Publisher: Sierra
Developer: Sierra
Year: 1996
Platform: DOS; Windows; Macintosh

Score: 8

Review: Al Lowe redeemed himself with his final installment in the series. After several missteps in the previous two games of the series, he returned to his roots to make Love for Sail, a massive game that manages to score (something surprisingly familiar to you!) in several areas.

The premise behind the game is familiar. Larry is left by the girl he wooed in the previous game (count that five times out of six) but manages to get tickets to a cruise, where there are quite a few luscious babes to be had. Of course, Larry can get every girl he desires just like any normal person would do: bring them an obscure item. All of this practice will allow him to bring the super item to the ship’s captain, who will ensure Larry has the ride of his life.

I jest a bit.  There are quite a few puzzles in this game and they are not all of the lock-and-key variety. Some are fun and logical, some are fun and stupid, and some are just stupid. But since the last couple of games did not list “brain” under the requirements section, all puzzles are welcome.

The cartoon graphics actually work well this time. Its recent predecessors focused on garish colors and splotchy designs. Here the drawings are crisper and easy on the eyes, with a more muted color scheme while still illustrating the tackiness of the world Larry inhabits.

Delightfully, there are a few features that were practically unheard of in the adventure game world in 1996. Before starting the game, you can record lines for an off-screen NPC that chides Larry a few times. I discovered my acting was even worse than I imagined, but it was still really cool to hear my own voice in the game. Another neat feature sees your desktop wallpaper change in real-time (well, after you restart your computer) to the image of your latest conquest.

Growing up on 80s adventures I was delighted that Lowe reintroduced the keyboard into a Sierra game. Several puzzles require you to type in the verb you want to use rather than mindlessly clicking on everything. To be fair, a few of the verbs are stupidly obscure; nevertheless, I found the occasional change in play to be refreshing.

Most importantly, I found Love for Sail genuinely funny.  “Where’s Dildo?” opens the hilarity as you search the ship for 32 red and white dildos. The numerous Easter eggs–including Sierra cameos, saucier scenes, and a few other random gags–are some of the best in PC history. The narrator is hilarious, endlessly mocking Larry. And the game goes to great lengths for stupid, elaborate puns. Despite the paint-by-numbers plot and a few nagging faults, I thoroughly enjoy playing this adventure every time.

Contemporary Rating: High. Only a couple of pixel-hunting issues, and because this game is more about the humor than the puzzles, you’ll likely feel okay about going to a walkthrough if necessary.

Cruelty Rating: Nasty.  Oh, Al.  There is one way to make the game unwinnable. Most people will probably figure they screwed up, though it’s unclear how badly at the time, as you can still complete most of the game if you ignore the gaffe.