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THE SIMS 2: UNIVERSITY is the first new expansion pack for Sims 2, and if the sequel proves to be anything like its predecessor we can expect S2U to be the first of many. To fans of Sims 1, of course, the seven expansions packs that were released, despite the bugs they brought and the hassle of installing them incrementally, did nothing to cheapen the experience of the game and we hope that with the release of the superior Sims 2 Maxis has taken all it has learned in the past and can now release expansion packs without the flaws. Sims 2 University is an example of this, and although one or two bugs creep up over extended playing, nothing proves to be game-stopping.

Sims 2 University is essentially a new game inside the game. A new age group has been introduced - young adult - and when this is reached Sims who have earned good enough grades in school (maybe even earning a scholarship or two) can leave their neighbourhood and their families to attend one of Sim Nation's fine tertiary establishments, a university. Several universities are provided with the game, corresponding nicely to the three original neighbourhoods. For example, Pleasantville has Sim State University, and if the player desires, more universities can be created on demand. A university campus is almost a neighbourhood in itself, with shops and parks and a slew of flats for wealthy students to move into. On a corner might be a dorm or a fraternity, and a dark mansion on a hill might eventually prove to be a secret society.

Once a young adult or group of young adults move into a dorm room for their first semester, things begin to progress much like a National Lampoon movie. Students must (under your direction if necessary) juggle getting good grades and progressing towards a major with parties, relationships and the massive amounts of time spent bumming around with friends that constitutes education in almost any country. The total time spent at uni comes to eight semesters, assuming your Sim passes each exam, at which point they can return to their neighbourhoods and their families a successful adult, ready to plunge into the career of their choosing. Four new careers have been added to the game and some careers can now only be pursued if the relevant degree is part of your Sim's repartee.

Earning money is both a difficult and interesting experience in S2U as Sims can no longer alter the house they live in at will (or see into other rooms – probably for the best) and have no full time jobs to speak of. Instead, a young adult could spend some significant time working in the cafeteria, or playing the guitar for tips. All money goes towards the necessities in life: alcohol, useless trinkets for the dorm room, girlfriends (or boyfriends). If a Sim saves up enough money, he can move out of the crowded dorm and into his very own flat, and thereby remove all incentive to do any uni work at all. Other possible migration options include befriending and being invited into a fraternity (or sorority) and spending the rest of uni time drunk, or, if he makes the right contacts, becoming a member of a secret society.

Along with these things all the icing of universities everywhere is also included: toga parties, streaking, cheerleaders, sleeping with your professor for good marks, etc., etc., etc..

New options have been added to your Sims to alter the game experience such as Influence, so earned by befriending and cajoling other Sims, which allows your Sim to make others perform stunts, like pour washing powder into a fountain for example. With influence comes further ambitions and a greater life ambition, an insanely hard to achieve ambition that if achieved will render a Sim in a state of bliss for the rest of his life.

If there are flaws in the game, they lie primarily in things that should have been fixed or altered but simply were not. Along with new things Sims can do (like hanging out), old painful things remain a pain, most notably getting groceries or leaving the house. Leaving your Sim's place of residence in particular is still very time consuming and not really worth it. Our review machine admittedly only had a top of the line 64 bit processor and a gig of DDR so the five or so minutes it took to get to the library through loading screens can be expected, however in a real uni getting to the campus should be easy and therefore frequent. Most uni students hang out at campus facilities to at least give the appearance of doing what they're paying for but with the Sims long loading screens and general awkwardness getting anywhere (calling a taxi, getting on the taxi when it arrives, loading screen, etc.), experiencing life outside the dorm/flat seems to be discouraged.

Overall S2U is a good expansion pack, adding as all good expansions should a whole new dimension of play and expanding game time by hours. While the portrayal of uni is a bit cartooney (where are the hours and hours of complete inebriation, or the maddening stress of missing an assignment's due date?) this fits in with the average Sims portrayal of things and does little to dampen the experience of an open minded player. The host of new objects and decorating styles open up further options for the intrepid designer and the eight crazy semesters that Sims can enjoy adds more character and personality to your characters than ever before. All and all it's a worthy maiden expansion.