$20 Game of the Week: Playboy – The Mansion Gold Edition (PC)

Since 1953, Hugh Hefner’s lifestyle magazine has been the bastion of men’s journalism. Each month, readers the world over have enjoyed the magazine’s selection of short stories, articles, and political commentary. Oh and of course pictures of nude women. ARUSH entertainment, along with Groove games have released Playboy the Mansion, a lifestyle/business simulator game allowing players to step in the shoes of Hugh Hefner. Because of its name, this one is clearly not for kids. However, unlike other titles of this nature (i.e Rumble Roses and Dead or Alive Extreme Beach volleyball) rated titles, this one focuses on creating a compelling (if flawed) gaming experience as much as it focuses on nude women.

You’ll take control of Hugh Hefner as he takes the Playboy brand from a magazine to a franchise. You’ll meet girls, hire staff, take photos, and release issues of your magazine. Each month, you’ll have several goals to meet, and you’ll also have to produce consecutive issues of your magazine for income. You’ll need a guest editorial, a photographer, a centerfold, and a covergirl. Also, you’ll have to befriend your many visitors, and form various relationships. By befriending them, you’ll gain potential new contributers to Playboy magazine, and if you make nice with the girls, you’ll gain potential love interests.

Given what its based on, there’s nudity, and part of the game involves encouraging your friends to engage in ‘relations’ with potential love interests. However, the naughtier bits are pixelated, a’la the Sims. You can also build editions to the mansion, although you’ll be snapping in pieces, as opposed to creating the architecture like in the Sims. You’ll even unlock Hefner’s famous grotto. You can even host parties as well. The Gold Edition comes with the Private Party expansion, which gives players the ability to throw theme parties, such as Halloween and a Midsummer Nights Dream. THe expansion also gives players the ability to edit the guests, so now me and my Powet buddies are among the biggest and well known celebs in Hug Hefner’s inner circle! You might even see our work in the next issue of Playboy!