Two Point Campus Review
With huge thanks to the folks at Sega, I’ve been taking a look through their new retro-inspired business management sim Two Point Campus. As a long-time fan of the Two Point franchise (and its spiritual predecessor) this is one I’ve been looking forward to for some time. As usual you can find our full video review just below, and keep reading for the extended written review. As ever both come with a parent’s guide so you can judge the content rather than just ESRB and PEGI ratings.
The Basics
Two Point Studios released Two Point Hospital back in 2018. Since then they’ve not really rested and in addition to a huge number of updates for their hospital management sim they’ve also been working hard on Two Point Campus. Their hard work has really paid off, and now the thrills and spills of making sure people don’t die of Mime Crisis and Spinal Bap can be combined with the joy of ripping off students for all they’re worth.
Two Point Campus builds on everything which made Hospital great. This latest edition in the franchise brings the humour which we know and love, and well-built management mechanics, and adds on new features and a revamped relationship system. You’ll run an ever-increasing number of courses with 17 available within the base game. These include subjects such as Scientography, Knight School, Gastronomy, Wizardry and many more, all taking place within 12 different themed college establishments (just make sure none of the clown college students suffer from a Jest Infection).
Each level has three stars to attain, which will need you to complete various challenges which of course get harder as you move on. While relatively simple at first, these do progress nicely, and the title provides a nice learning curve for those new to the game. To achieve three stars on all levels, you’ll need to make sure that your learners are happy as the happier they are, the better they learn (and the better they learn, the more cash you can fleece them for).
Research and development is also important, alongside training up your teachers, assistants and janitors to reach ever loftier heights. Training and research both bring bonuses to learning and student happiness, which can also be improved by providing a well *wink* stocked *wink* student union bar.
So What’s New?
Two Point Campus brings a new and improved relationship system. To enable learners to perform at their best you’ll need to make sure they are happy in all regards. In addition to staples such as hygiene [yeah they’re students, try sorting that one out. There aren’t enough showers in the world – ed], hunger, thirst, entertainment and others, relationships play a big part in this. You’ll need to provide social spaces for students, allowing them to meet and form relationships with other like-minded alumni. Items such as picnic benches allow these friendships to begin, and you’ll need to make sure there are facilities to encourage these relationships to blossom.
Another notable feature here is that instead of only having the option to purchase prefabricated buildings, the various plots available for the colleges can be purchased with no buildings at all. This allows you to build the exterior as well as the interior of your areas, and frees up a lot of room for creative building.
Parent’s Guide
Rating: Family Friendly Two Point Campus is rated by PEGI at three and above and by the ESRB as T for Teen. There’s quite a disparity here and it seems that the ESRB rating is based on crude humour and mild suggestive themes. There are definitely some tongue in cheek comments here and there, but I’ve not come across anything which would make me worry about letting any of our Micro Bandits have a play around. Overall this is one which I’m rating as family friendly.
Accessibility
Rating:Low Barrier Two point is a title which allows you to jump in and out whenever you like, and has some great difficulty options. It should be noted that there is an awful lot of reading involved if you want to get the most out of things but overall it’s one which I’m rating as Low Barrier to entry.
The Run Down
Visuals – Outstanding: The bright and bold cartoon visuals of Two Point Campus really compliment the gameplay. The camera has some great zoom and movement, and there’s nothing which I’ve felt needs a polish. Things are looking great, and the costumes and small incidental animations are great a great touch.
Audio – Outstanding: The muzak is terribly wonderful or wonderfully terrible, but everything about Two Point Campus seems to just bring a jaunt to your step. Tannoy announcements are well executed and I’ve not been annoyed by any repetition. The soundtrack isn’t exactly the score for Lord of the Rings, but it fits the game well and is well executed
Narrative – Good: There is a narrative of a kind within Two Point Campus, but in the spirit of the best business management sims it mostly just leaves you to get on with it. Each new campus does bring new elements and characters and things to seem to move along nicely.
Replay – Good: The title has twelve levels with three stars to achieve on each, and seventeen courses to work with. There’s always a little to do with rebuilding here and adding a new wing there, and I’ve found myself drawn back to simply making sure my students are having the best time.
The Verdict
The Pixel Bandits “teacher required in the inflator room” Level for Two Point Campus is an Outstanding 4/4. Campus takes the humour and mechanics which made Two Point Hospital great and adds not only a new take, but some new features which really do make a difference. Things such as the between-years academic break to allow you to take stock and rebuild, or the ability to make your own external buildings and the improved relationship system, all come together to make this one an absolute pleasure to get your thumbs around.
