well as decorative.

Add to the core game the PC-alike Free Play that removes the need to meet specific objectives for a more relaxed/aimless experience, the ability to swap data with friends via memory card, and the welcome addition of co-operative play online, and Bustin' Out proves itself to be an accomplished variation on the Sims theme.

It's unlikely to win over punters who weren't convinced by the first game, and its slow momentum and hard-won pleasures remain the ingredients of an acquired taste. However, give Bustin' Out time, and we defy any gamer to resist its pull for long. Rich, varied and ultimately rewarding, there's never been a better time to lead a double life on your PS2.

1. Start off slowly
   You may have the option to give a sim a back rub, but if you've only just met them it's unlikely to go down well. Have a chat first. If the conversation isn't going well, try entertaining or complimenting them.
2. See the signs
   If a sim is speaking in red icons, it's because they want something and you can probably help. Try taking them a meal or asking them to dance. Do this and you'll be on your way to making a new family friend.
3. It takes diffr'ent strokes
   Different sims response well to different approaches. Tickling Dudley is unlikely to impress, but it will with Mimi. However, teasing will upset her, while doing the same to Dud will get your guffaws of manly approval.
4. Look after yourself
   Okay, it may seem obvious, but if you keep wetting yourself in public, never take a bath, wear the same clothes day in day out and drive around on a candy pink scooter, you're unlikely to make many friends!

Graphics 80%
Cute design with great animation.

Sound 80%
Spot on SFX and the Simlish speech is brilliant.

Gameplay 80%
It's a slow burner, but it'll get you in the end.

Lifespan 80%
There's no end, just like the circle of life, man.

Overall 80%
Bustin' Out builds on the first Sims with a broader range of options, but the gameplay's still an acquired taste.