Come and play

If you were the sort of kid who used to nick your sister's Barbie and put her in compromising positions with Action Man, Singles: Flirt Up Your Life is probably the game you've been waiting for.

Essentially a Sims-style life simulator meets role-playing game, the object is to meet someone, cultivate a relationship and, well, shag.

You take control of two characters from a pool of 13, each with their own attributes and personality, who fall into a flat-share agreement. Through a lengthy process of managing your abode, finances, social life and more, the idea is to keep everything sweet enough between the roomies until they find they can't keep out of each other's pants.

Grin and bare it

The digitally rendered fullfrontal nudity and sex scenes set Singles aside from most games in the genre.

Developed in Germany (where else?), the game has become a massive underground hit, especially popular with men involved in the country's thriving erotic scene who attempt to get virtually down and dirty in the quickest possible time.

But, according to Geoff Glendenning, director at developers Deep Silver, it's also been a hit with the laydeez.

'Women like it because it deals with relationships and is like an extension of Big Brother-type scenarios,' he says. 'Also, because we've been very generous with some of the male characters' assets, especially Ron' (pictured left). Yes, unfortunately, size does matter - even in cyberspace.

But it's not really all about sealing the deal, honest. It may be the ultimate objective but the game aims to teach a range of general social skills and life experiences. For example, as your relationship grows and characters' needs are met, this reflects on their environment: you can furnish your home, add mod cons and move into a bigger property.

Nurturing lurve

And, as in real life, if you don't nurture your romance and help the cast interact appropriately, they are prepared to argue, split up and move out. It could even give you tips on how to conduct your own love life. 'The game can give you a reminder of some of the basic things you need to put into a relationship to make sure your partner doesn't feel like they are being taken for granted', says Glendenning. 'It's the basic things that people often neglect in relationships, things like talking, flirting and personal hygiene.

'But Singles can't claim to be anything other than a lifemanagement game; it wasn't designed to give therapy.'

To reflect the diverse 21st-century world in which we live, you can of course decide on an alternative lifestyle. In practice, that means choosing to make one of the characters gay - and, boy, are they gay. 'I'm James, fly me,' announces the camp flight attendant, standing with one leg cocked and his hand on his hip, in the game's character-option screen. And rather scary lesbian Lizzie is a 'laid-back lover of Lycra' who relaxes to the sound of mating humpbacks.

Aside from setting back the battle to end gay stereotypes by about 30 years, Singles is an innovative game for the PC. Its 18 certificate in the UK (it received a 12 in Germany) probably reflects more on British attitudes to sex than the game's actual content.

'It's not pornographic and it isn't particularly explicit either,' adds Glendenning. 'Yes, there is sex and full-frontal nudity in the game, but it's done to represent life, not to be shocking or sensational.'

Singles: Flirt Up Your Life is in shops now, priced £19.99. www.singles-the-game.com