Written by Chris Reiter  on October 01, 2004

Final Glimpse: Don't be a dick. Be abreast with Larry!

Tweet

Comments

The attitude of the 1980's might have gotten lost in the changing rate of society, but it's not forgotten. Remember all of those famously wonderful college comedies that shared a common bond? Movies like Revenge of the Nerds, Animal House, and Real Genius had your central characters versus the evil characters in a relenting duel to find realization across campus. Boobs, beer, and getting baked were all part of these films' formula for success. In tribute to the ways of old, toward rekindling a game franchise that's all but vanished from popularity over time, Vivendi Universal is going all-out party hardy style next week with the all-new adventure game of Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude.

 

Larry Laffer is no longer the single swinging hunk of romancing meat gamers once knew from previous installments of the perverse Leisure Suit Larry franchise. Now that Larry's had his fill of making sweet, sweet love to the ladies, a brand-new character is stepping in the ring to have the chickadees play with his ding-a-ling. His name: Larry. Larry Loveage, that is. Larry is the nephew of Larry, and Larry is the uncle of Larry. Confused? Excellent! Okay, so now that we've gotten that out of the way.... Larry Loveage is essentially your every day, losery guy craving a little sexual attention. He's been a senior at college for six years, has no love interest, no goals, and basically no life. It just so happens by chance one day that Larry spots a TV ad for a new reality dating show. Titled Swingles, the show is scheduled to hit his campus in search of that special guy destined to meet that special girl. Determined to get on the show and win, Larry's first got to sweet talk his way with a handful of chicks to ultimately win over their affection for the action he's been longing for.

 

Sure, Leisure Suit Larry isn't the kind of game that's going to please (or at least not be permitted to) all ages, although it's not supposed to. Try to first understand that Leisure Suit Larry is a game pointed at the male gender primarily. But it's also going to be an adventure game that isn't so serious about the subject of sex. It's not supposed to be based on reality. Think of its design as more cartoon matter than truth, as its comedic flavor will stick out like a woody with all the stereotype satire that's being stuffed into the game. For example, there'll exist a cowgirl, a sexaholic, and also one of those pretty but stupid types who can't pronounce words right.

 

Out to score with babes, Larry's task throughout the game is basically to complete a bevy of mini-games. Cum Laude will feature a confidence meter for Larry. You know you can't talk to girls without confidence. This gauge won't get filled by magic, though. You'll have to get out there and do lots of odd jobs. Some examples of this method will file in the form of a conversation piece, where on the screen appears red and green icons that maneuvering a spermatozoa through this channel will divulge the direction of dialogue between Larry and the lady. Hit the green ones and your discussion will elevate. Hit the red ones and you'll sink like the Titanic. Other forms of entertainment will consist of taking snapshots of a modeling hottie, to tagging posters up around campus for the cutie activist running the university's Students Against Unethical Treatment of Animals union.

 

Appealing not only through play but also through the scenic tour, this new Leisure Suit Larry title will offer an interesting element of visuals. It's not going to offer graphics to the max. However, it will show off a 3D modeled college world where you'll play the part of a short guy with a large head hitting on beautiful booty. Larry's palette of graphics comes to the cartoonish state in sense of its demeanor, but it's in this way that it'll look really nice. Considering that you won't only be committed to your dorm the whole way through the game, and that you'll get to visit a library, a frat house, a bar, and also a movie theater, there looks to be plenty of variety paced in places throughout the game. Oh yeah, and did I forget to mention that the girls will get topless for you too?