Developer: Two Point Studios
Publisher: SEGA
ReleaseDate: 9th August 2022
Platforms: Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch & Steam
Reviewed on: Xbox & Switch
▫️ Code provided by the publisher ▫️
Back in May 2021 when Two Point Campus leaked on the Xbox store I was instantly excited. It may only be Two Point Studios’ second outing, but when you take into account how good Two Point Hospital was and factor in that some of the developers were part of the classic Bullfrog team that made the original Theme Hospital, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind we were going to get something special.
The premise, in case the title didn’t give it away, is a University building simulator. You start with some pretty small digs and begin kitting it out with classrooms, dorms, lecture halls, toilets and more. The tutorial that greets you when you first start your journey does an excellent job of introducing you to all the game mechanics and giving you the skills you need to be successful.
Early on there is a temptation to scrimp on facilities. Basic classrooms, student lounges where finding a seat is like winning the lottery and having to join the queue for the toilet an hour ahead of time is an unwritten rule. This approach will save you money in the short term, but that isn’t going to cut it here. If students aren’t happy they’ll begin dropping out, which will hurt the reputation you need to build. Creating an environment where students can thrive is key.
Equally important to the student’s academic endeavours is socialising and creating friendships and bonds. There are loads of optional extras you can add to rooms and communal areas to aid in this. Pool tables, dart boards even an original Sega Crazy Taxi arcade machine are just a few of the luxury items you can use to add a sense of fun to the place. Then there’s the brilliantly named double jump bed, where students who want to take that friendship to the next level can do so by jumping up and down… fully clothed.
At times, it can feel like space is at a premium. This leads to a tendency to keep rooms at their minimum size to preserve space. While this may feel like a wise move initially, I often found that taking this approach ended up biting me in the long run. Creating bigger rooms and leaving extra space allows you to go back and add to them later on, negating the need to have two of certain facilities. If the money is flowing you can expand your building size, or create a second unit. Beware though, that not all classes take place indoors, such as the hilarious knight school. So you don’t want to use up all your space.
One thing that is noticeable in this new venture is that it isn’t as brutally hard. Towards the latter stages, Two Point Hospital got really tough and seeing that scaled back was definitely a welcomed change. It definitely still provides a challenge and will keep you busy for 30+ hours, but you’ll graduate with your sanity. For those looking for a rough ride, the sandbox modes challenge option will gladly kick your ass.
Part of this easing in difficulty can be put down to the staff you hire actually putting in a shift. See those janitors you hired? Well, they’ll actually empty the rubbish and water the plants. Teachers don’t go MIA every five seconds and if students have the correct resources at their fingertips, they will do the school proud. This results in Two Point Campus being less of a micro-management sim than its predecessor.
Presentation is another thing that Two Point Campus also nails. I love the art style. Theme Hospital was one of my favourite games as a child and this takes that aesthetic and upgrades it for 2022 eyes. The animations look great, and the vibrant world is always a joy to oversee. The soundtrack does an excellent job of being catchy while the campus DJs always have something witty to add. The fact that Sir Nigel Bickleworth sounds exactly like Gil Chesterton from 90’s sitcom Frasier is just the icing on the cake.
My time on campus was spent between the Xbox Series X and the Nintendo Switch Lite. The developers have done an admirable job of making the controls as user-friendly as possible, but there is no denying that a keyboard and mouse is the optimal way to play. I did experience some performance dips on the Switch when things got more hectic later on, but the nature of the game meant it never became too much of an annoyance. I actually found myself really impressed with how well the device was able to handle the game. On Xbox, I noticed no performance issues at all.
VERDICT
Two Point Campus is a superb sequel to one of the best management sim games ever made. It takes the winning formula and puts it in a new setting with both interesting and hilarious consequences. The difficulty has been tweaked for the better and quality of life additions are peppered throughout the game. Minor performance issues on the Switch aside, it’s an A+ from me.
-Craig ✌️