Want a taste of the good life running Hef's home and media empire? Arush's critically acclaimed life simulator Playboy: The Mansion returns this summer bundled with the long-awaited PC-only expansion pack Private Party, featuring additional sex animations and photoshoot costumes.

"Get ready to really live it up," says Jeb Havens, lead designer on the expansion for Cyberlore Studios. "We're letting gamers go all-out."

Scrapping Playboy: The Mansion's campaign-oriented format where, as Hef, you follow a series of missions strung together by an overarching storyline, this add-on to the original game advocates outright hedonism. Now, the open-ended action revolves around loose goals, particularly throwing lavish parties. Three new underlying themes -- Halloween, Tropical Beach and A Midsummer Night's Dream -- set the stage for romance. Dress Playmates in angel, devil or French maid costumes. Clothe girlfriends in nurses' uniforms or coconut bras. Decorate your home with bars modeled after mad scientists' labs or floating clouds of fairy dust. Invite objects of affection to tango. Set up volleyball courts and limbo stations where maddeningly addictive mini-games await. The more sophisticated each soirée, the happier attendees will be, and the higher your approval ratings soar. Garner a winning reputation, and you'll attract swankier guests, which, in turn, leads to better exclusive editorial scoops and more money.

But don't be fooled, because business always comes after pleasure and you're still expected to fund and publish a monthly magazine. Even so, Private Party's primary purpose is throwing parties just for the fun of it.