Shape Up or Slip Out! is the fifth game in Al Lowe's Leisure Suit Larry series. All the events from the previous games are forgotten. Larry is once again single, and again his goal is to capture the interest of various ladies. By sheer coincidence, Larry finds himself on a TV Game Show called "Stallions". He wins a weekend at the Spa Resort, La Costa Lotta. Naturally, there are some beautiful women in the spa who are just dreaming about such a wonderful, handsome man as Larry! Uh... or is it really so? It is the player's goal to find out! This instalment focuses more on conversations with women and puzzles than on the storyline. The entire game is spent at La Costa Lotta. There are plenty of traditional inventory-based puzzles to solve in the game. Larry can die, but the player is allowed to try again every time that happens, without the need to restore a saved game. This is also the first Larry game with SVGA graphics, and voice-overs in the CD version.
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When we last tuned into the Leisure Suit Larry series, we had LSL 5, a game that took the series in some new directions while also keeping things very similar for those who were familiar with not just the series, but also other Sierra adventure games of that time. For the most part, it was still a pretty good game, but there were several elements of it that didn’t necessarily gel with me, such as cutscenes that can last way too long, a story that overcomplicates things when it really doesn’t need to, and some annoying gameplay mechanics that didn’t really need to be there. Even with all that in mind though, it was still a pretty good game, and of course, it was successful enough to where the series would continue on from here, which is somewhat confusing, considering that they should know they are never going to top what they did in LSL 4 (a game that totally, definitely exists and is basically the nirvana of video games), but hey, it wouldn’t hurt to have another go-round, right? So, they managed to do just that with Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out!
My expectations for this game were about the same as the expectations that I would have for any other game in this series so far: it was probably gonna be relatively the same as all of the other entries, but adds enough improvements and quality-of-life features to where it will come off as the best in the series. These assumptions were proven to be true, as not only does the game manage to do all of that, but they also add to the quality by hitting the reset button on the story: Passionate Patti is gone, and it reverts Larry back to where he was in the original game: single and without a clue. Some could be angry about this, but considering how these games are rather light on story and character, I didn’t really mind that much, and as a whole, I would consider this game to be the best in the series so far. It isn’t all too new from what you would expect in a Sierra adventure game, but it manages to keep the same charm, fun, and charisma that all of these games have had so far intact, while adding enough to where I won’t be able to go back to any of the other titles afterwards.
The story is very simple compared to the previous entries in this series, where Larry gets invited to star in a dating game show called Stallions, and he ends up “winning” a free trip to the resort La Costa Lotta, so now he is off to enjoy life in luxury and see what… “trouble” he can get into while being there, which is about as typical of a plot as you could get from one of these games, but the simplicity does make it all the more charming and fun to experience. The graphics are pretty damn good, with the overall style looking much more detailed and lively then the previous titles, and the expressions of the characters, especially with Larry himself, have been given much more life and substance to where it is very entertaining to watch play out, the music is great, having plenty of tracks that not only fit the vibe of this luxury resort pretty well, but they also fit for whatever scenario is currently happening, even if some tracks do get repeated quite often, the control is the exact same as previous games, so moving on, and the gameplay is also very similar to that of previous titles, but then again, there is nothing wrong with that in this case.
The game is a point ‘n click adventure title, where you take control of Larry Laffer once again, go through the many different locations and sights of La Costa Lotta, interact with many objects, people, and things around the resort in many different ways to see what you can find, gather plenty of items that will help you out on your quest in numerous ways, and find love with plenty of different partners… or at least, see the many ways in which Larry will get duped or brutally injured with plenty of different partners. It all fits the bill of your typical LSL affair, and fans of the series would be able to jump into it and have fun with no problems, as did I whenever I first booted it up. It definitely has the most charm, character, and antics out of any of the games in this series so far, which makes it all the more enjoyable when you do end up figuring out what to do in this place, while seeing how bad Larry’s luck can get.
As mentioned previously, there isn’t really any new gameplay elements to be found in this title, and it all functions basically the same as LSL 5 and the LSL 1 remake, so there isn’t anything to touch upon in regards to that, but there is one big, stand-out change that this game makes compared to the previous ones: voice acting. No longer will you be constantly reading a bunch of text boxes as you interact with things, but instead, you will hear Larry and all of the ladies he meets speak fully, and for the most part, all of the voice acting here is pretty great. Larry himself has the perfect voice, appropriately fitting his wimpy, cocky demeanor, and then there is the narrator, who is with you the entire way, detailing everything that you do in great detail, while also making jokes and interacting with Larry in several instances. Some people could find him annoying, but personally, I think the narrator may just be not only my favorite performance of the game, but also my favorite character in general. Seriously, I could listen to him snarkily narrate and criticize Larry’s journey for hours, and I wouldn’t get sick of it, it’s that good.
However, if none of this new fancy-shmancy voice work is enough to win you over, then what you have here is just another LSL game with nothing really new or exciting to show for itself, which can be a turn-off for those who are getting tired of the same old formula. Not to mention, it does have that same issue all of these games have in which some of the material is pretty dated, and could be considered offensive, so keep that in mind if you decide to check the game out for yourself. Not to mention, there is also an issue to be found when it comes to the voice acting. Once again, most of the voices here are pretty great, but the mic quality on said voices does fluctuate in quality quite a lot, where most of the time it sounds perfectly fine and understandable, but then there will be plenty of other times where it sounds muffled and poor. I guess I can give it some leeway, since this is the first game in the series to use proper voice acting, but it doesn’t make it any better to listen to when you hear it yourself.
Overall, despite the lack of change, poor mic quality at points, and occasionally offensive content popping up every now and then, this is definitely the best game in the LSL series so far, taking what was great about the previous titles, particularly with LSL 5 and the LSL 1 remake, and fine-tuning them just the right amount, while adding a little more to give it just that right amount of personality and life. I would recommend it for those of you who were fans of all of the previous games, as well as those who love point ‘n click adventure games in general, because this game will surely give you plenty to love, admire, and have fun with. It just makes me wonder, with all that this game does, how could the series possibly get any better from here on out? Well… I dunno. I guess we could… make it look like a cartoon?
Game #482
My expectations for this game were about the same as the expectations that I would have for any other game in this series so far: it was probably gonna be relatively the same as all of the other entries, but adds enough improvements and quality-of-life features to where it will come off as the best in the series. These assumptions were proven to be true, as not only does the game manage to do all of that, but they also add to the quality by hitting the reset button on the story: Passionate Patti is gone, and it reverts Larry back to where he was in the original game: single and without a clue. Some could be angry about this, but considering how these games are rather light on story and character, I didn’t really mind that much, and as a whole, I would consider this game to be the best in the series so far. It isn’t all too new from what you would expect in a Sierra adventure game, but it manages to keep the same charm, fun, and charisma that all of these games have had so far intact, while adding enough to where I won’t be able to go back to any of the other titles afterwards.
The story is very simple compared to the previous entries in this series, where Larry gets invited to star in a dating game show called Stallions, and he ends up “winning” a free trip to the resort La Costa Lotta, so now he is off to enjoy life in luxury and see what… “trouble” he can get into while being there, which is about as typical of a plot as you could get from one of these games, but the simplicity does make it all the more charming and fun to experience. The graphics are pretty damn good, with the overall style looking much more detailed and lively then the previous titles, and the expressions of the characters, especially with Larry himself, have been given much more life and substance to where it is very entertaining to watch play out, the music is great, having plenty of tracks that not only fit the vibe of this luxury resort pretty well, but they also fit for whatever scenario is currently happening, even if some tracks do get repeated quite often, the control is the exact same as previous games, so moving on, and the gameplay is also very similar to that of previous titles, but then again, there is nothing wrong with that in this case.
The game is a point ‘n click adventure title, where you take control of Larry Laffer once again, go through the many different locations and sights of La Costa Lotta, interact with many objects, people, and things around the resort in many different ways to see what you can find, gather plenty of items that will help you out on your quest in numerous ways, and find love with plenty of different partners… or at least, see the many ways in which Larry will get duped or brutally injured with plenty of different partners. It all fits the bill of your typical LSL affair, and fans of the series would be able to jump into it and have fun with no problems, as did I whenever I first booted it up. It definitely has the most charm, character, and antics out of any of the games in this series so far, which makes it all the more enjoyable when you do end up figuring out what to do in this place, while seeing how bad Larry’s luck can get.
As mentioned previously, there isn’t really any new gameplay elements to be found in this title, and it all functions basically the same as LSL 5 and the LSL 1 remake, so there isn’t anything to touch upon in regards to that, but there is one big, stand-out change that this game makes compared to the previous ones: voice acting. No longer will you be constantly reading a bunch of text boxes as you interact with things, but instead, you will hear Larry and all of the ladies he meets speak fully, and for the most part, all of the voice acting here is pretty great. Larry himself has the perfect voice, appropriately fitting his wimpy, cocky demeanor, and then there is the narrator, who is with you the entire way, detailing everything that you do in great detail, while also making jokes and interacting with Larry in several instances. Some people could find him annoying, but personally, I think the narrator may just be not only my favorite performance of the game, but also my favorite character in general. Seriously, I could listen to him snarkily narrate and criticize Larry’s journey for hours, and I wouldn’t get sick of it, it’s that good.
However, if none of this new fancy-shmancy voice work is enough to win you over, then what you have here is just another LSL game with nothing really new or exciting to show for itself, which can be a turn-off for those who are getting tired of the same old formula. Not to mention, it does have that same issue all of these games have in which some of the material is pretty dated, and could be considered offensive, so keep that in mind if you decide to check the game out for yourself. Not to mention, there is also an issue to be found when it comes to the voice acting. Once again, most of the voices here are pretty great, but the mic quality on said voices does fluctuate in quality quite a lot, where most of the time it sounds perfectly fine and understandable, but then there will be plenty of other times where it sounds muffled and poor. I guess I can give it some leeway, since this is the first game in the series to use proper voice acting, but it doesn’t make it any better to listen to when you hear it yourself.
Overall, despite the lack of change, poor mic quality at points, and occasionally offensive content popping up every now and then, this is definitely the best game in the LSL series so far, taking what was great about the previous titles, particularly with LSL 5 and the LSL 1 remake, and fine-tuning them just the right amount, while adding a little more to give it just that right amount of personality and life. I would recommend it for those of you who were fans of all of the previous games, as well as those who love point ‘n click adventure games in general, because this game will surely give you plenty to love, admire, and have fun with. It just makes me wonder, with all that this game does, how could the series possibly get any better from here on out? Well… I dunno. I guess we could… make it look like a cartoon?
Game #482
Larry Laffer is such a good character. I don't know what it is, but he's charming. I wish they were still making these games exactly like this.
The second best after 7
Leisure Suit Larry 6 is a guilty pleasure, a celebration of tastelessness. The ugly art (even "better" in the high-res SVGA version!), the constant barrage of dirty dad jokes and toilet humor, the cruelty and cynicism on display, the head-scratchingly poor decisions in parts of the puzzle design -- it all amounts to a game that I cringe at but also enjoy, mainly because it ignores the crazy plots and messy continuity of the previous titles and goes back to the laid-back hangout nature of the original, where nothing really matters and it's just fun to click on things.
Like all previous games in the series, this one is really fun, too, probably one of the most enjoyable ones in the franchise.