The Sims 2 is very similar to its first version, "The Sims", in many ways except for a few key changes. The original game has an open game goal which means that you can just play all you want and there is really no end to the game at all. The Sims 2 has a few extra goal functions such as life goals, wants, and fears, all of which can affect your game play both positively and negatively.
When playing this game your character will have many different stages of life that it goes through: baby, toddler, child, teen, adult, elder and even a life stage for the afterlife. The average life of a Sims character is 100 Sim days and in some cases you can extend that. But eventually, all characters must pass on - but have no fear because you can always start a new character.