|
|
Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude
|
|
|
|
|
|
Graphics & Sound:
Straying from its roots slightly, Sierra’s Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude takes a cartoony approach to its newest game in the long-running series. Despite this, the visuals look awesome. In fact, because of this the game instantly delivers a visually fun, carefree feeling the minute you sit down at the computer. I bet you’re thinking I’m going to talk about the girls next, huh? Well I’m not going to mention that Larry is surrounded by beautiful women all over the campus. Oops, I just did!
Okay, okay... on with the review. As Larry strolls around, he’ll be surrounded by people. Most will be snotty and let him know just how they feel, and others will eventually take a liking to him. Either way you swing, the voice acting in Magna Cum Laude is pretty damn good, and the pick-up lines that Larry throws out are hilariously stupid (but very repetitive). The music and sound fx of MCL are also stellar, and add to the overall swingin’ feel of the game. |
|
|
Gameplay:
For those of us old enough to remember when Leisure Suit Larry first hit the market, you’ll remember a 16-color adventure game nearly identical to the great King’s Quest of the same time period, only with a slightly dirty theme. So if you’re looking for a blast from the past with this newest title, remember that Larry Laffer has since retired, and now his geeky little nephew is looking to pull off a few panty raids. Borrowing slightly from the original, Larry can explore his environment thoroughly. This time around, he’s not so much looking for clues, but instead for cash and tokens, both of which can be used to influence people and buy new things around campus. Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude is a new game for the new millennium.
This time around, you’ll take control of Larry Lovage, who has one thing on his mind, and only one goal following him through his college career... to get laid. To succeed in his mission, Larry will have to win the hearts of beautiful hotties, because he sure isn’t going to do it with his looks! Fortunately for the ‘lusty’ Larry, there is one thing on his side. It’s the one thing that has always given ugly dweebs a chance with the ladies, the one thing that has always made chicks of all caliber look good, and the one thing that college kids can’t get enough of... ALCOHOL!!!
That’s right, Larry Lovage’s uncle may not have needed liquor to impair the vision of potential love partners, but whatever it takes, the younger Larry will do. In his quest, he will have to compete in many mini-games, and try to smooth-talk his way with blatant lies and deceitful lust. Some of the many contests that Larry will encounter are playing quarters, handing out flyers (a.k.a. Root Beer Tapper), pouring perfect drinks, and jumping on trampolines. Unfortunately, there really aren’t a ton of mini-games for Larry to compete in, which makes playing Magna Cum Laude quite repetitive.
The basic premise of landing a babe is usually to strike up a conversation, and then try to get her into bed with you by completing tasks or competing in mini-games. Conversations during a pick-up are fully interactive, which is really cool. You control Larry’s sperm, and have to navigate through the hazards that are scrolling by in order to not sound like a complete ass to the girls. Hit enough good spots (or should I say G-spots?), and Larry is on his way to winning some hearts, or at least some other body parts. As Larry navigates this interface, his conversation reacts to the pluses and minuses of how well you’ve done. The only real question is, "Will Larry Lovage ever get laid?" |
|
|
Difficulty:
Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude isn’t an overly difficult game by any means. The repetition of mini-games only means that you will get better, making the game more and more easy as you go. Sure, some of the A.I. may get a bit harder (like your chick friend will play Quarters better), but for the most part, MCL is nothing that will stress you out. Actually, the biggest challenge always comes when Larry is shit-faced, because it makes these mini-games a bit difficult to handle. So when Larry drinks too much, make him un-drunk by finding the nearest bathroom, tree, or anywhere you want, and piss the night away. Voila, Larry is sober!
|
|
|
Game Mechanics:
As mentioned above, Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude is a game full of mini-games. Unfortunately, there aren’t all that many to compete in. Controlling Larry’s actions arrives in a variety of ways. Some mini-games have Larry hitting the right buttons at the right times, while others require navigation or fluid mouse movement. When roaming the campus, Larry moves around via standard keyboard and mouse controls, which makes it easy for most people to jump into Larry’s pants... er, shoes.
Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude is a refreshing break from the saturated world of video games. Carrying a Mature rating insures that this game isn’t for everyone, but for those looking to take a break from beat-em-ups and first-person shooters, Larry may be the title for you. At only 30 USD, Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude may be just what you ordered... as long as you can get past some of the monotony. |
|
|
-Woody, GameVortex Communications AKA Shane Wodele |
Minimum System Requirements:
Intel Pentium III 800 MHz (with 133 MHz front side bus) or AMD Athlon equivalent, Windows 98 SE/Me/2000/XP, 128MB RAM, DirectX 9.0-compatible 32MB AGP video card supporting Hardware Transform and Lighting using NVIDIA GeForce, ATI Radeon, or more recent chipset, DirectX 9.0-compatible sound card and speakers or headphones (3D audio will be supported if supported in sound card), DirectX 9.0 or higher, Up to 3.5GB Hard Drive space, 24x CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, Mouse and Keyboard, DirectInput-compatible game pad, Kiky Joy with certified, compatible PlayStation 2 controller |
|
Test System:
AMD Athlon 2700+ CPU, Windows XP Pro SP2, 1GB (2x 512MB) PC3200 DDR400 RAM, ATI All-In-Wonder 9700 Pro 8x AGP Video Card, NVIDIA nForce MCP Audio, DirectX 9.0, Sony DRU-500A DVD±R/RW as main CD-ROM (Speed = DVD-ROM: 8x, CD-ROM: 32x), 6 USB ports, Cable Modem Hi-Speed Internet Connection |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
