Fun and addicting.
The gameplay is actually just the same as The Sims, hence the title similarities. You still have the little toolbar in the corner that expands with what you select. It's fairly easy to navigate the screen especially when you have the little star helper that, very noticeably, sparkles when you get something new or when it's trying to tell you what to do. There really isn't any bad factors that tie into the gameplay of The Movies so i can't really talk to much about it.
The graphics aren't really awesome but they do look nice at least so they didn't drop the ball like in most games that don't focus on graphics. When you're zoomed out looking at the birds eye view the characters tend to look angular and choppy. Though when it comes time to do a movie and you're all zoomed in it all goes away. Which actually makes you wonder why they couldn't keep it like that.
The sound in this game is pretty good it catches all the ambient sounds that you'd hear in the time era you're in (20's, 30's, 40's, etc.). Though the downside is that the music also ties into the time era so you'll slowly start to have plans of slitting your wrists after a bit. Though its easy to ignore, hence they made a "Music Volume" slide bar in the option menu.
Now that i've went through all of the categories i'll start telling you a little more about the game. The Movies is basically just like Sim City only you're just concentrated on your own studio, not everybodies studio. Which in your mind might take a load off of your mind though it doesn't. At first you won't have a problem and might find it a bit slow but the farther in the game you get the faster it goes. You start out in the 1920's and once you hit the 1950's you tend to get a little behind and clustered at what needs to be done. Trying to keep your directors and your actors all happy and working well all the while trying to keep your studio up to date, clean and also working well tends to take a toll on your nerves. Now i know everybody is gonna go into this game and be all happy about making their own movies and putting their own little twists and what-not into a movie. Though the grim reality of it is that you don't have complete control over your movies until about the mid 1930's. When you do finally get complete control they throw it all at you in one big cluster that you get really confused and lost and end up making a horrible movie that nobody is gonna like. The good thing is that there's a tutorial for the script making job, the bad thing is that it could take you 3 years to make a script and get the hang of how everything works. Though even with the bad job they did on the script making part of it you can still tell your people to do computer made scripts and tweak the scenes a little bit by moving slide bars that decide the mood of the person/scene, how they get shot and with what, whether its a slap or an all out brawl, etc.. Which makes it a little more fun because the right slide of the bar could make or break the scene and enough broken scenes and the movie is a bust. On the other hand enough good scenes could have it climbing the charts to number one. Even though i was pretty bummed about the horrible job of script making and the freedom they said you'd have i am still drawn to this game but the fun of tweaking each scene and trying to win awards with my movies and putting my own stars in my studios.
So to anyone wondering whether to buy this game or not, go ahead just make sure you're buying it for the right reason. Though it's a little dissapointing it a great game and a lot of fun to play and is quiet challenging at times. The first time you'll get your award you'll cheer for yourself. So have your people call my people and we'll set up a meeting, but until then go make me some money star.