DESCRIPTION

As in any good role-playing adventure, the object of this game to gradually gain experience and level up the main character, in order to be ready to face the final challenge at the end of the tale. Unlike most other RPGs, however, the heroes of Brooktown High are regular teenagers, and their final challenge is something far more frightening than evil overlords or fire-breathing dragons: finding the right date to senior prom. To be crowned Prom King or Prom Queen would be the ultimate victory in this game.

Players can choose a young man or young woman as their character, and then begin their quest for the amorous attention of one (or more) of six characters of the opposite gender. Potential partners are easily recognizable as caricatures of secondary school stereotypes, such as "jocks," "preps, "or "nerds," but further interaction reveals more sophisticated personalities. The trick to winning the affections of these characters is in listening closely to the things they say, even when they say things that don't seem particularly relevant at the moment. Not so much unlike real life.

Also as in real life, there is more to becoming the most popular kid on campus than simply being nice. The student must also cultivate a good sense of style. This means wearing the right clothes (which can be purchased with cash from a part-time job), staying in shape (by exercising at the gym or elsewhere), and having something valuable to add to the conversation from time to time (gained by keeping up with classes and homework).

Inspiration for Brooktown High may have come from Japan, where anime-styled dating simulations for PC are popular among both men and women, with stories that run from pure to prurient. On PSP, the characters and game world are modeled in full 3D, however, and a selection of action-oriented mini-games simulate all sorts of daily activities and interactions, from telling jokes and dancing to French kissing and apparel-shedding board games.

Brooktown High has received a "T" for "Teen" rating from the ESRB; younger players may find the game's romantic content to be highly icky. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide