High School Years, which follows the release of The Sim 4’s excellent Werewolves Game Pack earlier this month, does pretty much exactly what you’d assume it does based on its name, giving players the option to send their teenage Sims off to Copperdale High for a few years of learning and post-class socialising with peers. Its first big addition is the new location of Copperdale. Nestled on the banks of Lake LaSuli, this small town plays home to more than just the local high school; it also incorporates a library, the principal’s lavish mansion, a thrift store/boba hangout known as ThrifTea, and an amusement park, complete with haunted house, tunnel of love, ferris wheel, and photo booth. The focus, though, is obviously the school which, as well as being fully customisable, provides a place for teen Sims to attend class, participate in weekly exams, have lunch in the cafeteria, play school-themed pranks, and hang out with friends. Out of hours, teen Sims can join after-school clubs, football teams, cheerleading squads, and more, each requiring them to practice their skills before taking part in competitions. And as the day turns to night, teens will even be able to sneak out their bedroom windows to meet up with friends without their parents’ approval. Alongside platonic socialising, High School Years also lets teen Sims experience young love, culminating in a chance to invite their crushes to the end-of-year prom (although there’s no guarantee the answer will be ‘yes’). Maxis says players will be able to customise every aspect of prom night, including outfits, dance routines, music, snacks, and more. Then, rounding out teen Sims’ school days is graduation, which Maxis says will be equally customisable. “All the decisions your Sim has made throughout their high school journey will impact how their graduation plays out,” it says. “Sims can choose whether or not they attend, but they won’t be invited to graduate if their grades don’t meet the mark!”. You’ll find a few more details - including word of new clothing, new building items, and a new Trendi app for selling curated outfits - in Maxis’ High School Years announcement post, which also reveals that a free update will be made available to all Sims 4 players alongside the expansion’s arrival on 28th July. This free update will, at long last, introduce body hair to The Sims 4, meaning hirsute beauty will finally be an option in the non-modded base game. Intriguingly, Maxis doesn’t appear to be stopping at selectable body hair types; instead, the update will also introduce grooming, enabling players to trim their Sims’ body hair to their preferred style as it grows over time.
