Review: Playboy: The Mansion (PS2)
The world of cutthroat magazine publishing is brought to life in the form of another Sims-inspired videogame. Except this is no mere magazine - instead it's of the top shelf variety, and even then, one that has become the acceptable face of adult coffee table material. Does such a combination make for an aesthetically pleasing videogame or a dream come true for teenage gamers?
You take centre stage as Hugh Hefner, the original and arguably ultimate playboy of all time. In the beginning his empire was nothing but a distant dream - after leaving Esquire - and in The Mansion you take over as the debut issue is pieced together under your guidance. Your aim? Well, this is a release where you can push yourself to create a publishing dynasty (before moving into television and online), or just a fantastic mansion where you can pull girls. The two are linked, as revenue from each issue will go a long way to furnishing your luxurious pad, and hiring staff that fit your criteria of selection. Just how much importance you attach to your publishing output is down to you.
The actual micromanagement dynamic of this release is somewhat bland and disappointingly predictable. In this world the only way to fail is simply not to publish. The hiring of journalists and photographers is essential, as is dispensing with them when more talented rivals appear for hire. To produce interviews and articles, it is simply a case of throwing a party and inviting some famous guests, then chatting each one up. Once this process is complete (and you have gained their trust or respect) you can ask them for an interview, an article or even a photo shoot. Each character within the game has a series of meters, which display their state of mind, but Hugh is so irresistible that his charm and a few gifts work every time.
However, after gaining their trust, if you want to take things one-step further, engage in some romantic talk and then invite them into your inner circle. Or perhaps the more preferred option for players is to ask them onto the sofa (or another location) for some sex. Girlfriends need not apply, but you can ask her to become one if you so desire. And the actual scenes of ecstasy themselves are amazingly bland, as girls in this game only do it one-way.
As the editor-in-chief, you can suggest the theme of the articles, but beyond this you have little control, and even then the game only reveals the title and overall rating for the piece. Other options include a cover price and the ratio of adverts in each issue. The only "hands on" involvement you have is when you take over the role of the photographer, for a cover shot or centrefold spread. Here you can select the items of clothing (or lack of) and their colour, alongside the backdrop. After enduring the risqué nature of Michigan, The Mansion is another step forward (or backwards?) in interactive adult themed entertainment - whether or not this is a positive progression is open to debate. The actual control system is well catered for by the dual shock controller, and allows you to do various things quickly, whilst waiting for onscreen activities to catch up.
For the constant streaming and loading required in this virtual world, one would believe that the glossy visuals of its real life counterpart have been transferred onto the Playstation 2. Unfortunately such a sentiment could not be further from the truth, as The Mansion is an extremely rough 'n' ready visual release, with poor textures and jerky frame rate; it could well be described as the console equivalent of readers housewives. This will diminish the titillation factor for those playing at home alone, as when photographing the models there is an unmistakable lack of scenery, detail or feminine qualities on show. The character models are very repetitive - such much so that the best option to look for each name on screen, rather than just assuming it's a celebrity or playgirl.
Yet despite the over the hill graphics, there is no denying that this is a piece of official Playboy merchandise. There are a multitude of magazine covers and centrefolds to unlock in the archive section, which prolongs the lifespan if completion becomes an ambition. The frequent loading screens are used as a mechanism to display important facts about the magazine. Eventually such statements burn themselves into the memory of the player, so much so that Gamestyle could partake in an episode of Mastermind on the subject.
As its first foray into the world of gaming, Playboy: The Mansion is better than Gamestyle envisaged, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's outstanding in any category. The 18-age rating will attract attention but, once experienced, the nirvana of being Hugh Hefner shrinks and subsides.
Rating: 4 / 10
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