Games: “Two Point Campus”, Too Academic Management

At the end of summer break, there are probably a handful of people itching to get back to school. That’s good, that’s exactly what “Two Point Campus” offers. But more than embodying a student, it is a complete university that we have to manage: build the different rooms of the campus, hire teaching staff, janitors, librarians. And above all, keep an eye on finances to avoid bankruptcy.

Presented like this, the proposal from the Two Point studio does not seem to overflow with fun. However, the coating of this management game shines with its crazy side. Two Point County does not study sociology, philosophy or engineering. If we pay large sums to learn, it is because thewe are considering a career as a gentleman, giant robot builder or gourmet. Course titles and classroom equipment are often as colorful as they are fun.

This somewhat burlesque universe is now well inscribed in the DNA of the “Two Point” series. Four years ago, the studio had effectively released “Two Point Hospital,” in which the player had to manage a hospital that treated patients for such serious ailments as goosebumps and laughter. The inspiration, supposedly, would be found on the side of the mythical and completely lattice “Theme Hospital” released in 1997. The studio took great care to preserve the humor of the time that is almost intact in its current productions.

These goofy elements manage to steal a smile from you, but they’re too systematic. The repetition will soon make them a bit heavy.. We laugh when we first face a shower of frogs and when we scramble to clear the ground of fall-stunned batrachians. We laughed less the third time.

“Two Point Campus” unfortunately it lacks a touch of madness and struggles not to tire the player. This tiredness probably stems from the fact that the game lacks the unexpected. A school year is finally plan-plan enough. In true “Sims” fashion, there’s a certain satisfaction in seeing a well-oiled campus spin around, much like one would see an ant colony in a terrarium. Nice but not breathless. We quickly came to forget the fun lining of the game to optimize your campus: organize the rooms managing the space and the accounts of the institution as well as possible.

Because one does not become a manager of a university for pleasure. Therefore, each level proposes to take charge of a unit that offers one or two different training courses. We must ensure that students have access to enough classrooms and teachers.

But those who have passed through the amphitheaters know well that the Alma Mater is more than a place of learning, it is a place of life. Care must be taken to ensure that students and staff can relax between two labsorganize break rooms, host student nights, or even set up booths for extracurricular activities like the nap club or the hugely popular brisk walking club.

Hygiene is also crucialand make sure you have enough toilets and showers installed, and hire staff to pick up trash left by less conscientious students all over campus.

about the parts, we often repeat the same gestures, systematically: don’t forget to place a wastebasket next to the classroom door, flood the corridors with radiators to prevent the characters from complaining about the cold, etc. When a request arises, such as the creation of a monument dedicated to love, it only takes a few clicks to satisfy it. On the contrary, we just wait for next month to fill the boxes and buy the necessary equipment. In general, the biggest challenge of the game lies in navigating between all its pages, its menus and submenus, which often makes the smallest action or information search too complex.

“Two Point Campus” is a fun experience, which unfortunately will not leave an everlasting memory. A game that we like to discover, that we go through without disgust, but without much desire. The lack, in particular, with the lack of unforeseen events, surprises and difficulties. What makes you want to fall asleep against a radiator in the back of the class? Could you do it better.

Two Point Campus, developed by Two Point Studios, published by Sega, available for PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox consoles and PlayStation consoles. 3 star