Givenchy Play Intense Givenchy for men

Very classy and manly smell.
Good sweet men fragrance.
Longevity and sillage are not that great.

It opens with a citrus scent then dries down into a gentle spiced coffee scent. I would not say it smells really like coffee. In fact I haven't find something smells like real coffee in perfumes. But Play Intense does evoke an image of bitter coffee. It somehow also has an incense-like smell. I find it not very sweet, and clean. It's a versatile fragrance, not cloying sweet for summer and spicy enough for winter, day and night, unisex as well. That said, it still has its caracter. Its sillage is moderate and the longevity 7h+ on me.

Play intense is one of the best "male" or unisex fragrance. Very modern, warm (not enormous) and fresh at the same time, creamy, sweet citrusy scent with a hint of vanilla and more tonka bean. Sophisticated, intense but playful, not too serious but have to attention for this, not usual. I think the 'want it' category, not a love or hate fragrance, cause everybody likes it:)

1.) "It is made of milky glass, with cafalonium frame and rubber button to press." I googled "cafalonium" and got a couple of unhelpful entries that suggest that, whatever this material is, it's made in Hong Kong. Is this a fancy name for some kind of plastic?

2.) This smells like coffee? My first take is that it smells like coconuts, or a creamy vanilla scent. I'm not getting coffee here.

3.) The bottle is dorky.

I'll write a longer review when I wear it for a day.

Sexy, Mature and Dynamic, Cool-misty



This apparently smells the best on me, I've had compliments from down the table to even male passerbys. I like how versatile this one is in the occasion to wear, I find it a great daytime fragrance if you're more a seriously fragranted and charismatic type. I really don't smell the coffee all that much but maybe I need to look at the word while I'm smelling it.. I really get more the (in order from top-btm) white pepper/vetiver/(subtil)mandarine. Strangely refreshing!

Thod one smells like wood and incense to. I like it.

i loves this one it's so spicy and worm really good for the winter.,, this is my absolute favorite cold weather cologne..
6/10

The opening is so good. A strong, spicy and sweet citrus, it's golden. Then on my skin, it quickly goes into a sweet vanilla/chocolate scent, with a little bit of coffee in the background. To me, this cologne is definitely more unisex in the first few hours of its life, then it turns more masculine.

I haven't smelled Rochas Man, so I can't compare at all. But this is a delicious scent, my lady friend says it kinda smells like Axe Dark Temptations, but much more complex since PI is an actual perfume and not just a body spray.

I blind bought this, and am not disappointed at all.

Longevity and projection seem to be moderate on my skin, still decent.

For some reason I CANT STAND THIS fragrance. Im a gourmand lover and I like the potent angel men. But for some reason the coffee note is not done right and its too sweet, does not blend very well.

I LOVE warm gourmand strong fragrances, men's or women's. I sprayed this on paper and it was beautiful, and after reading so many reviews, I bought a bottle. I am soooooooo disappointed. It doesn't last AT ALL!!!! Within a half hour or less, its gone. I have a 100ml bottle. Anyone interested in swapping, please PM me! :-)

Its still not too late to change the bottle designe. What a cheap bottle for such a great fragrance.

I've had this for a year or so. Its one of the best Gourmand scents I have smelt/owned. Its a rich, dark & sweet scent. Its longevity is killer on me and projection is pretty wild. Don't go over board when using it, its really pretty tough to get out of your cloths if you get carried away. I get a lot of coffee and sweet kind of cocoa smell. It is a lovely scent. One I go back to on a regular basis.

Play intense induces intense headaches for me.

I get an overwhelming burnt plastic smell.

The bottle looks stupid.

Lasts long however, god help me...

Even as a gift I wouldn't wear it.

If you love Givenchy Pi, you probably will love this too. Both are sweet, but the sweet ambery notes in Pi look brighter and in Play Intense darker. Pi also is for a tinge sweeter and less mainstream. Looks like Pi would be the angel and Play Intense the devil.

I'm normally not a coffee lover, especially if the scent is very sintethic. But in Play Intense I find it very pleasant, more vanilla like and very rounded with all other ingredients. The tonka bean has a great role in this scent. Also, like in Pi, there are some spices in the backgroud, that hold the scent to be too foody like.

From all three sweet, oriental scents that I tried today in a store, Play Intense was the best. Beside Givenchy I tried: YSL Body Kouros (medicinal/spicy sweet) and Dolce&Gabanna The One (fresh spicy/sweet). YSL was a litle too medicinal, and too sweet, The One was a little boring, but Play Intense was just great - it was less sweet than Body Kouros but sweeter than The One. The spicyness in Play Intense was a little more calmed down than in The One - I personally liked that. But that's because I love gourmands.

I re-test this yesterday...
I misjudged this at first. This is a very nice coffee fragrance. Masculine and elegant not too sweet but sweet enough.

Not to be confused with Givenchy Play, this one is not so good fragrance...

Only problem with Givenchy Play Intense is that it does not last very long for Intense... other than that is great.

--George Dreamer (20/3/2013)

got this few days ago. it was between this la nuit and ultimate code. wanted something for night and winter but this scent KICKS ASS!!! longevity was easily 10 hrs and projection wasnt great but not bad. i had at least 3 compliments and one girl said i smelled like a vanilla latte at the beach??? whateves. GO BUY IT!!!!

A very sweet and pleasant gourmand fragrance. A perfect scent for the winter. The silage and longevity are also great. It's one of my favorite fragrances. Definitely worth a look.

Obviously Play Intense smells great, especially as it settles down. It is potent and will linger for a long time. I think it should be worn only with colder temperatures because it is warm, cozy, and a little thick.

This fragrance I have to say is a probably the best musky fragrance I have owned yet. On my skin all you get is Tonka Bean and Coffee but thats whats so great about it. When I first read of its description I went instore to have a whiff, found that it was Super smooth probably as smooth as Jean Paul Gaultier but without the headache. I have to be honest though I was expecting the coffee to be more stronger like a Cappuccino but its more like a Latte in the sense that its creamy with little to none punch in there but you still can pick up the coffee. A great buy nonetheless. Awful bottle design but the content is great.
I find myself bringing my wrist to my nose every other hour. Always puts me in the mood for another Coffee Date.

Wow, have to vouch for its longevity. Sprayed a sample on my sweater on a Tuesday, still smelled in on the sweater when I wore it Sunday. That's pretty crazy. Smells good too.

Edit: This has become my favorite scent. Which is sad considering it is the cheapest fragrance I've purchased. Also gets the most compliments if anybody is interested in compliments. Most say they want to eat me. You interpret that for yourself.

Sampled it today. Just an OK and a half fragrance to me, I think I will pass... Just a nice coffee (sugared) reminds me Black Vetyver Cafe Jo Malone for men but GPI is just an itch better... (not something "intense" for sure.

Nothing similar to Givenchy Play Eau de Toilette in my nose

Overall: 6.5/10

Smells excellent. Serious compliment getter.

Great smell.
I think it can be used when you want (in Fall/winter/cold weather) but it's perfect for a night out, clubbing or date.
I can't get the coffee, honestly. I know i get a sweet, gourmandish, edible smell. Far, far from over the top, BTW.

Check this out NOW.

I get 10+ hours of this, easily and with very good projection. People who say this doesn't last: Sorry, but it's YOUR problem. Your skin, olfactory fatigue, whatever.

Females really like it, too.

The bottle is well made but i must say that the MP3 thing isn't my thing either. I like a nice bottle but in this case i'm cool with it. Dark, heavy glass, pretty nice sprayer and can see the juice. Enough for me ;)

One of the most versatile gourmand fragrances out there. Although, I wouldn't wear it in the summer, it's still playful and casual enough to wear to work or school. I simply cannot get enough of this scent.

It opens with a woody, sweet citrusy, coffee that stays through the whole duration of the fragrance. It for sure smells like a very sweet vanilla latte. I get hints of chocolate in the dry down. It also has sort of a nutty quality, almost like hazelnut in the background. Nothing but good things to say about this fragrance. I will own bottle after bottle. It's delicious smelling.

i tried it today,i cant find coffee,but chocalate and vanilla r wonderful! i liked it and recommend it.

im sure that ladies like it on ur neck and body
and the longevity is perfect..!

This is a nice chocolate fragrance. It smells a bit synthetic, but decent.

Sure the bottle is ugly as hell, its gonna scare away a lot of potential buyers, but I havent decided yet it is a blessing or not.
This is strictly winter time fragrance, not very versatile, maybe works for cooler fall nights too, but if you looking for a fall/spring alternative, just go with regular Play. Both have this heavenly cappuccino vibe with freshly baked biscuits/donuts, dry, a little bit powdery, very sweet, many will find this too much or themselves not confident enough to wear it.
Its almost unisex and maybe bold girls can wear it too, but to be honest it has a masculine side (especially the slightly bitter/earthy drydown) which I dont wanna smell on women, its a little bit more obivious choice than Pi when it comes to decide which sex is more suitable to wear it. As for the age group, I really dont want to define who could wear this, anyone.

There should be no complaints of longevity or projection, this is one of the few fragrances you cant actually notice how potential it is, the approximately 2m scent cloud lasts 4-5 hours, then it becomes closer to the skin for another 4-5h.

You should try this several times before buying. I find it pricy (probably the most expensive Givenchy), considering its versatility a full bottle would last for at least a half decade to me.
I've got a minor nausea too when I wear this gem.
Its pretty evil thing to do, I know, but I actually wear this to laugh at womens trembling reactions.:]

Onestly i don't know how it's possible that Givenchy discontinue V.I. to produce this one.
1. The packaging is ridicolous, it's good for 14 years old guy
2. The fragrance remind me of a burnd rubber, c'est pas "la classe"
Longevity and projection 9/10
Smell 6/10
Packaging 2/10
Overall 6/10

This is a good fragrance and if it wasn't for the cheesy and tacky bottle, more people would take this more seriously. This juice could easily fit into a Bond N9 bottle (which itself would look tacky), and get all the niche hype.

To me this is a good warm earthy/woody fragrance, accentuated by sweet coffee and a touch of florals.

It develops beautifully I must add.

Longevity is outstanding and projection is pretty good. I get wafts of this scent even after 6 hours when I move my hand.

This is certainly a good going-out fragrance for a younger chap but I believe the overall execution will make it a good comfort companion for any person of any age.

I don't know
where is coffee in this perfume ??
its good and nice
but there is no coffee in this perfume ..

OMG...There's nothing manly here, it's just some melting candies and expensive bottle...

I love it! My friend wears this all the time and I always have to sniff him out. Whenever we hug I want to stay in there forever..

This is an amazing fragrance! It is (as previously stated) a gourmond that focuses very heavy on the cofee note. One of the things that is amazing about Play Intense is that while it is strong and very easily noticed, it is at the same time (assuming that it is not oversprayed) not very offensive, making it, in my opinion, very versatile. It gets compliments, lasts forever,projecting the whole time, smells amazing and overall dose everything a fragrance should. Undeniably one of my favorites.

Rating
Projection 10/10
Longevity 10/10
Scent 9/10
Versatiliy 8/10
Value 4.5/5

*Bonus Marks*
Preentation 1/1
Marketing 1/1
Extra Long Lasting 1/1
Extreme Compliments 1/1
Underpriced 0/1

Overall 45.5/45

I just wanted to point out that the above information is wrong, it comes in EDT not EDP

I got a few samples of this for my husband. He did a small spray on his wrist another on his neck. I fell in love!! SO SEXY! Very leathery, earthy, with warm coffee and tobacco tones. It's very masculine. I wanted to snuggle into him all night, which I did until....

it ended up giving me a stomach ache. I'm not sure why, but I now feel nauseated from this fragrance. It's such a shame, too, because we both really enjoyed it. Make sure you try a sample for a day or two before buying.

روی پوست من ماندگاری و پخش بوی متوسطی داشت.بویی که باقی میمونه مخلوط قهوه و وتیور هست.کاری معمولی و یه کم زنونه.بد نیست

I think that it's your local playboy bottled. Sexy, confident, masculine, little mysterious with hint of darkness.

It's clearly made for night outs and clubbing at fall/winter time. Lasting power is amazing and it has good projection.

-Projection: Good projection with some silage. Might be better projection than you think at first.
-Longevity: Great longevity. Can last 15 hours on my skin and still gives some projection.
-Age group: Males 20-40 years old.
-Occasions: Night out and clubbing at fall/winter.
-Sprays: Do not over spray this! 1-4 sprays is enough. One on back of the neck and one on each wrist is good starting point.
-Value for money: Great value if you are searching for night time scent.

Buy/Try/Pass: Must try for sure.

Excelent fragrance, its similar to Farenheit absolute without the gasoline smell hehehehehe.

Nice gourmand winter scent. When used in the warmer weather gets easily cloying and too heavy. Downgrade your sprays and it will do okay in the fall too. But this is for the colder months and the colder it gets the scent gets also better.

I dont recommend to use this in the summer. Maybe you can get away with one spray as a night time scent.

I absolutely love the opening. The scent starts off citrusy, fruity and sweet. I get a huge load of pink pepper. Right from the start you also get a lot of mandarin and some bergamot. You can also smell the coffee here and it lingers around so well now. Its actually a nice cappuchino vibe going here. Absolutely the best part of the scent.

As the juice starts to dry down you lose a lot of citruses and the scent becomes warmer and warmer. Nice thing is that the pink pepper still lingers around and keep things semi-sweet.

Few hours from the beginning and you start to reach the basenotes. This is when things get boring. Pink pepper is now gone and what you basically get is a strong coffee scent with kinda vanillish vibe on it. The coffee is almost too potent now and it tries to hide everything underneath it.

So now you are glad that the weather is cold and you didnt try this in the summer time. You also realize (if you dont hate the coffee smell) that the cold weather and the coffee smell is not a bad combo afterall.

How many sprays?: I suggest 2-3 sprays.

Projection: heavy.

Longevity: long lasting

So a nice scent with lovely top notes, nice middle notes and okay basenotes.

Make sure you can live up with those boring basenotes and you will be satisfied for sure.

Girls love this..... trust me ;)

Beautiful gourmand scent that definetely worth it.
Despite not being unique, it's recommended because it smells great, the price aint high and has an average projection and lasting power.
And yes, reminds a lot of Rochas Man.
And yes, i find this balanced than the coffee that's in Bond's New Haarlem (and it costs 1/5 of its price).

I will say this is a big improvement over it's father which to me smelled very flat. This adds more depth & feeling as I hoped it would since it is named intense! But if it were to compete against other gourmands in it's range I'd rank Play Intense dead last. It is not bad, but it is not great either. Spices, coffee, citrus, vanilla come rolled together to make a decent fragrance but one that will not stand out against it's competitors.

I find the longevity of this average, with low-medium silage. If your more into a subdued gourmand & not the heavier guys like A Men, Lolita Lempicka etc.. Give this a try. It gets a very balanced neutral from me.

The bottle design is clearly ment to attract a younger audience, but not necessarily, i'd say up to 40 maybe late 40's after that i might switch to something else.
I don't like this bottle, it's immature, but the scent is wonderful.

When i first sniffed it it was identical to Rochas Man when it's dried down.

On my skin this one is stonger though, and that's great 'cause Rochas Man does'nt last long enough and i need to aply a lot if i want decent projection, this one projects a lot more imo.

Nice and warm versatile scent, i really love it.

This morning I purshased this cologne looking for a long lasting evening cologne. I find the fragrance a bit different from other colognes that I have and simular to others. I think it is moderate in lasting and projection. Time will tell what others say about this when I am wearing it. Right now I am happy with the purshase.

As a woman who is no stranger to gourmands, I find this to be more of a masculine woody-oriental that straddles fresh and sweet, but isn't overtly edible.

The opening is spiked with a hint of spice, but you seem to skip right past the citrus in a blink. The absence of vanilla is brilliant because it keeps the overall composition translucent and allows the vetyver and woods to come through. In its place, tonka adds some creaminess so the overall effect is ever so slightly delicious, but nobody is going to wonder if you spilt your cappuccino. (You should note that there is a very slight synthetic Play-doh overtone to it which some people might dislike, but that I find weirdly comforting. It's no worse than something like Very Irresistible or Pi.)

Lasting power is good, and projection is just average compared to heavyweights like A*Men, Joop! or Pi. But that's perfectly fine because you're not going to assault everyone's nostrils when you wear it.

A great coffee based fragrance with so pleasant smell and good projection and longevity.
The opening is sweet coffee scent with noticeable spice and hint of citrus notes in the background.
The citrus notes give the scent a semi fresh and almost tart smell, but because of strong sweet tonka bean and coffee notes it's in the background.
In the mid the citrus and spicy notes settle down and you have a sweet but at the same time bitter coffee scent which is really pleasant.
Coffee lovers give this one a chance!
As I said both projection and longevity is good. it's not a monster but it's really good and definitely above average.
يه عطر بسيار خوشبو بر پايه رايحه قهوه
رايحه اوليه اين عطر بوي شيرين و قوي قهوه هست كه مقدار قابل ملاحظه اي بوي فلفل اونو همراهي ميكنه
خوب كه بو بكشين يه بوي تقريبا ترش و نسبتا شادابي هم وسط اين همه شيريني و تلخي و تندي احساس ميكنين كه به خاطر وجود رايحه مركبات هست ولي همونطور كه گفتم بدليل رايحه هاي شيرين دانه هاي تانكا و قهوه بوش ضعيفه و بايد كمي دقت كنين تا متوجه بوش بشين
در ادامه بوي فلفل و مركبات كم كم محو ميشن و شما بوي شيرين دانه هاي تانكا و بوي تلخ قهوه رو حس ميكنين كه بوي بسيار خوشايد و البته خاصي داره
پخش بو و ماندگاري اين عطر خوبه. خيلي زياد نيست اما كم هم نيست و بيشتر از متوسط هست
كار خيلي خوبيه. حتما تستش كنين
خصوصا اگه از بوي قهوه خوشتون مياد

Love the smell, but doesn't last long at all. Will stick to pure havane

Liked the regular version of Play so I tought I would give this on a go. I got this one without even trying it first.
Well what a disapointement. I really don't get how people can find a resemblence between the original and the intense version.The original is very refreshing, citrusy and woody. This one is so sweet and syntethic (in a strong chemical, burnt plastic kind of way) it almost makes me sick. A total miss in my opinion.

In response to Crestfallen, I agree with you. There was a recession (you may recall! lol) the year that this came out, and you may also have noticed that virtually all fragrances of any merit from 2008 or prior have either been reformulated or simply discontinued. The Great Reccesion, coupled with the international restrictions on fragrance ingredients have had a profound impact on the quality of all designer fragrances of recent production. It's a shame. :( I like this fragrance quite a bit, but if it lasted longer and projected better, I would certainly own it. Of course, I've only sampled it from Sephora on two occasionns but I'm sure I could find an older bottle on of it eBay... one always can. :)

Really nice stuff! I'm testing it on a pretty warm day and definitely agree that its a cool weather frag. I think its the herbal and balmy accords that come together on my skin to make a very comforting slightly smokey incense smell to me (pink pepper I guess). I could take a little more of the vetiver and a little less tonka bean but the sweetness doesn't ruin the scent for me. Will try again in the cold. I think this would sell a ton if the marketing and bottle were more elegant.

Wonderful smell I like the bottle as well

For me the best perfume what i am ever smell,is so sexy,strong,masculine,oh God i can't describe this love...for evening(winter)..Perfect 10/10 :))

Mmmm, not bad! The package suggests a really cheap and awful formulation, but I was surprised. It has made it to my list of future purchases, or a welcomed gift from friends and family. You really can't judge a book by its cover.

lovely bottle, the fragrance itself is fresh, spicy and not bad at all. it isn't the most complex fragrance in the world, but it's allright. i'd give this a 7 out of 10 ..

Did they reformulate this/make it weaker?? I bought a 1.7oz bottle last year and it was amazing, lasted 8hrs or more. I ran out so my parents bought me the 3.3oz giftset from Nordstroms and it smells A LOT weaker and doesn't last even 2 hours. Neither are fakes, both are genuine but the new bottle is like watered down juice...

I absolutly love this stuff, great for a night out. My fiance loves this stuff. I get plenty of compliments when I wear this. So for anybody looking for a fragrance that will make an impression, look to this one

Eu realmente não gostei dessa fragrância. Café é totalmente sintético. Fiquei enjoado, tentei usar por duas vezes e não me adaptei a fragrância. Me lembrou muito a um perfume do boticário, Lhotse.

Bottle is a little awkward, but the fragrance is great and I can't stop smelling myself! This cologne is better suited for nighttime use, yet I can't help but wear it into the office sometimes because the longevity and sillage are AMAZING! I've gone through a 10-hr day and still been able to smell this on me with a spray to the chest and the wrist. Not the most unique scent ever, but Justin's best work nonetheless. Ha

Great smell but the bottle is silly and immature.

Absolutely amazing scent love coffee and vanilla in frags very strong and sweet love it I hope to buy it soon one of the best out there

For the longest time I avoided this cologne simply based on the fact that I hated the bottle it's in. I think it's immature looking and just plain ugly. A few weeks ago I went to a department store and was testing a lot of different colognes. The clerk was kind of pushy and was spraying a lot of samples on test strips that I didn't even ask to smell. None of them excited me until she sprayed this one. I can say that I was really shocked and surprised at how good the scent was compared to the bottle it was in. I just don't feel like the bottle is a good reflection of the delicious smelling cologne inside. I didn't buy it that day but the smell was good enough to make me think about the cologne until I decided I had to have it. I finally purchased it this week and all I can say is it's one of my favourites already. On the second day I wore it I had someone tell me how nice I smelled. I wish all of my colognes would get compliments like that but they don't. I can't stop sniffing myself when I have this one on. It just goes to show that you can never judge a book by it's cover!

The starting notes of mandarin tangerine and a somewhat tart bergamot can be smelled clearly. Very refreshing and clean, but it quickly fades away. What follows is a sweet masculine oriental-gourmand with vanilla qualities that continue on for 7-12 hours on the dry-down.

Unfortunately for me it's too late.. I'm an addicted basenoter at heart and can't stop sniffing myself. lol. This cologne takes me back to some far away magical place of peace, tranquility and relaxation. On my skin, Givenchy Play Intense lasts very long, and projects well with just 2-3 sprays. Overall a classy scent and worth a try.

If there ever was a problem with being too good this one has it. After using Givenchy Play Intense for a week straight it was overindulging in that same way as having ate too much candy, fortunately I'm completely fixed now with a week off cycle of Polo and other non-gourmand favorites; moderation is key. ;)

A wonderful sweet gourmand fragrance.
My first thought upon smelling this: Coffee cake.
This may be too sweet for some.
The dry down is actually better, because it's more smooth. It smells like a vanilla coffee drink after a few hours.
I was in search for a coffee fragrance that wasn't too expensive, and this is amongst the best.
Givenchy is known to make sweet aromatic fragrances.
Smells like Rochas and New Haarlem.
This fragrance can only offend people who hate the smell of coffee or cakes, and I have yet to know anybody who does. Because it projects well, there's no need to spray much
(2-3 sprays max)

Age group: 21+
Projection: 5 stars
Longevity: 5 stars
Smell: 4.5 stars
Versatility: 1 stars
Overall: 4.25 stars

I happen to LOVE this fragrance. Im not one, to wear many mens fragrances, so they have to be VERY good in order for me to wear them. Im a teenage guy, and usually only wear women's fragrances. Simply, because they smell better. Most men's cologne have the potential to smell the exact same. But not this one... a VERY powdery, soft scent. The only fail to this fragrance, is the name. Play Intense? No... i think not. It is VERY soft & subtle. Great to wear to the office, hot summertime, nighttime, an office, anywhere. It accomadates to every occasion, no matter where you're at. Two things i HATE in a fragrance, is Patchouli & Powder. But this fragrance, is the ONLY expetion for the powdery note. It is layered so softly with the Tonka Bean & Cofee Beans, i think it makes it okay. It could easily pass for a womens fragrance. EASILY. So, if you are like me and HATE powdery scents, don't pass up this one. You might be quite surprised.

Smells like Rochas man and Fuel for Life blended together

I absolutely hate the bottle it comes in, but I love the way this smells. Horrible bottle. Excellent smell. I definitely don't regret buying it.

I have tried this one on my skin, and believe me, it's really good. Its long lasting, its sweet but not very and I think its charming, classy and deep. My next aquisition for sure! =)

hithereimdan: That would be the tonka bean i think giving the vanilla.

I'm curious to know if anyone else detects a vanilla note in this? Which of the actual notes am I confusing for vanilla? Help!

I've owned Rochas Man for years and was interested in testing Givenchy Play Intense after seeing all of the comparisons on this board. The top notes compare similarly but the drydown is very different with each. RM drys down to a vanilla, creamy scent that, to me, is best worn during fall and winter. GPI drys down to more of a vetiver with a hint of citrus that could be worn year round. I enjoy them both.

Play intense slowly worked its way to my heart. It's very unique I think in that it can be considered a "fresh" gourmand. Yes the coffee/chocolate note is significant and makes this a darker, slightly heavy fragrance. But the tonka and patchouli, both also noticeable, make it fresh and enlightening. Soapy and savory at the same time. Brilliant. You may not fall for it right away but this will grow on you. It also garners a lot of compliments.

one of the best perfumes I've ever had in my entire life, was one of my signatures. The notes of them is indescribable. Very good, love at first sight. 10/10
Indispensable in the collection, essential ..

many compliments, projection is very good but longevity is awesome on my skin >>12 hours.
One of my favorites !!

Givenchy Play Intense is like A" Men without Tar note. The coffee & Vanilla plays the game. The projection is good & Longevity is average on my skin. It got expensive smell. Its good, I like it.

if i were a perfumer, I would not put the coffee in a fragrance, I do not like the smell of coffee at a party, I hope that in this perfume, the coffee be of short duration, because there are perfumes that the smell of coffee lingers and is really a shame the smell of coffee at a party. I tried some coffee perfume and you smell like you've smearing coffee instead of perfume

I really like this smell, smells like sweet vanilla cookies, girls dig that ishh, i got a lot of compliments from this. This my favourite!

10/10 (seriously)

i have a 50 ml pretty much full bottle of givenchy play intense if any UK users wants to trade for a boss bottled bottle of any size

Gienchy Play Intense is a very nice, sexy smell that will definately get compliments and has a great rich smell that will get u noticed an a VERY good way. Right from givenchy I get a lot of quality in the fragrance and the ingredients and it really stands up well against potential scents u may consider instead making it a great buy.

I will sometime want to get this at some point, probably when it gets colder in the winter

My first fragrance where I got my first complement from somebody sitting about 4 to 6 feet away

The first time I sprayed this on paper/strip card, Givenchy Play Intense reminded me of Rochas Man. But after spraying it on my skin several times, and wearing it full for a couple of days, GPI really separates itself from other sweet fragrances.

The opening is fruity, I associated this with the smell of the inside of a sweet fruit after it has been peeled or knifed open. It's hard for me to identify the notes after the scent settles, but the combination of vanilla and patchouli is noticeable on the drydown.

Although the bottle is kind of gimmicky, the overall scent is really versatile. It is deliciously sweet, but light enough to be worn in an office/work environment; manly enough to be used on a date; distinctive enough to be an everyday scent for winter.

On my skin, Givenchy Play Intense lasts very long, and projects well. Worth a try.

Strange, unusual, but very pleasant.
It's hard for me to really describe, but it is very Givenchy.
Gourmand, sweet Coffee, almost like Mugler's A*Men, but less spicy pepper, something faintly floral plastic, Resinous... almost like, the thrill of fresh electronics out of the package.
It's not that intense.
I Agree, it has a passing resemblence to Axe Dark Temptations. But more well done, more complex. Tonka Bean is often overdosed in a lot of modern male frags.

**Edit: NOW i remember!! the opening reminds me of the opening of Etat Libre D'Orange's "Fat Electrician" But thankfully, that weird green note fades fast into the smooth cacao-Tonka vibe. Far more tolerable and pleasant.

Sillage: modest
Longevity: fades quick, but lingers well.

I went Givenchy crazy and grabbed this along with PI and Neo, all in gift sets and at excellent prices.

I didn't have a lot of experience with this house personally and decided that it was time for something with a bit more "Oomph" and this along with the other two did not disappoint. My sillage monsters are all old school and all of the recent releases I own have slid into the "office scent" category yet all command premium prices (Bleu Chanel, Gucci Homme come to mind)so it was time to add some recent heat and Play Intense certainly does that. This is how Darth Vader would smell lol.

I have no problem with premium prices but I expect serious bang for my buck and Givenchy appears to still use the good stuff which is what is needed to have staying power.

Smelling great for an hour is meaningless to me and that seems to be the direction that some of the famous houses are headed in by paying more for marketing and advertising than the key ingredients and we collectors have very long memories and don't appreciate being taken advantage of. If you are going to use mostly synthetics then sell them for the same prices as Axe and Tag and not $67 dollars a bottle. Thankfully Givenchy has chosen not to go this route and I hope they continue putting quality first.

I think that Givenchy play intense and Rochas Man differ as well. RM has a very sweet smell with a powdery/patchouli drydown mixed in with the cappuccino/vanilla sweetness. GPI has a dirtier, more earthy and tobacco drydown mixed with the coffee/vanilla sweetness. Both smell very good and if you like "gourmand" style fragrances, they both are must owns. Also, I wouldn't compare GPI to New Haarlem either since I would compare Rochas man to New Haarlem first.

For those who put givenchy play intense smells like rochas man you're terrible wrong. PI smells like a peppery coffee (a little bitter but more on the sweet side) Rochas man smells like a cotton candy sweet vanillic cappuccino (which is sugar sweet from beginning to end) They both go their separate directions. Its just like saying Cool Water and ADG smell the "exact" same because they are both fresh aquatics...

i like this version better than teh original play,which i think is kinda fresh. This version really has a nicer drydown and it is a way more interesting combination of notes and works quite well

Givenchy Play Intense consists of a bunch of notes that I don't smell at all. When I smell this, I smell chocolate, vanilla, and wood. MAYBE a little coffee in there, too somewhere. It's a nice fragrance! I just don't smell a lot of the notes it says it contains like the fruity/botanical notes and the pink pepper.

6/10

God bless!!

As a fan of Givenchy Play, I was curious to see the similarities/differences in the "Intense" offering.

I was very surprised to find that Intense is anything but. I found Intense to be the shallower of the two fragrances. There's a deep and rich quality to Play... Intense is a thinner fragrance that smells sweeter reminding me of a hot caramel sundae.

In my opinion they have these marketed backward. Play is the intense version, and Intense the tame version.

I intensely plan on sticking with regular Play when it comes to choosing between the two.

EDIT: I got a big bottle of this and I enjoy it pretty much equally with the original Play. I don't really understand those who have huge opinion swings on the two offerings. It seems many bash the original and like this stuff. They're not that much different to have such a wide divide in opinion.

I bought Givenchy Play Intense without sampling it first and was pleasantly surprised.


The main accord in this fragrance is a blend of coffee, pink pepper, tonka bean, and mandarin orange. So what you get is a slightly sweet aroma of coffee with a little spice and some citrus in the opening.

What I like about this one is that it's not overly sweet or heavy. The coffee comes off kind of dry and dark, and it's sweetened up just enough by the tonka bean. The spice from the pink pepper ensures the fragrance keeps an edge to it and never becomes too soft.

This a great everyday fragrance to wear in the colder months. People like it, it's got good longevity, and its projection creates a light cloud around the wearer without over-extending its bounds and becoming intrusive.

Easy to find, easy to wear, and appropriate for all ages, Play Intense is a great option for anyone looking for a coffee-based scent.

Nice fragrance. Starts out slightly fruity and citrus, then the coffee note pop in for the reminder of the scent life. This is a lighter Angel Man without the tar note, therefore easier to wear. Average projection and 8 hours scent life for me. 8/10

I smelled it on paper and I thought it smelled like Rochas Man, then when I came back home I tried my Rochas and changed my mind!!
They both have the coffee/Mocha/chocolate but in different ways, while Rochas Man has the unmistakable vanilla drydown, Play Intense has the fruits n pink pepper...oh well, it's worth the money!

Scent: 8/10
Sillage: 8/10
Longevity: 8/10

wow! wat a great perfume! i bought it on the high side but i've definitely not regretted. the coffee-chocolate flavour is exceptional and its longevity is excellent. a definite must buy for all!

The only sweet frag which i like from my heart but the projection sucks only i can feel after half an hour on myself if i put my nose on it or if some one hug me though i spray atleast 7 wiffs on me every single time, no doubt the longevity is ultra...

Very like this one. Sweet but not annoying at all. I like mixture of coffee and tonka bean with little pink pepper. Love this scent its so sexy and warm. Longevity is about 6-12 hours so its very nice. I think it is also very versatile and projects pretty well. Overall 9,5/10

Soft almost vanillic scent with citrus ala Hanae Mori. Other notes keep it unisex, but the Intense version is much more soft and richly layered than the edp of the same blend. EDP is spicier with more pepper bite and a sharper edge to the wood, much more what I expect from a men's scent. The Intense is definitely unisex.

Soft almost vanillic scent with citrus ala Hanae Mori. Other notes keep it unisex, but the Intense version is much more soft and richly layered than the edp of the same blend. EDP is spicier with more pepper bite and a sharper edge to the wood, much more what I expect from a men's scent. The Intense is definitely unisex.

This fragrance is so underrated! I recently picked it up and it works amazingly in the cold weather as a daytime scent.

It creates a slight aura around you that is pleasant and unoffending. I'll be wearing Play Intense for many years to come without a doubt.

One of my favorite Gourmand scent ever. Kinda reminds me of very sweet French Vanilla coffee on the opening.

Initially reminds me of Rochas Man but mid note not as interesting. Don' t smell tar others mention, maybe it's the pink pepper? On subsequent testing, I like it better, but not sure why. I really get the sense of (& like it) the celluloid plastic note you get from new table tennis balls or Mom's old canasta cards. I detect a similar note in Armani Diamonds pH and in Fahrenheit. Is it the iso e-super?
Dry-down: vanilla (somewhat like Rochas Man?), w/ perhaps a touch of the coffee? Synthetic? Yes. Do I like it? Not bad at all.

A complex scent which has many twists and turns and is on the whole worthy of a try..

0-5 mins . Chocolate, cocoa with a twist which is a little sour. Projection good. Ages 25-35

5 mins- 2 hours. Chocolate, cocoa, quite pleasant, scent of a man included and to men perhaps quite sexy, but not sure women will find this sexy? Mid-mature 28-40 years. Some projection.

2 hours- 4 hours. I didn't like this stage, it smelt like above but it had gone of, quite rancid in fact, dustbin stench. Projection limited, occasional 6 inch but very intermittent

4 hours - 9 hours. Scent morphes in an intense on the skin bewitching, dark and woody experience which is very nice and very unlike the chocolate and cocoa at the start. Very much for the alternative and it pulls it of. The scent grew up. No projection of note, stays very close to the skin. Ages 32-45

What a journey, this had so much, thought it was average then hated it then loved it. Alas projection on me was not great so I won't buy it but will try again and again in passing

Good

Givenchy Play Intense, what can i say, givenchy hit the nail on the head with this one.

This is one of my top 5, from the opening to drydown, it is sexy as it can be. I got this bought for my birthday in 2008 and since then have bought many bottles.

If you want girls to ask you, what are you wearing, then make sure you include this bad boy in your collection.

It has quite a lot of similarities with Rochas Man intense, they are both top draw fragrances.

Basically it is the same fru-fru scent as Play, but with added very sweet notes of choco and vanilla. After it dries down a bit it smells pretty good but not all guys will like this type of fragrance.

i've just bought a 100 ml GPI yesterday, it smells like dream, noone can ignore you once you wear it on. Longevity and Sillage are great. It is strong in a positive way...

Smelling this parfume it gives me the impession of luxurious parfume, memorable and sexy as well.
Not as sweet as many people said (as A*man - no way), but masculine at the same time.
Very suitable for an inviting young male with the taste of good.
A secret weapon sometimes. Longevity & sillage are just perfect... actually it is a GIVENCHY...what can I say more ?
and..and...after I smelled this parfume and going to others from my collection... I realized that I have so cheap fragrances like (VERSACE, BOSS, CK, BURBERRY .etc.) the only that can do it better is LE MALE, A*man and BLEU.
9.5/10

It's winter, time to take the sweetest and strongest perfumes of wardrobe.

Last night I use Play Intense to make a test.
Well, my friend said that my perfume was different from the night before (that was Joop! Homme) and better cos' it's more citric and roundy.

This morning Play Intense still on my skin, and I put it on again.
When my work partners arrived to work, one of them (woman) said:
- Holy mother, ur perfume makes me shiver!

Well well well, I need not say anything more, I need?

I really like Play Intense. The original Play is abysmal, but this one is almost like an improved Polo Double Black by Ralph Lauren. This is a dark sweet scent with chocolate, coffee, pepper, and patchouli. The initial few minutes can smell kind of weird because of the mixture between citrus notes and the heavier notes, but once Play dries down it's awesome. I'm generally not a fan of sweet fragrances, but I definitely like this one - just don't put on too much; it can get cloying, as it projects big time and lasts a while. I smell a labdanum note in the drydown, which is awesome.

Good stuff. The bottle is kinda tacky.

for me , this one smell abit similar with AB seduction in black

Okay, I picked up this one after exchanging the original Play, as it was just too light for my tastes. For some people this fragrance may be a little overly sweet at the beginning, but it does settle down to a nice evening wear fragrance during the spring or fall. I was a little hesitant as Justin Timberlake was the spokesperson, but I get asked a lot what I am wearing. Again, not the most elegant and probably best suited for individuals under the age of 40 (I would say in the range of 20 to 35) and even though it has the word Intense, it is not going to be so intense that it isn't enjoyable. I would give it 4/5. Something to keep in the back row of your collection for change.

Is not like Angel in any way! you know what? i love them both but theyre different from each other; this really smells like an expensive version of Axe Dark Temptation...chocolate with fruits and warm woods sooo nice and tasty, i just bought it and im very happy that is not just another fresh woody cologne like everything else in the market.


98/100

Givenchy play intense is a dark, woody, mysterious, daring, sexy and last but not least, inovative perfume.
Great opening a little bit honey + bergamot + somathing else i´m not able to distinguish. Amazing middle notes and strong basenotes, whose combination is a lovely vetiver + patchouil.(Note: I love almost all perfumes which have bergamot, patchouil, vetiver, cedar, amber.....)
Meant for modern and ambitious men, over 30, this perfume goes beautifully on suits. Definitively shouldn´t be worn on an everyday-basis. It deserves some respect =).
Great silalge and projection. I´ve already gotten a lot of female compliments about using it. I guess it would match perfectly both day and night events.

Bottle: 7/10
Scent: 9/10
Projection: 8/10
Sillage: 8/10
Scattolini´s X-factor: 9
Overall: 8,5/10

This Intense version I really like for the colder months. I am not good at describing this one, but think it is great and versatile as long as it is in Fall/Winter.
I get a little synthetic/plastic note when I first apply it, but then it goes away and is just awesome.
9/10
Also, the bottle may be tacky, but it sprays very well.

I cannot find a perfum that can replace this one, my bottle is empty and i cannot find sth suitable...

one of my favaourites....

fresh, elegant, good for the office or to go out at nite....

Excellent!!!

the mixture of the notes is here great one of my fav fragrances

similar to Zegna Forte and YSL la nuit

Givenchy play is a balanced out oriental type of scent and really has a fresh quality and its really one of the high end colognes, which means that it should last all day without need for re application, and the drydown is good

nontheless, its not anything original, but it is well balanced

Well, nothing much about to say about this one. Smells intriguing but after my girlfriend told me that I smelled like his father, that was it. No go. paraphrasing her, you don't want the EDT to knock the gitl on the head and drag her off to your cave. And that's what this does. It's a bit like Angel and Demon for women. Old woman's scent which becomes natural at certain age :).

Well I like Play Intense better than Play EDT.
The coffee accord certainly is obvious, but the tonka is the dominant note here, and makes the whole scent very heavy and sticky. I'd like to see this whole composition without the tonka, I honestly think I would fall in love.
I'm sorry, Donche, but from my nose it seems to have a perfect blend off of beautiful ideas, all citrus, floral, spice, wood and gourmand notes mixing beautifully, but that tonka has jut thrown it for me, made it too heavy.

I had a sad :,-(

I experimented the regular Play by Givenchy today and I sort of like it. It sounded good, but could sound awesome.

I'm really looking forward to this Play Intense version. It sounds like they improved it, thanks to the light woods.

I'll come back to talk about it.

I find Play Intense to be an entirely different composition when compared to the original Play. While Play was composed of citrusy and fresh notes, Play Intense is rather woodsy and dark, sometimes rubbery. I find many similarities between Play Intense and Bvlgari's Black.

Play Intense is rather sexy. I doubt that I would feel out of place if I wore it myself to be honest. It's an interesting blend between smokey, dark woods and rich, syrupy yet masculine vanilla. It also has an earthy quality, particularly towards the heart, quite possibly due to the patchouli and coffee, which gives this fragrance the potential to be worn to night-time events.

As a woman, that can often be picky when it comes to masculine fragrances, Play Intense is quite impressive and sensual. Due to its richer approach in comparison to the original Play, I find this release much more pleasant and wearable. Perhaps even a tad more interesting and not as generic per se.

The longevity and sillage are relatively strong, and in some ways bold. I'm dismissing the fact that Justin Timberlake is the face of this product as I don't feel as if he suits this kind of scent. It's hot in a smouldering and mysterious sense of the word.

I am thorougly impressed with Play Intense, and I feel that Givenchy has been a little daring with this, even though as a whole it's not particularly outstanding or unique.

This is my favourite cologne of all time. I got the normal play cologne because i liked the smell and had not smelt the play intense yet, than a week later i finally smelt it and right away went to return the original play. Play intense smells like rich creamy, almost a chocolaty smell! omg it was amazing

i love this one. the first thing i get is marshmellows, then it turns into a "syrupy" vanilla latte with a bit of dark chocolate,
just great.
my wife likes this one too :)

My missus love is it, and it gives me that extra oomph. Def. evening fragrance.

See through version is for day use, sporty, yet still peppery.

This is a great example of a mish-mash of a happy accident. To my nose it starts off quite self-concious not really knowing what it is or where it wants to go but after half an hour or so it finds its feet, warms up to the dark gourmand it always wanted to be. It lasts for ages and by the time you go back to that beautiful womans place you met earlier for a late night coffee it should,if you have timed it right, be at its delicious best.

PS: Shame the bottle is so bad. Hopefully in a few years when the MP3 bottle looks like an antique they will re-issue it with a classier design.

This one helped me to get laid for about 10 times )))

is it me or it really smells so good?I never expected it to be my taste,since I don't like the original version that much and I wasn't even eager to try this one.
but I like it.to me it's smoky and dark,perfect for a serious ambitious guy who is undelibarately seductive as well.
I didn't fall for the first notes,but after just 5 minutes it becomes incredible.I didn't find it too sweet.it's just well blended.
I think it has something in common with xeryus rouge.maybe this one is the younger version.by the way this is a perfume with character and it can't be ignored no way.

This is an amazing scent. It is fun yet seductive. Overall a very pleasant scent for everyone around you to enjoy. Well done Givenchy!

i got the citrus and the coffee. all was going kind of ok. then, after an hour or two, it transformed itself into chalk! :) (never got that smell before!) it's not bad. it's just not that good... :)

9 months back I ran out of my Chanel Allure HS EDT, so I went to buy. The sales girl handed me this GPI 10 tester pack as gift along with my Allure HS EDT. While coming back I was sitting at the back of my vehicle where my 2 friends were sitting in front. When I tore the first tester pack, well, it exploded. Yes, the smell exploded into the vehicle and hit the nostrils of all the people in the car. My friends turned around and asked me at the same time what on earth was that. It was like love at first smell. We instantly went back to the store and bought 3 100ml for all of us, one apiece. The oriental theme dominates this scent all through.

The opening blast might give your nose a thrust with strong smoky nuance of burnt wood in a sweet way which will stay for 10/15 minutes. Then enters the coffee and pink pepper where coffee is very dominating and shaped around the pepper, this coffee note will remain there for a considerable longer time than usual heart notes. Patchouly is very much hidden in the base note which is clearly driven by the pan fried tonka bean (in a sweet and good way)with a coffee kiss and moulding the vetiver in it. Wonderful and tremendously masculine. I would like to agree with those who calld it "a genuine masculine scent in the market after a very long time".

The silage is excellent, longevity is very good, I'd give it 8/10. The only limitation about it would be that it's clearly a night scent, better for clubbing and partying. I discourage it to be used as an office wear.

On my skin:
Top+ Middle: : Coffee scent like, with some hints of spices and sweetness, and a touch of citrus scent, I dunno what they put inside, dun ask me XD. It does not really change much from top to middle, as it comes to the middle, something extra sweet creeps in. 8-9 hours mark, depending on weather and temperature.

Base: Something woody comes in, more sweetness creeps in, maybe its cinnamon, or some sweet beans. 4-5 hours mark.

Coffee scent makes me feel like an errand clerk, you know, the people where they take goods and deliver for companies. HAHA! For some reason, I don't get much complements from this. Some say 'coffee scent, hmm....how about a coffee break later?'

I believe this is a night out scent, you can use it at work, but it does not leave much impact at work, its something people don't really care of. But this stuff is great at night.

Gourmand fans should check this out. Buy the 3.4 oz @ 100 ml, the 50 ml looks weird to me, it looked like a dwarf.

The country I am in has no 4 seasons, so it is either hot or cold weather. This works very well on both, but better at night.

My rating (base on 5 stars)

Scent: 3 (unique gourmand scent, but the mugler's kind of more famous in this, check this out in 3-4 years time, it should be a keeper for gourmand fans).

Sillage: 4 (incredible sillage, this fragrance can be scent from about 1 feet, but it is not a beast, its gentle enough not to offend people).

Time length: 5 (I get 10 hours++ for the top and middle notes, just right).

Occasion: 4 (You can use this at work, it will not offend people, as work piles up, and they could not have a coffee; girls might ask you for a coffee drink with you XD ).

Overall base on mathematics: 4/5

A dark horse which is on par with gourmand scents like Angel Men, Pure Malt. It's a good fight with them, but I am not a gourmand fan =p

This cologne smells a lot like Fruity Pebbles cereal, lol. I know that sounds odd but it really does. I love it. Can't understand the negative reviews for this one, it is definitely worth the money!!! Givenchy did a great job here. The lasting power is unmatched, I can still smell it on myself hours later and it's great. Not a daytime/office scent, definitely made for night time, clubbing, bars, etc etc... Wear it when you want to be noticed. Wear it when you want everybody to KNOW that your cologne is better than the next mother fucker's cologne. Fuck that son-of-a-bitch. You wear the good shit and he can kick rocks. And you can take his woman away. For a good stay. He's a punk, you're a player. Make him eat your poop. With a spoon. That wal-mart-smelling mother fucker is a chump. For real. Him and his punk-ass AXE body spray. That shit is for teenagers, and they should be ashamed to smell so horribly. Fuck teenagers, they're dumb. By dumb I mean big ol fuckin idiots. E

This smells very similar to Zegna Intenso, sharing a well balanced sweet citrus and smokey woods. I also would compare it to Polo double black, but Polo is more spicy due to its dominant pepper.

I have to agree with the association with Rochas Man. I find Rochas Man slightly better. But CH Men has a big difference I think, the sweetness is more discreet with some notes (spices maybe) giving a mild feeling of something you would find in O Boticario Uomini, which is a "toned down version of D&G Pour Homme", as I heard. Rochas Man and Play Intense are similar; CH Men could live together without being like a twin brother.

Darker and much more suave than his brother PLAY, INTENSE is something I instantly fell head over heels for. I always did go for the dark tortured souls over the bright, sunny popular ones anyway...

Play Intense begins with the same torchwood note as his brother, only an octave lower and louder. The citruses are there but just barely, and this is the more raw aspect of PLAY-heavy, earthy, woody and stand-offish as opposed to fresh, friendly and amicable. The heart has the amyris note, but more of the resinous wood note than the aura of torchwood found in PLAY. The pepper is lighter yes, but infinitely more subtle and intruiging. The coffeewood is like espresso compared to the airy coffeetree flowers' breakfast blend. Every aspect of this scent is darker, heavier and more oriental...especially in the ultimate drydown. Labdanum adds to the resinousness, and gets sensual. Then, the patchouli is thicker and the vetiver gets smoky and almost dirty, by association. Gone is the fun and flash, this is serious and quite profound, and the tonka adds another layer to this dark oriental scent: one of smooth sweetness and a likeable warmth, despite the otherwise heavy base.

Sillage: great
Longevity: very good
Overall: 4.5/5

This is so very sexy, and has a dark beauty to it. I find it infinitely more seductive than PLAY, but then again the dark side always looks better-only here (IMHO) it actually is...here the true nature of the woods, resins and roots come to life and you begin to know the deeper nature of things hidden to most. A mystery that begs to be solved, and in trying to figure it out, you become utterly intwined...

Hmm... I am speechless when it comes to this fragrance. I have no clue what to think of it. It's not bad. It's a bit strange actually, and I am not ready for it. There is a swift of sharpness during first 30 mins that I am not very fond of. I guess, it's sharp like a strong coffee aroma & pink pepper combo (Or I just smell dark chocolate? I have no clue).

Mixing in something fruity and sweet (Apple and tonka bean, IMO) making the scent strangely unique. After the first 30-40 mins, the scent becomes a bit familiar. It's fresher, woodier, cleaner, and more understandable (at least for me!). It still has this sharp fruity woody coffee aroma, but it's not at the strongest point that could puzzle me.

Will I buy this fragrance? yes, I think so but not in a heartbeat. I find it a bit too unique for me, and I can't imagine when and how I will be using it. If any of you, perfumee, out there likes something different, then give this Play Intense a try. It might be an interesting experience.

Hi.

A Modern scent in a Modern Bottle.GPI is Intense but Definitely not in a Heavy Way.I Really Suppose These notes making a Strong&Overpowering Smell but In my opinion it is far from the reality. Sweet,Snugly,Cocky,Warm, Oriental and Nice and Not Too Strong.

If i could describe All notes I would tell A Dominant freshness,the warm Hint of Coffe,The Elegance of Wood and The warm Emotion of Patchouli and Tonka Bean Which gives a feeling of Manhood and Confident.

GPI is more Modern while A*Men is more Bold and Suitable for Special Nights.Definitely is not for a Shy and Retiring Character.Ideal for AUTUMN and OFFICE use.I like the bottle design.Anyway A Pleasant Choice but not for a Great Taste!

Sillage?Good.

Longevity?Average on my skin like often GIVENCHY Fragrances!

6.5/10

If you are familiar with A*Men and Rochas Man, you can think of Play Intense as a combination of the best qualities of the two while leaving out either scent's negative qualities. It is not as 'in your face' strong and cloying as A*Men can be, nor as synthetic smelling. It avoids the stuffy synthetic cedar of Rochas Man, while employing a similar coffee/lavender accord (while lavender is not a listed note in Play Intense, there's something in it that smells a lot like lavender absolute. I think lavender absolute is going into the coffee flower accord, as a coffee flower does not smell like coffee, but instead a mix of jasmine and orange blossom!)

There's a wonderful leathery, almost ambergris like labdanum absolute note in the base, that combined with the tonka and a chocolately pathcouli makes it smell like a chocolate infused amber.

The amyris wood here is less present and noticeable than it is in the regular Play (where it shares the spotlight with a wonderful, golden vetiver note in the dry down) but is utilized well to keep the whole thing from becoming too sweet or cloying. The longevity is good and projection is modest but very interesting in that the scent expands out into an aura around you in a way that makes it hard to localize when sniffing. If you like Rochas Man or A*Men you owe it to yourself to check it out. If you like or are interested in a chocolate scent, again, you owe it to yourself to check it out. It's a great scent, and one of my favorite comfort scents (it's just so smooth and cozy!).

It does pair really well with the regular version of Play. Neither of the pair are particularly unique in structure (they're not blazing new ground) but they do what they do *so well* that they really stand apart from the crowd. I think both scents have been underrated here and on Basenotes.

I won't even pretend to be knowledgeable about terms such as "lasting power" or "sillage", etc, so don't worry about another pretentious review.

This fragrance reminds me a bit of Hypnose for men by Lancome; it has a warm "pumpkin pie" scent, yummy, but doesn't quite have the combined pumpkin pie + gingerbread cookies scent that Hypnose has. I very much like both fragrances.

Another favorite of mine is Light Blue by D & C; this is entirely different.

The One by D & C is more musky than Play Intense, and doesn't have the "tastiness" of yummy, well-baked holiday FOOD that Play Intense has.

Hope this "untrained" description helps.

Change of opinions...I hated this one when i bought this 2 and a half months ago(due to poor lasting power), cus it was a bit hot(32c-34c) here in Hungary but when yesterday i used it after a long time since i bought it as the weather has changed towards colder side 18c...it was amazing. specially the dry down and top notes ! so now 7/10....just passed

P.S THIS IS STRICKLY FOR NIGHTS!!!

I do agree with you Maddyrain! Rochas Man and Play Intense do have similarities. While Rochas Man seems more elegant or suit worthy, Play Intense just does it for me. I think my boyfrind knows how to use scents to his advantage...well, to both of our advantage :P Another scent with a similar reaction and very romantic, Amouage Lyric Man.

And, if anyone enjoys this scent as much as I do, be sure to check out more of Lucas Sieuzac's scents. He is one of our favorite perfumers.

hot, sweet and sensual
masculine fragrance by Givenchy, created for a
man connected to the world. Play Intense
captivates with its freshness, its rich texture and
lingering scent of tonka bean."

I've had this fragrance since Dec 09, and it's definitely my favourite; it's just a very pleasant aroma, I sometimes catch myself whiffing the top of my shirt. Plus, the girls absolutely love it.

Just got this frag, so far I like it, it's not an awesome smell to me however. I can't help but detect vanilla and sugar cane juice in the opening which reminds me of the original pi and something very woody like cedar or sandalwood in the dry down. I find the smell very warm and sweet yet not too overpowering. IMO bec of the woody dry down it's just barely masculine

It's descent. Well, it's better than descent yet there is something missing. The ingredients are right up my alley but it just never kicks in. I do like it better then it's sibling. Silage is well above average. Suprised there is no mention of the bottle shape which is certainly different and original but I'm buying it (figuratively). I like classic and it is not. Trying the hipster route (Justin Timberlake) here. Not hard to figure the demo they want to reach. Next!

I dont know how this comes but i find Herrera CH for men and Givenchy play intense very similar! try both of them on each hand..... play intense may be a little louder .... however i dont find it that remarkable and i dont appreciate the strong pepper note ....but i dont mind wearing it at the same time :)

Neither this or Play smell good.

Not in my standards.

I wore it, no drydown worth me spending my money on.

When I wants sweet sweet sophisticated I stick with Pi.
If I want candy sweet I go with Chanel Allure Blanche

arance i respect your opinion but i don't agree with you, but i believe that you would change your mind if you try to use fahrenheit.

I bought it yesterday. I LOVE it, if you like Chanel Allure or Thierry Mugler male frangrances, then this fragrance is for you. Play intense is NOT EdP , it is EDT with long lasting power. Play regular edition is not really good, the smell is very common. Choose this Intense version instead !

This is great creation, so masculine, manly, gentlemen fragrance, solid, woody( from vetiver) and sweet ( comes from the patchouli) when it is dryout.

the fragrance is really long lasting, works well on tan or dark skins

the smell is somehow close to Bvlgari black, except that it doesnt end up with rubbery finish, and its much more long lasting

If you are looking for true casual/ formal masculine woody fragrance and you lost, this is defiantly your choice

Now, what kind of person would I be to not get the ying to Givenchy's Play EDT's yang? Thankfully I am not that person. The front of my neck itched until I got this. Now I feel complete! For now...

I'm going to have to agree and repeat what other posters have said. This is an aggressive, sweet, masculine, modern, so on and so forth fragrance. I never have enough words to describe a Givenchy creation.

Play Intense is the nice counter cologne to the original. EDT during the day, Intense at night. Whenever really, but if you own both, that's what I would recommend.

The notes listed are indeed incomplete. I cant think of them off the back of my hand but they are beautifully blended. It's somewhat fresh from the citruses but not strong enough to go calling it a citrusy fragrance. The patchouli, veviter and tonka bean stand out to me the most in this and it's incredible.

Intense also reminds me of a formal smelling version of Chanel's Allure Homme Sport. I'm guessing because of the tonka bean. I'm going to wear both at the same time to see how that smells. :o

The projection is top notch. The first time I ever wore this was tonight at a party. I had 4 sprays on (spritz from a tester muahaha!) and it was very noticeable, but not overpowering or offensive at all. It's mind blowing. Magical. I'm pretty sure I've left my mark on everyone who was near me.

As far as longevity goes I'm only on the fifth hour mark but its still going strong. Still smells just as good. I'm not sick of the aroma. I want keep smelling the random whiffs as much as possible. UPDATE: 15 and a half hours later, still vividly smell it.

As far as age range with this cologne I'd say all ages. It's playful enough for a youngin' like me to be wearing but classy enough for an older gentleman to wear. It's just that damn good. Period. I can truly understand now why the Intense version is outselling the original.

Sampled it last week and liked it so much.
Woody spicy type of smell with subtle sweetness. Very hot and very masculine.
Projection and lasting is great.
I ll check more and probably ll have it in my collection.
Also sampled the white one with this one, white has more citrus on top, but the rest is almost same. This is really intense version of the white.
Most fragrances' intense versions are generally not similar to originals.

This is a very nice fragrance, probably one of the better fragrances released in the last 2 yrs. The longevity is exceptional lasted a minimum of 12 hrs, sillage is also great the scent surrounded me in such a fascinating way that I couldn't help fall in love with it. All in all this fragrance is a winner a thumbs up and a must try.

out of play and play intense i prefer this one on a man. intense is much more agressive and masculine but not overpowering.

JonR, you and I have the EXACT SAME TASTE! I WROTE ON Now Smell This that I can't wait to own this and I'm not too fond of the original Play!

This is a wonderful scent! Its probably the longest lasting cologne ive ever smelled! And ive smelled and have alot of colognes! Ull definately get your moneys worth w/ this one! Its sweet and woody and i just cant wait to own it! Givenchy did a wonderful job w/ the scent and lasting power! A+++! The original Play, im not to crazy about. It smells like everything else and isnt that long lasting.

I loved it (the mens). Smelled it at Macy's and am searching for it cheaper online. Too expensive, but it lasts a long time.

Play Intense should be called Rochas Man Intense, as both are very similar. Great choice if you enjoy coffee fragrances.

By the way, its concentration is not EDP, but it lasts long on the skins (about 6-7 hours).

There are some missing notes as well:
Top: bergamot and mandarin
Middle: amyris wood, coffee tree wood and pink pepper
Base: vetiver, patchouli, labdanum and tonka been

Oriental, sweet, sugar-sweet.
It is simple, unusually simple - as for famous GIVENCHY house, known by its "expensive sounding" perfumes.
I dont hate it, I will not buy it, just pass. It is not interesting.

got it today, this duo is extremly hot. the black is strong wood, sweet coffe flower, the white id fresh, light wood. the arymys is so noble.
The intense (black version) is a little like Ange Ou Demon (may be its fiance)