Brooktown High
Ages: Teen

Ok – so I played it as a girl in spite of things in the manual which clearly had a guy's bias. A dating game aimed at boys – way out! Actually, girls can play it too – just ignore the terms like jock, nerd, black book and the need to give gifts, or the job requirements for being a hunky lifeguard.

The game starts out with your being interviewed by the school's newspaper. Answer questions that best match the personality you wish to assume. Construct the body, head and specify gender and personality type and the next thing you know, you are hopping out of bed and getting dressed for school. Clothes seem to be important for both sexes.

Action starts at 8:30. Be on time for class, don't linger in the halls or the robotic hall monitor will hit you with a stun gun and you will get detention for the week. Feels a bit extreme but they don't want you dawdling or hanging around in the halls. Socializing is the focus of the game but the only time you meet students is in the few minutes before class, and you better not be late for class -- remember the stun gun.

There are twenty diverse characters to meet up with. Talk, acquire some social skills – like listening, understanding who someone is – and playing up to their personality traits will get you a long way. Your PDA is an important time management tool. It also keeps track of everybody you have ever talked to and your relationships with them.

There are four classes of study: Physics, Art, PE and French – and what you study enhances your personality – brainy, creative, athletic or suave. But study and dating aren't all there is to school life – you can shop, join clubs, get a job, play mini games like dancing where you have to hit the beat, strip poker and a take off on French kissing.

The whole package is put together well. Kudos to Backbone Entertainment -- the case is attractive, the manual informative, and the game populated with the kinds of students you might well find in high school. There are nice touches like cricket sounds at night. The only problem I have with the game is that it starts too slowly. With only a few minutes before class to make social contact and more than one meeting necessary to cage a phone number, I was locked in my room on the weekend with only the options of studying or buying clothes on line. I needed a date so I could go out. I couldn't just hang out at the mall or beach by myself. I couldn't even make friends in the Astronomy Club. Bummer. Things go differently if you have a date – sports, beach, movies, dancing. Make friends! . But, I am glad they made this game – and slanted it to boys. If it were less frantic, learning how to listen to what others are saying and finding out who they are, would be a good exercise in interpersonal relationships. Testing out what to say and getting some playback is fun, pretty amusing and sometimes informative.

Fun Factor: Next time I'll play as a guy – you can quit and try out another personality.
Female Factor: A good mix of both guys and girls.
Player Friendly: Get the hang of your PDA – that's where everything is.

Reviewed by: Editor - 08/07