Adolescence is in the spotlight at the start of the holidays! The first emotions, the stress of exams, the excitement of preparing for the end of the year ball… The franchise goes all out on this stage of the life of our sims with new features that will surely enrich the gameplay.
During an exclusive live demo dedicated to the press, the developers answered our questions. Here are their answers…
What if a teenager doesn’t have enough grades to graduate? Should he repeat?
- If he doesn’t get good enough grades, he doesn’t graduate. He does not repeat a year, but he can apply for a degree online. Not having a diploma has repercussions on certain careers and prevents going to university. But it’s not final. Also, if the Sim has a high enough skill level, they can still be accepted into college.
High school is a time when teenagers tend to rebel. Can we skip class and go to the park with our friends or maybe do a before before a party?
- Attention, no alcohol in the game (laughs). But yes, you can skip class, go to another class or go to a house, but Sims will be called to order if they go too far, they even risk exclusion.
Did you draw your inspiration from certain films centered around the transition to adulthood?
- Yes, there are a lot. Teen movies from CW, Disney, Euphoria… We wanted to capture that typical American style, like in Grease. This is also part of the “Art Deco” content that we have chosen. But you can rebuild everything, redo the high school of High School Musical 2 for example. Riverdale and First Kill also inspired us. We also spoke with teenagers asking them what was really important to them.
How does the sexual orientation system work with trans Sims? Are they seen as the gender they live with?
- It is based on the gender the Sim identifies with. When you create a Sim, you always choose the “male” or “female” option. This is how the Sim self-identifies and it is on this decision that the system is based.
What are the different types of after-school activities or clubs?
- There is the chess club, the computer club, the cheerleaders and the football team. We also have two jobs: Simfluencer and Video Game Streamer. You have enough to earn enough to live very comfortably.
New ways to die and new places to crac-crac?
- Yes, there is the big wheel, the “tunnel of love” and the haunted house. These are great places to do this, but if you get caught, you could be banned from there for a while. There is also the photo booth. For new deaths, if you badly sabotage a locker, there could be consequences. Sims can also tell each other spooky urban legends that can make them scared to death.
The Sims 4: High School Years will be available on July 28 on PC and Mac (via Origin and Steam), and on PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. In the meantime, do not hesitate to consult our impressions of the moment: TEST The Sims 4: Werewolves, beware of the full moon!