Leisure Suit Larry VII: Love for Sail!

(Sierra On-Line, 1996)

I guess I should take the time to update this encapsulated "archive" review, in light of 2004's "sequel" game, Magna Cum Laude. The truth is, at a time when this was the last in the series --albeit unintentionally-- it really was a fitting finale to the LSL series. Not that the departure was planned, especially given the game's open ending (which, FYI, Magna Cum Laude never bothers to explain the revelation of). Sadly, AL Lowe was given his walking papers along with many other classic game-making legends, once Sierra's assets were all sold out to Cendant Software. The reasons for Sierra's downward spiral actually make sense; the decision to not continue Lowe's own Larry games did not. Lowe is to be commended for his ability to make lemons into lemonade, in a day and age when Sierra's game engine made everything look like a cheap syndicated kiddie cartoon. Yet this was the game engine he was given for mature-rated Leisure Suit Larry's next game (!), and he did astoundingly well with it! Lowe's team of gaming geniuses were able to make this cartoon-looking game into a laugh riot; a parody of the sort of cartoons that Tex Avery probably would've made, had he still been alive today. This led to an adventure game that is highly recommended to any fan of modern cartoons like Simpsons and South Park. Mature gamers could even unravel a few unrated jokes hidden in the game, including a surprisingly R-rated alternate finale video...if you found all secrets!

Rating : Large Crater.

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