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The Sims 2 University Expansion Pack Review
Welcome to the
The Sims 2 University Expansion Pack Review page.
I just got
this game last night, and it's definitely a great addition to the Sims 2. It basically
creates a new neighborhood--a college campus--to which you can import your existing
teen Sims or create new ones. The teens live in dorms at first, but can rent houses
or join a fraternity or sorority.
Teens have to do assignments and write
term papers to keep their grades up, and quickly progress through eight semesters.
They also need to go to class (like going to work, only a shorter period of time).
One new element is that every year they need to develop certain skills to maximize
their capacity to learn (there's a bar that fills up as they study, and has a
minimum they have to do in order to make it to the next grade). So, like with
a career, they might have to have two body points and one creativity. If they
only have one body point, the maximum studying benefit they can achieve is limited
until they've fulfilled the requirement. The better grade they get each semester,
the more money they receive as a grant after the final exam.
With the
money they can buy all the standard objects, along with new items such as instruments
(guitar, base, drums), or personal items that they carry with them, like cell
phones (a great help when the house phone won't stop ringing and you want to make
a call) and iPods.
There are also new objects, including gothic and funky
themed furniture and new bed spreads, and several new careers for which Sims can
study, including natural scientist, paranormal, actor, and artist. A Sim's major
prepares them for three different career paths, with one being the most probable.
(I do resent, however, that the study of literature is most likely to lead to
a career as a criminal or a slacker).
Another new feature, college Sims
gain influence points which they can use to get other Sims to do things for them
(pull pranks, clean, do homework, etc.). These are primarily achieved through
social interactions with other Sims. There are also some new social interactions,
like pranks, playing hackie sack, and hanging out.
As with the Superstar
and Vacation expansion packs for the first Sims game, this expansion pack opens
up a whole new realm of gameplay. Unfortunately, I wasn't overly impressed with
the community lots. It takes too long for the community lot to load for it to
be worth visiting, and the only reason to go is to buy cell phones, iPods, etc.
Also, the dorms are pre-built, you can't custom build. However, in the dorms,
they don't show the interiors of other students dorm rooms unless your Sim enters,
which keeps the game from getting sluggish in terms of game speed.
One
other disappointment is that there are three pre-made campuses, but only two have
fraternity/sororities, which is one of the more intriguing challenges (rushing
a fraternity is a bit like impressing the headmaster of the private school, but
you have to build relationships with four members to a certain level in a limited
amount of time, and you keep the progress you made each time you try).
I
think this is definitely a worthy addition to any Sims fan's library of games.
While there's some room for improvement, it does offer a great deal of new features.
In conclusion, I give The Sims 2 University Expansion
Pack a 9.6/10 rating!
Buy The Sims 2 University Expansion Pack
