New York Nights 2: Friends for Life

Tall, dark, handsome young man with athletic physique (strong thumbs, you see) and great deal of inteliggense (ahem) seeks video game with flashy visuals and GSOH to share cosy nights in and walks along the beach.

In fact, scrap that last bit.

So how does New York Nights 2 fare in the bid to romance me? Well, I don't just jump into bed with any old yank, but in this case I'm definitely up for a bit of role-playing.

This game (like the original New York Nights and the ever-popular Miami Nights) is all about finding true love and friendship. After choosing a funky hairstyle and some cool threads, you're thrown straight into the action (in front of a moving car to be exact). Your brother has found an apartment for you both, but it's up to you to find a roommate, get a job and paint the town red. And to do that, you'll have to start getting to know people a little better.

Relationships are built primarily by engaging in conversation. You can buy gifts, too, but it costs money, which is in short supply when you begin. For each character your meet, a list of likes scrolls across the bottom of the screen, and it's up to you to match them with the appropriate discussion. The only problem is, the answers are about as obvious as the reaction you'll get if you tell your girlfriend, 'Everyone has fat days, honey'. SLAP!

The game offers a great deal of freedom, but there are basic rules to follow: eating, sleeping, taking a shower, and so on. Keeping your statistics balanced is the key to progression. Got a high Criminality level? That's great if you intend on bullying information out of people, but it's not really going to get you anywhere if you're trying to romance a police officer.

One amusing example is when your character tries to get a job as a Wall Street trader. Before you can progress to the financial district, you learn that you need to build up some physical strength. Luckily, nearby is Antony the bum, who gives drunken kung fu lessons. He'll raise your Body stats but will increase your Dirtiness level at the same time, so you end up buff but smelling rough.

The game ran smoothly on our K800i test phone without any slowdown. True, the loading screen does appear every time you switch locations in the city, but it's utilised brilliantly. As well as providing gameplay hints, it also displays witty (sometimes) quotes and one-liners about the Big Apple and its occupants. And who says Americans don't have a sense of humour? We must give credit to the writers of the game's story and dialogue. Simple it may be but there are plenty of laughs and it maintains enough acumen so as not to alienate older players.

Gameloft's other Sims-style outings have built up a loyal fan base, and there's no reason why this won't follow suit. The overall presentation is stunning and there's enough depth in gameplay to consider New York Nights 2 marriage material.