Who is likely to read this House Party review? I’d wager it’s a particular demographic. For that same group that wants their reviews presented by jug-bearing Twitch streamers, let me be the warm-up act and say that it delivers the content it so clearly advertises.
It’s a bit of a no-brainer to have nob jokes and the like in a game where you’re looking to get your end away, but I’m not going to get it out of my system straight away, and instead will scatter smut sandwiched between these words like a cheeky Sunday spitroast.
House Party isn’t for children. Duh. While it’s for the over 18s, or whatever jurisdiction applies to your lands, it’s probably more centred around that line of ‘legal enough’. I don’t doubt for one second that I would have ripped off my weaker arm for a chance to play this as a teenager.
In House Party, you’re invited to said event, and your mission is to get laid. It’s not an old school Leisure Suit Larry title that teases each time, only for Captain Flaccid to happen. This is a full-on pixelated happy ending and very graphic.
Within about an hour of fetch questing and what-not, I was soon on the floor, todger out with a party-goer’s fanny in my face. That’s the British version, thank you very much. Moving the mouse around, triggering the erogenous zones, it wasn’t long until I’d made my first $50 for some blow, for a blow.
House Party is a first-person experience, clearly set in a house, with access to a reasonably sized rear garden, patio, BBQ and jacuzzi, and that’s about it. Surprisingly, there’s a lot to do in the game – emphasis on do, as you can woo both male and female characters.
There is an actual game under that.. skin and requires some problem solving, regardless if that problem is getting a fellow socialite drunk. This review isn’t a reference point for your latest essay or discourse on how gender is represented; this is a game that caters to a particular group, and for what it aims to do, it works.
Initially, you may be playing one sister off against another by pranking them, but perhaps you do something in the wrong order and blow your chances. That then opens the door for a new event, such as Katherine, a nerdy character who asks for some rum. She soon shows interest when I pinch some from the cupboard. A save game, then Frank turns up and beats me to a pulp.
This character Frank is a killjoy. He sits moodily on his chair, ensuring nobody is drinking alcohol at a party he probably wasn’t invited to but has the audacity to sell drugs. And don’t get me started on the nurse wannabe who likes to huff on whipped cream. It’s a controversial title, but you have a choice whether you play it or not.
The dialogue and voice acting in House Party is surprisingly good. These guys are douchebags, as are you (in the game – kisses), but the conversation is on point. No talk of timeshares and boat shoes here. As you can’t go to the shops and leave the house, it usually means a repeat sequence of speaking to different people multiple times, so the dialogue is essential.
Of course, it can get frustrating having to backtrack – your incentive of getting in somebodies pants may or may not be the driving force why you’re playing the game. If you’re frustrated, you can head into a cupboard, drop your trollies and crack one out. That’s not beating about the bush; you can actually pump one out in this House Party game on the fly. And to be honest, these ‘action sequences’ were cringe, and I was keen to move on. Maybe I was missing the point of the game. For me, the reward was the self-aware humour. Virgin.
Eek! Games’ House Party has been on the market for some time in Early Access; understandably, the sexual content restricts its exposure, poor choice of words. But the disclaimer at the beginning is convincing and makes a valid point that it’s ok to commit crimes such as murder and theft in games, but you can’t bump uglies between consenting adults. Again, this isn’t a discussion, but it’s nice to have the choice.
While I’m not trying to persuade any parent to purchase for their kids, the game is censored by default. The House Party code I was provided with had that same mosaic effect, but there is the option to purchase the fleshy bits. I couldn’t possibly comment on the detail of each character’s special purpose as I hadn’t seen it, nor would I comment.
House Party is no different than a coming-of-age story – something like American Pie; only it’s just graphically explicit. The mechanics are there for an enjoyable game, and the interactions are good (though I wasn’t a fan of the comic book font throughout).
The addition of alternate story paths and the Game Grumps make this worth playing if you’re a fan, though the DLC con. If you’re solely looking for something to close the doors to, I couldn’t comment as it depends on the person. As for a game with gratuitous sexual content and obnoxious skinheads? Boner.
