Singles 2: Triple Trouble review

When Rotobee's Singles: Flirt Up Your Life was released last year many saw it as a simple ripoff of the whole The Sims experience. However despite initial appearances being the same, Singles tried to plough a very different furrow. The Singles experience was all about relationships, love and sex and somehow managed to get itself an 18 BBFC certificate.

Much of the marketing was geared towards portraying the game as something of a sex romp, yet that wasn't an entirely true reflection of the game. Instead there was a strong focus on romance, as it was pretty much impossible to jump into the sack with another character without a strong bond being formed first.

Triple trouble

Much of the same can be said about the inevitable sequel. Here in a plot that's right out of an episode of Hollyoaks we have a ménage et tois for the player to get involve in and attempt to let true love bloom once again, or at least something similar. The game does feature freer sandbox modes, but the centre of the action is the story mode.

Told in the introductory cut scenes is a tale of woe. Josh and Anna were a really happy couple. Anna was an aspiring musician and Josh managed to set up a meeting for Anna with some bigshot record executives. However Anna didn't turn up, leading to the row of the century and the inevitable break-up.

So choosing to play as Anna I began the game, moving to a new city and finding somewhere new to live. I moved in with Kim, but much to my surprise (well I'm exaggerating a little here) who is the third flatmate - why it's old flame Josh.

Menage et tois

So the scene is set for drama in a daytime soap kind of way. The aim of the game is to find true happiness, whether with Josh or perhaps play out some other scenario. Along the way there's a chance to improve your character, buy lots of great things for the apartment and of course (if playing as Anna) win back the heart and forgiveness of Josh.

So how do you win back the young man's heart then? Well this portion of the game is surprisingly absorbing. The funky fake language the Sins (well that's what I'm calling these folks) talk is cute and quite funny at times, especially when the couples are getting amorous.

The action works on a point and click basis with nested menus that are pretty easy to understand. For example, clicking on another Sin brings up the interaction menu. You can choose the romance option which brings up a further menu of actions such as flirting or kissing. Options which are not yet available - usually because the relationship hasn't developed sufficiently yet, are greyed out.

Living in sin

So you get to live out the life of a Sin in the apartment. As your character practices certain activities such as cooking, they get much better at it and receive experience points. The Sin will also get a job and their career will advance. Earning money means being able to improve the apartment, either through decoration, or filling it with fantastic items such as a big TV or a new bed.

And the quality of the surroundings has an effect on the relationships too. Your stats may say the Sin you're flirting with would be quite ready for some passionate kissing, yet they say no. Why? Well because the room looks terrible and sofa really isn't comfortable enough? Yes it's shallow, but some girls just don't want romance in a pig sty, capiche? Romance needs some good mood lighting, nice decor, some money spent on your love shack.

Visual splendour?

I found it hard to really see any difference between the graphics here in Singles 2 and the original game. There's nothing that looks particularly bad, but it's been done so much better elsewhere, most notably in The Sims. Yes the images on offer are sharp and crisp, some of the household items look rather nice, but this is by no means a game to show of your new uber-PC with.

You can go crazy with the build mode though and this looks pretty good, being able to kit out a house any way you like. Perhaps you'd like a swimming pool? Well go right ahead young man. There's a lot of visual detail on offer despite the lack of development since the first game. You can't complain about a game featuring nurse's uniforms can you?

Vorsprung Durk Technic

There are also numerous technical problems which surround the game. The interface is clunky and the camera control leaves a lot to be desired. The very basics of the game would be much more fun to play if the interface and camera control didn't get in the way in this manner.

It also lacks a little polish. Messages can come and go before you've had a chance to read them, and even pieces of German text appear. Characters can behave oddly, running off in odd directions or making strange decisions. Singles 2 feels like it could have done with a little more development time to iron out these problems, because it just feels like the first game with some new content and plotlines. I didn't run into any show-stopping bugs however or crashes.

Two-bagger or butterface?

Singles 2: Triple Trouble is not a bad game; it takes the premise of the first game and runs with it. It's a surprisingly cute romantic game, despite the focus on sexy antics. Yes the sexual activities are in there - and they are presented in an amusing and entertaining manner, but the real core of the game is very similar to The Sims.

In essence Singles takes the romantic relationship element of The Sims and expands on it, but dispenses with all the other elements of that successful rival franchise. It's very welcome to see sex handled in a game in a manner other than that which will appeal to the 15 year old chav.

That is the game's weakness really in that there's little else to do other than form relationships and buy things for the house, The Sims offers much more to do, and a much more rewarding life for the characters. Singles 2 will keep you entertained for a while, but it lacks long term rewards for the successful player and the depth of that monolithic EA franchise.