Vivendi Leisure Suit Larry Xbox ( 72215 ) review:5 stars (Toh-dally worth it.) - WARNING - item reviewed is PAL/European Uncensored version.

This game is worth playing through at least a couple of times. The minigames at first seem facile and repetitive, but once you get used to it you can concentrate on the humour going on in the background - the different conversations you can have, or, say, the reactions of a girl being heartily spanked!

If this was a typical Noughties college fratboy comedy movie, it would actually be a pretty good one. There are all sorts of little references and in-jokes that I for one found quite cute. There are also film references for the kind of geeks like me (I'm 40) who would buy a game like this : for example the sex toy factory in the game is called "Schwanstucker". This is a reference to a single one-liner gag in the movie Young Frankenstein. And the "brain exchange machine" that forms part of one of the more surreal parts of the plot is in fact the famed Interrossiter from schlock sci-fi flick This Island Earth, popularised by MST3000. Larry also makes reference to the fact that he's actually a character in a video game, so that if, like me, you like examining every object in sight (for each of which Larry provides a pithy comment), on something particularly boring like an ATM, Larry will say, "Listen, I'm tired of making this stuff up, let's go look at some boobies!" And during one dance game, Larry said, "You suck! Why don't you hand the controller to somebody who has some rhythm?" Finally, in the help for the "Everybody Naked!" option, the text reads "You've tried it in every other game, this is the one that actually works." Classic.

And boy! Does it work! It's a strange thing, but for all the inevitable polygon-ness of the bodies, the team at Vivendi/Sierra/whoever (I've never played a game with more logos displayed on start-up) have really worked to make these the most convincing naked game characters ever. And when re-playing through many of the scenarios, having the girl(s) involved appearing naked, actually gives it a lift and makes it *that* more enjoyable! No generic "skins" here, either - each girl's body has been designed to fit her character. S&M-crazy girl Suzi, for example, has rings in a Janet Jackson area; and both the eco-freak save-the-whales girl and the girl whom Larry succeeded by his ministrations in turning into a Lesbian, are notably, well, less "trim", shall we say? . This reviewer's overall opinion of the whole game of was raised considerably upon obtaining the last secret, simply because of the level of effort and attention to detail put in to the bonus aspect of the game, just to make sure the player wasn't disappointed.

This game contains, of course, every sexist stereotype there is, but just like the Benny Hill show (whose theme music is used for certain events and minigames, incidentally), the sexism absolutely cuts both ways.

Be warned! During the Chat scenes, where you have to keep the cursor on the right track to impress the girl, it's more than obvious the effect that drink has on the character's co-ordination. In the timed-button-press minigames, however, this was not nearly as obvious. In fact it looked like bad controller programming for one type of minigame, and ludicrously optimistic reaction-time expectations in another. I had played through the game once and almost an entire second run-through before I realised that it was Larry's drunken state that made those games so hard to play. So use that X button!

This is light, fluffy (fluffer?) entertainment that takes a little effort to get the most out of, but is absolutely worth it. Each mini-game, incidentally, has a way of completing it as "Perfect!", which gives you the tokens for unlocking secrets and bonuses. And for storyline games that you've already passed, they can all be replayed for you to get that Perfect! score, so the replay value is moderately high. I certainly found the game totally worth the money.5 stars (An enjoyable sexual escapade & 1 of the best games of 2004!!) - "Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude" is the first LSL game in about 8 years, and also the first to cross over from the personal computer to home video game platforms on the Playstation 2 & XBox. As a fan of old Sierra games (even though I was too young to have played the early LSL games), I was incredibly pleased to see the series resurrected and brought to new heights!

Important note: "Magna Cum Laude: Uncut & Uncensored" has now been released for the PC, and it features full frontal nudity and none of the pesky "censorship bars" that are present in this version.

Obviously, nudity is the main selling point of this game. Anyone who says otherwise is trying too hard to justify his or her purchase. The college co-eds are voluptuous, they are animated in a sexy, often provocative, ways, and the main quest of the game is to get Larry laid. Because of the time and attention put into creating realistic (though cute in an almost-anime way), this game is more titilating than any of the "Dead or Alive" series of fighting games, more fun than any of the WWE wrestling video games that feature the strip matches, and the females are more desirable than Lara Croft ever has been.

The women are mostly stereotypical "college girls" -- we have the head cheerleader Barbara Jo Bimbo (B.J. for short), the Italian castoff from "The Sopranos" Analisa, the Russian exchange student Zanna, the hot but nerdy college professor Beatrice, and so on. Chasing after each woman requires different approaches, and the result is never the same twice. And no, Larry *does not* get with all these babes. I hate to spoil it for you, but he only has actual intercourse a few times during the entire game. But every encounter is sexy, funny, and most importantly, packed full of eye candy!

The gameplay is fun. It is not very involving and has been criticized for being mostly a string of "mini-games." That is true; however, the variety of the games keeps it interesting as you progress through the storyline. The script is absolutely hilarious, and the comedy is equal to the nudity as a selling point for this game. If you are a guy, or even a gal who likes to laugh at guys, you will laugh at Larry and the things coming out of his mouth. He rambles on a lot, gets off-topic, tries horrible pickup lines, lies constantly, and even staggers around drunk and farts. If you've ever known a man who made you laugh simply because he was, to quote Steve Martin, "a wild and crazy guy," then you will enjoy the story of Magna Cum Laude. And the voice acting is wonderful; there is not a bad actor or actress in this entire game.

Now a few words on the Mature Audiences rating: This game is about sex, breasts, drinking, jokes, and other things guys find enjoyable. For some people, this is disturbing. Those people need to get a life. I can play Grand Theft Auto, in which my character is able to walk down any street and at any moment cut off the head of a pedestrian with a sword. Or gun down dozens of policemen, only to enter a cheat code and get away with it all at the last possible minute. Yet somehow, the ESRB (game ratings board) finds Larry's girlfriends more offensive when they drop their shorts. Give us a break! Violence is much more detrimental to society & to teenagers than sex is, and yet we still can't get over our fear of pixelated private parts. It's ridiculous!

All in all, I give "LSL: Magna Cum Laude" a totally positive recommendation to anyone old enough to purchase it. It was definitely one of the best games of 2004 simply because it is like nothing else on the market today: a fun, sexy romp through college life. 5 stars! 2 thumbs up! Just buy it!
Vivendi Leisure Suit Larry Xbox ( 72215 ) Features:
Video Games
Xbox (x box)
Microsoft
Action
Adventure
XBOX
M (mature)
Adventure

Vivendi Leisure Suit Larry Xbox ( 72215 ) is the Video Game version. The full version can be purchased by clicking on the "CLICK HERE TO ORDER" button below for around 29.88USD.