Playboy: The Mansion (PS2)

Okay, I've completed the Sims too many times and was on the hunt for a new Sim-type game and what should I spot whilst browsing on the net: Playboy The Mansion for the Playstation 2. After reading a brief description about the game, I decided it sounded very much like the Sims.. with a twist of course!

--------WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE-----------

The case is pink with the classic logo of the black bunny and on the back it has ...
...in the world?' and underneath this are various screen caps taken of the game. I think they have tried to make it look much better than it is (with eye catching things for the lads - like 2 girls groping each other and looking like they are about to kiss)
It has various titles on the back saying:
Create your fantasy Playboy Mansion
From the ground to the offices to the grotto, customise your place with more than 300 insane items.
more

Okay, I've completed the Sims too many times and was on the hunt for a new Sim-type game and what should I spot whilst browsing on the net: Playboy The Mansion for the Playstation 2. After reading a brief description about the game, I decided it sounded very much like the Sims.. with a twist of course!

--------WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE-----------

The case is pink with the classic logo of the black bunny and on the back it has on it 'How would you BUILD the most DECADENT EMPIRE in the world?' and underneath this are various screen caps taken of the game. I think they have tried to make it look much better than it is (with eye catching things for the lads - like 2 girls groping each other and looking like they are about to kiss)
It has various titles on the back saying:
Create your fantasy Playboy Mansion
From the ground to the offices to the grotto, customise your place with more than 300 insane items.
Run the Playboy magazine
Manage your staff and Playmates photo-shoots to create a successful icon of chic decadence
Be a Playboy Insider!
Get a pass to the VIP lifestyle and roam freely in a no-taboo world of lavishness.
Play it the Playboy way
Throw rocking parties and manage your guests' social ''interactions'' to get fame and the best magazine content

------------FOR AGES-----------

This game is designed for over 18's - because of it's adult nature (sex and scantily clad women)

---------- CONTROLS -------------

I found the controls to be difficult to fathom without the help of the manual - I also found the amount of different functions hard to remember how to access all of them. I assume more avid gamers will probably pick up these controls more easily than most.

----------- IDEA OF THE GAME --------------

The idea of the game is to use your character 'Hugh Hefner' to interact with other characters - complete missions - hire staff - create a magazine and have fun whilst doing it.
You can also use Freeform play (this is where you can just build your mansion and play without having to complete the missions you get set)

------ IN GAME SCREEN -------

When you are playing the game you will be able to see in the top left corner a balance of money (this is how much money you currently have in your Bank Account - this will fluctuate accordingly depending on whether you have earned money from the sale of your magazine and how much you have to pay your staff and covering your maintenance costs.
You will see in the bottom left corner a circle with different looking icons on it (the bunny head, a mansion type building, people and hmh - stands for hugh m hefner)
The playboy head is the magazine menu
The mansion type building is the build menu
The people icon is the Roster menu
hmh is hilariously called the Hef menu

---------- THE BASICS OF WHAT THE MENU'S DO! -------------

The Magazine Menu enables you to pick what you want to put in your magazine and look at past magazines you have created and at the end of the year you are allowed to select your Playmate of the Year. I found this easy menu particularly easy to navigate my way around.
The Build Menu allows you to create your desired mansion from lists of features for the interior and exterior of your mansion. I found the build menu disappointing - there are only so many fun things you can put into your mansion before it becomes a bit dull.
The Roster Menu explains who is who inside the Playboy mansion and from this menu you are able to hire staff. This menu is also party central (you can throw parties from here and choose when you want the party aswell as what you want the guests to be wearing!)
The Hef Menu shows what mission goals you have completed and what is yet to be completed. You can also look at your finances and your stats.

------- THE ACTION MENU ------

To interact with people, objects and throw wild parties you press X on who or what you want to interact with and then this will bring up the action menu which is full of things to do.
By using command on people you can give them orders - like telling them to do an Essay for the Magazine or Request Interviews or Cover Shoots (from celebrities only)
You may request a pictorial, centerfold or articles from your staff members.. also you can ask your Playboy Bunnies to greet guests or serve drinks.
You might decide you want to see your Playmate in a different outfit so you can also change what she is wearing.
You might want to get your female friends in shape and you can order them to exercise so that they will look better (I found this to be horrible, being female myself, I wouldn't want a man telling me to exercise! Guess it's just the media industry...)
-----Conversation------
By asking your guests for a conversation you then get the option of what type of conversation you would like to have with this person.. be it - casual, professional or even romantic!
The more you talk to people the stronger and better the relationship - you should always get on the good side of your celebrities (especially the ones you want to contribute to your magazine)
When you talk to people you will see on the bottom right a weird rectangle box appear - this tells you how well your conversation is going as well as their mood and what they want to talk about.
Want girlfriends? You will need to have top romantic relationship with them (but beware - they move into the mansion when you ask them to be your girlfriend and you have to give them an allowance to spend from your precious Bank Account)
You can also add people you are friendly towards to your Inner Circle - they will come by the mansion whenever you want them to (providing they are not busy)

--------- THROWING PARTIES ----------

Throwing a successful party is an easy thing to do - you just make sure you invite the right mix of people and get everyone talking - also having things in the Mansion for the guests to do is vital! Hef can have sex with who he wants and pretty much wherever he wants.. it's hilarious!!! Your control pad vibrates and everything.. I wonder how Hef can have sex without removing his boxer shorts (hmmmm.... lol) fantastic unlockable areas include the Grotto and the Clubhouse (great places to hold a successful party)

THE PLAYBOY MAGAZINE

This is key to making money and being successful - you can choose your content and see what the market wants and your finances and see your playmate of the year. The magazine is probably the hardest thing to get right in the game (it's all about trying to put the right content in your magazine for the right market and at the right time) You can constantly check your magazines issue quality by seeing how many bunny heads it gets.. the more famous the celebrities are who contribute - the more heads (in my opinion)
The content type you need to provide in order to publish your magazine is as follows: Interview, Article, Pictorial, Essay and Cover Shot (not much really)

PHOTO-SHOOTS

You can have your celebrity or Playmate pose for you in a wide selection of outfits (with or without a top on - bet the lads are loving this!) she will then pose in a very provacotive manner whilst you can snap away (you have the option to zoom in and out) You can put her anywhere in the mansion for the shoot - in certain places such as the couch and bed she will even get on.
I found this to get boring after a while as there aren't very many different poses and you have to keep clicking away until you get that star quality shot that will be sure to get your magazine flying off the shelf!

There are loads of menus I could bore you with - which are hard to explain if you do not have the game. It is fairly complicated, but once you get the hang of it you will not want to come away from your game (I kept saying to my partner - I'll stop when I've completed this mission)
It was funny that I was playing this game (which seems to be aimed at a male audience) and my partner didn't seem slightly interested.

------OVERALL-------

Overall the game isn't too bad - a bit predictable and boring after a while (also I think women might be offended by how this game trys to portray women)
I give it a 7/10 - it's a laugh for what it is... but if you plan on getting this I suggest going for a second hand copy as I don't think it is worth full price - I bought mine second hand for £15 - it will gradually go down in price.
A nice game for those addicted to the sims..
One for the guys definitely - but not just for the guys! ;o)

You can visit these sites in conjunction with the game:

www.playboythemansion.com

www.ubi.com

Enjoy! :o) 

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