...Let us leave the confusion and all this illusion behind / Like birds of a feather on a rainbow together we'll find....

And another game has been cast down from the Hall of Shame: Pack your bags Leisure Suit Larry 7 Love for Sail!. You're outta here!

Original image located here. Accessed 9th October 2015

I find some interesting parallels between Leisure Suit Larry 7 and Final Fantasy 7. Namely:

• Both are are the seventh installment of their respective franchises (well.....maybe not Larry). 
• Both came out at roughly the same time (Larry 7 in October 1996, FF7 in January 1997)
• Larry got a significant graphical upgrade with it's animation and art style. FF7 drummed up a lot of buzz with it's use of cinematics.
• Both games took a successful formula and added a whole of new features on top
• And both are largely regarded as being the pinnacle of the franchises

Of course, I'm only pointing out these parallels because I find it funny. Let's talk about Leisure Suit Larry 7:
Really, the mid-to-late nineties was a strange time for Adventure games. Generally it was a given that for the past decade the genre had gotten by on the notion that solid, and humorous, writing would overcome any technical limitations. However by this time, the technology had advanced to a point where it could match the writing on equal terms. So whilst we have games like Larry 7, Curse of Monkey Island, and excellent Grim Fandango, they arrived at a point where the genre was dying off. Still, one can't refute the satisfaction of seeing a genre end on a high note. And Larry 7 certainly belongs as one of best adventure games made.

When playing this game, one thing struck me is that this is game that, clearly, has been made with passion. It's as if Al Lowe and his team realized the tools they had at their disposal and put in all their effort to making the best game they could - and it shows considerably.
Firstly, the design of the game works a treat: It is easy to move around the ship setting and never once is it possible to die or end up in in an unwinnable situation - and coming from Sierra that's saying a lot. Secondly there's the graphics: The animation and art direction is superb and, for the first time, really fits the mood of the series. Thirdly the music is great: the midi music is finally ditched and in it's place are some really snappy jazz tunes. Fourthly the voice again keeps the pace set by the previous game and never once slips up. Larry is still pathetic, the narrator is still in scene-stealing form but credit must go to the hilarious Peg (seriously, she needs her own game). Fifthly, the humor is great: there are jokes that are laugh-out funny and there are various allusions to The Simpsons and Looney Tunes. And finally there are the additional features. Gimmicky I know but they had some amusement value.

In a way, perhaps it is fitting that this be the last Larry game that Al Lowe worked on. Larry 7 does everything so right, that it a followup may be near impossible to achieve. True there was that teaser at the end of the credits of Larry 7 but such a game has yet to emerge - even when Al has suggested he's still keen to make it happen. But if Larry 8 never shows, I'm not bothered. In fact, maybe it;s better that the series end at Larry 7 (of course, there are the bastardized sequels but we don't talk about them...)

So yeah Larry 7's reputation as the pinnacle of the series is justified and it's easily one of the best entrants in the adventure game genre. It's aged remarkably well and certainly worth a go.