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Poor Hef. I never realized how tedious life atop the Playboy empire was ? until I played "Playboy: The Mansion."

An icon of unabashed erotic pleasure boring?


Yes, this new and appropriately M-rated title for the PlayStation 2 (news - web sites), Xbox (news - web sites) and PC is filled with repetitious tasks and faulty game play mechanics ? but not much of the playful lasciviousness you'd expect from Playboy.


The computerized Hugh Hefner is a younger version of the magazine mogul who strolls around in his red smoking jacket, half-naked women latched to his arms.


As Hef, your goal is to schmooze, party, flirt ? and then some ? as you become a national icon of scintillating yet thoughtful forbidden pleasures.


The game's first blunder was immediately apparent: cartoonish 3-D graphics. It just doesn't make sense for a game about real, naked adult women to be so oddly unrealistic. Donald Duck and the rest of the Disney gang would fit in just fine here.


The game sports digital likenesses of many real celebs, including Carmen Electra and Tom Arnold, as well as more than 100 real Playmates.


But because of the graphical limitations, the characters all sort of look the same. Perhaps that's because, like mannequins at a department store, they ARE the same, large-breasted automatons with different painted on skin colors and hair styles.


Oh, by the way, you're supposed to publish a monthly magazine called Playboy.


Making your mag is arguably the main goal, and it's certainly the best part of the game as you try to publish higher quality issues to increase ad revenues and circulation.


It's the only way you'll earn money and gain prestige, but there's no real sense of time, no deadlines to get in the way. You can just party, party, party until the money well runs dry if you prefer. For more creative types, you can invest in art and fine furnishings to fully customize Hef's pad.


If you've ever hosted a large party, then you know it's hard work. That's certainly the case here, as you'll devote hours chatting up celebrities, models, writers, photographers and politicians. Like a school of fish, you want to lure them into your net of fame, hoping to score celebrity interviews, insightful commentary and photos (and perhaps something more intimate).


Conveniently, the game starts with Hef already in the legendary mansion, $100,000 in the bank, and some supportive pals who early on tell him exactly everything that needs to be done.


The game's best features are hidden away as unlockable bonus materials that include images of classic centerfolds and magazine covers. But you have to slog through the game to view these.


Ultimately, "The Mansion" is too shallow to attract gamers who've enjoyed the far more complex social experimentation found in the Sims and its kin. At the same time, this game is far too drab for anyone wanting a true peek at rollicking debauchery.


If you're looking to be titillated, put the $50 (the PC version is $40) toward a subscription to Playboy: the magazine instead.


One and a half stars out of four.


http://www.playhef.com/


On the Net:

NaughtyRob

I have the game for XBox Garbageman and I like it. Its just like The Sims. Addictive and fun, but it will get old pretty soon.

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Spunky

Seen the review..It was rated like 7 but The Sims seems to have many copycats

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bllott

exactly, i can't stand those games

flashfire

that game sucks

Shoehorn!

Awesome, that game looks pretty badass. I hadn't ever even heard about it until I read this post, might have to go check it out.

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