Leisure Suit larry: Magna *** Laude

[Grumbold]

Well I'm sure I can't be the only Apolyton member who grew up playing the Larry games. The newest one is very different with its emphasis on console games rather than point and click, but I'm loving it all the same. The interactive conversations are a brilliant idea that I hope more games will follow in the future. A bit like Civ III it would be easy to scream and shout that "this isn't the real Civ!" but to be honest I'm just delighted that after 7 years, Larry is back!

If you want to check out more about the game, earn a few Larry items and help me get a T-shirt too, please check out this official site:
Click here to become a member of Sigma Epsilon Chi!

[DrSpike]

I also enjoyed the earlier games, and will check out the new one when I get a gap in my gaming schedule.

[Barinthus]

I'm tempted to get the game .

I noticed on the back of the box, it said that Larry have voice-overs or whatever it's called. I was wondering are those subtitled?

[Grumbold]

No there are no subtitles. It was thought that since you are playing the conversation mini-game when talking, most of the time you could not watch the characters, steer the conversation and read the words simultaneously. I would agree with that. The game is fully audio integrated with no pop up text boxes after you finish the short walkthrough.

The interactive conversations are the true masterpiece of this new Larry game. The "perfect" conversation is always the same for a particular encounter but you can steer it through significant funny differences and still progress in the game, or outrageously bad ones then repeat it to undo the damage you just did

[DrSpike]

Can you tell us how the conversation system works?

[Adagio]

I love the game. I've only played Larry 6 and 7 though. The point of the Larry games has never just been to find item x and use it in place y, but it has always been more about the comedy, which this new game brings back

In the conversations you have this 'unit' (Don't remember the english word for it) and you have to get from start to end like in platform games... you could compare it to those spaceship games like E-type, except you can't shoot. You have 3 lines you can be in, and sometimes (read: often) a red or green 'thing' appears in 1+ of these lines. The goal is simple: Hit the green ones and avoid the red onces.

You can among other things hit a red human body which makes Larry talk about something stupid (Which makes her like you less)
If you. If you hit something green instead he says the right thing... Damn it's fun to hit those red things

[Adagio]

Oh, and be carefull about hitting beer or matinis when talking, it's makes it more diffecult to aim your little guy

There's also a few other mini games:
Dancing/trampoline (just hit the right key sequence of arrows and enter)
Mixing drinks/spank a girl (Be very quick about hitting the arrow keys, when they flash on the screen)
Give out flyers/feed the monkeys (Tapper anyone?)

The conversations and the tapper-clone are the most interesting parts of the game...

[CapTVK]

So if i understand correctly... it's a collection of minigames with a bit of "un jammer lammy" in it?

[Grumbold]

There is exploration and some funny asides but in essence, the core gameplay of the chatting up the girls, doing stupid stuff to get them to like you then dealing with the consequences is all done by a series of minigames. While you play the minigames the rest of the screen shows you how it plays out, you hear the girl responding to your conversation and so on. Its definitely not a traditional point and click adventure.

[Barinthus]

But would I be able to know what is being said?

Not everybody can hear, you know.

[Adagio]

There's no subtitles if that's what you're asking...

[Barinthus]

then to this game for me

[Barinthus]

Review: Latest 'Leisure Suit Larry' lacking
By Marc Saltzman
Gannett News Service

(CNN) -- The dialogue is funny. The characters are sexy. Even the graphics are impressive.

Too bad the newest installment in the "Leisure Suit Larry" series isn't much of a video game.

The challenging puzzles and clever character interaction that boosted earlier titles in the franchise have been replaced by mindless mini-games in "Leisure Suit Larry: Magna *** Laude."

If you're a "Leisure Suit Larry" newbie, here's what you need to know. The franchise stars a lovable but pathetic chauvinist, Larry Laffer, who unsuccessfully attempts to pick up women. Laffer thinks he's hip, but he wears horribly outdated clothes and says all the wrong things.

The "Leisure Suit Larry" games are strictly for adults only and carry a mature rating because of their adult humor, nudity and strong sexual content.

Cousin Larry
A few years have passed since Laffer's last adventure. In "Magna *** Laude," Larry Lovage, Laffer's college-bound cousin, replaces him as the game's star character.

Lovage is a short, balding, big-headed dolt who is surrounded by gorgeous women, but he can't get anywhere with them. When a reality TV dating show, "Swingles," comes to campus, Larry thinks his luck will change if he can become a contestant.

Game play involves walking around the attractive 3-D campus and initiating mini-games with characters in order to get something from them. For example, the local wino has a bottle of cognac you need to give to the assistant dean. He, in turn, will challenge you to a dance competition where you must press buttons on the control in time to the music, similar to rhythm games, such as "Dance Dance Revolution."

Campus drinking games, such as "quarters," set the stage for other challenges. Other mini-games include playing "Pong" with phallic symbols, jumping on a trampoline with a busty sophomore and mixing drinks at a frat house.

After the laughs
As you might expect, Larry's libido and the over-the-top characters he encounters are the catalyst for a lot of sexual innuendo and hilarious dialogue -- more than 90,000 lines -- during the mini-games.

But the comedy in "Magna *** Laude" can't make up for the title's lack of game play. Veteran fans of the series aren't likely to appreciate the game's new direction, while newcomers won't find much reason to keep playing once they get past the jokes and babes.

If you must buy this game, pick up the Windows computer version because it's $20 cheaper than its console counterparts.

Find this article at:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/fun.games/10/29/review.larry/index.html

[Barinthus]

one more pic

[BustaMike]

So you guys know, EGM gave this thing its "shame of the month" for November. I believe it averaged a 3.5/10.