Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum LaudePublisher: Vivendi UniversalPlatforms: PC, Xbox, PS2Some of you may actually remember a Sierra series several years back chronicling the sexual misadventures of loser Larry Laffer as he tried to score. Think of it as Beavis and Butt-Head grown up-slightly. Now Larry's nephew, Larry Loveage, is here to continue the losing streak as a sixth-year senior at the Walnut Log Community College.
Simply put, chasing buxom co-eds is the primary goal. Larry starts his bawdy misadventure by trying to get on a dating show called "Swingles" in order to prove he is successful with the ladies and not the loser everyone thinks he is. As with most comic misadventures, Larry ends up getting chased by the mob, immigration agents and a variety of other miscreants to achieve his goal.
Let' set a couple of things straight here. Nowhere in this game will you find a serious plot line. Nor will you find an ounce of good taste-that was banned during the development process. Leisure Suit Larry is chock-full of sexual deviancy, half-naked (and naked) characters and one very big-but strangely loveable-loser.
The game can get a little repetitious. However, it is set up with enough variety to make the game entertaining. We found the game to be entertaining and enjoyable, while retaining an adequate amount of challenge.
Overall, the graphics and soundtrack are rendered nicely and include a good amount of variety. The voice acting is goofy and entertaining in all ends. It achieves a level of tastelessness not seen since the original. For anyone not satisfied with the M-rating, there is an AO-rated (uncensored) version coming out on PC that you can get directly from VU's Web site (www.vugames.com).
Katamari DamacyPublisher: NamcoPlatform: PS2This is by far one of the weirdest yet most strangely compelling titles. Katamari Damacy's claim to fame is you don't have to use any buttons to play, just the dual analog sticks.
The story is cutesy and cheesy all at the same time. And, for some strange reason, it seems like the English translation was intentionally bizarre. Perhaps Namco wanted to add a little more to the cheese factor. Your father, the King of the Cosmos, lost or misplaced all of the stars in the heavens. As the prince, you must now go back and collect enough objects on your "Katamari" to bring light back to the heavens.
On top of this is a very simple concept. You roll a ball around the stages collecting items that stick to your ball, inevitably making it larger with each new object you collect. Be forewarned, if you try to pick up objects that are bigger than your Katamari, you will lose items.
Simple enough. One thing that really sticks out is the soundtrack. The songs are all catchy and somehow get stuck in your mind for hours after you stop playing. The graphics are simplistic, and the game play is simple but solid. All things considered, it is a cult classic in the making. It's a blast to play and the price is right. This is really one of those oddities well worth its sticker price.