Michael Ninn's Latex: The Game

The Good
The majority of adult interactive video games today are merely an assortment of movie clips in which the "player" simply goes from room to room to watch the sexual antics of the actors and actresses. This is not the case with Latex: The Game. True, the way to progress through the game is by watching specific videos. But, in the true sense of adventure, there are puzzles to be solved and certain actions to be performed in addition to watching the movie clips. It still holds First Place on the Best Sellers List for all adult interactive games. The last time I looked it was still being sold on many Adult CD-Rom Retail web sites and in mail-order catalogs.

The game is set in the futuristic city of Alphaville. The lead character, Malcolm Stevens, has the ability to read people's minds. That in itself is not the unusual part, for Malcolm can see the inner fantasies of everyone he touches, whether he wants to or not. He became the leader of a sort sexual cult, was arrested and subsequently committed to a psychiatric ward for evaluation. You play Dr. Livermore who has been sent in to investigate the mysterious disappearance of Malcolm and his lovely girlfriend, played by sex star Sunset Thomas. The story unfolds as you view video "kiosks" and gain entrance to secret corridors and rooms where you learn more about Malcolm's inner thoughts and experiences. The ending holds a surprise when you learn the whereabouts of the two escapees and how they ultimately got away.

Based on Latex, the movie, it has its own musical score which is atmospheric and appropriate. The graphics are not quite up to today's standards, but they are in keeping with what was considered very good, possibly groundbreaking, when it was released. The acting is also excellent, as is the plot and the depiction of the game world. And it is very sexually explicit and erotic. The game is "non-invasive" so that nothing except the start icons are installed on your computer.

The Bad
Most adventure games come with a manual, but this one only comes with a short 2 page installation guide and a very bad, and inaccurate, map. The 2 CD-roms are not marked clearly so you can not tell which one to insert first.

Your cursor is a pointing hand which moves to indicate direction. A standard arrow cursor would have been much easier to use. The security codes needed to enter rooms could have been consistent in each game, rather than random. Once you accessed those rooms, having to repeat the security code process was irritating.

In one portion of Alphaville, you must move around a series of triangular-shaped kiosks. These were difficult to navigate around causing you to possibly miss some and get absolutely stuck with no clue what you have done wrong.

The Bottom Line
For once the box is right. Latex: The Game ~does~ take you "further than you ever thought an interactive game could take you-and beyond". It is much more than your average adult video game. Entertaining as well as sexy, intriguing and mysterious, this one is worth a look.