Review
Buzz – The Mega Quiz Review (PS2)
You'd think that playing the latest Buzz! title on the same weekend as a marathon (no pun intended) session on the Halo 3 beta would lead to unfavourable comparisons between the future and the supposed past of video gaming, but it turns out that thankfully couldn't be further from the truth. Whilst taking on anonymous idiots on the internet and talking smack to drunken buffoons from halfway around the world isn't going anywhere in a hurry, it's good to remember that it's just as much fun when the drunken idiots in question are in the same room, and they all know your real name.
Buzz! takes pride of place as one of the few remaining local multi-player titles to cater for non-hardcore players with no predisposed knowledge of gaming hardware and culture. The quiz show format is universally understood by anyone with a television, and it's hard to not get caught up in testing your knowledge and reaction times against your peers, even if you do risk making an arse out of yourself in public at the same time. The bright red button on top of the controller is as basic and as universal as it gets; hit the buzzer to answer a question, or choose one of the four coloured rectangles underneath for a specific option. It seems a concept tailor-made for the Wii in that respect, and surely it can only a matter of time before Nintendo come up with some variation on the same theme.
A simple, yet strangely unchallenged premise then. Of course that leaves a lot of detail to fill in before the series becomes a success, and this 'Mega Quiz' edition goes some way to rectifying some of the shortcomings of previous versions. You get the feeling that this is very much a title of refinement rather than revolution, and will probably stand as the definitive version until the inevitable next-generation makeover.
For a game that revolves around presentation as a core aspect, you'll be hard pushed to find many differences here, but the changes that are incorporated are certainly well thought out and implemented decently. Jason Donovan returns as the enigmatic quiz host, but this time sports an increased repertoire of snappy comebacks and one-liners, prompting some golden opportunities to rip on competitors for missing an easy chance or hitting a wrong button. The Australian generally manages to keep the tone of the show just on the right side of camp; and whilst he's no Noel Edmonds, certainly manages to do a better job than some of the daytime favourites. Winton, I'm looking squarely at you.
Similarly, there are a host of little touches in the on-stage animations that add to the atmosphere even further. Buzz's assistant has been given a little more of the limelight to produce some cutting remarks to your chosen avatar, and in general the chemistry between host and player works very well in this fleshed-out edition. With hindsight, this wasn't an area that initially sprung to mind for improvement, but thankfully I’m not a game designer and the alterations to the basic formula are well received.
In terms of mechanics, all of the old favourite game types return, with a nice array of well-balanced questions that don't seem to repeat particularly often. Musical rounds are still prominent, but the addition of global country-specific question modes and a custard-pie inspired competitive showdown make a nice alteration from the usual pace, and provide some of the more antagonistic opportunities for showboating. Brush up on your Chilean dictator and Finnish landmark knowledge would be my advice, you'll need them.
The controversial 'Point Stealer' mode (answer a question right to steal 500 points off your chosen opponent) remains in last place for most of the multiplayer matchups however, and still proves to be the most annoying or the most gratifying of all the included competitions. There is a layer of tactical awareness here, run too far into the lead and you'll be gunned for by everybody in the final round, and can quite easily end up finishing last from a previously unassailable 2000 point lead. Exciting? Yes. Frustrating? Hell yes.
Outside of that, the game generally remains the same, and with good cause. The controller design is flawless, and leaves no excuse for poor performance, with absolutely no barrier to entry. As a family game and for anyone bored of playing faceless online opponents, I'd encourage you to get back to the basics with Buzz! and re-learn some of the magic of gaming with friends. All too often as gamers we can dismiss this kind of title with nonchalance, but if you can get over the stigma of playing a title aimed at a wide audience and with Jason Donovan as the lead anchor, you'll find one of the best examples of multiplayer from the last generation. Now, what is the capital of Peru again?
Top Game Moment: Stealing points in the final round of the game to clinch victory.
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| Music rounds remain a centrepiece | Up to eight players can compete |
Buzz! takes pride of place as one of the few remaining local multi-player titles to cater for non-hardcore players with no predisposed knowledge of gaming hardware and culture. The quiz show format is universally understood by anyone with a television, and it's hard to not get caught up in testing your knowledge and reaction times against your peers, even if you do risk making an arse out of yourself in public at the same time. The bright red button on top of the controller is as basic and as universal as it gets; hit the buzzer to answer a question, or choose one of the four coloured rectangles underneath for a specific option. It seems a concept tailor-made for the Wii in that respect, and surely it can only a matter of time before Nintendo come up with some variation on the same theme.
A simple, yet strangely unchallenged premise then. Of course that leaves a lot of detail to fill in before the series becomes a success, and this 'Mega Quiz' edition goes some way to rectifying some of the shortcomings of previous versions. You get the feeling that this is very much a title of refinement rather than revolution, and will probably stand as the definitive version until the inevitable next-generation makeover.
 |
 |
|
| The avatar selection has been expanded | Question topics are as random as ever |
For a game that revolves around presentation as a core aspect, you'll be hard pushed to find many differences here, but the changes that are incorporated are certainly well thought out and implemented decently. Jason Donovan returns as the enigmatic quiz host, but this time sports an increased repertoire of snappy comebacks and one-liners, prompting some golden opportunities to rip on competitors for missing an easy chance or hitting a wrong button. The Australian generally manages to keep the tone of the show just on the right side of camp; and whilst he's no Noel Edmonds, certainly manages to do a better job than some of the daytime favourites. Winton, I'm looking squarely at you.
Similarly, there are a host of little touches in the on-stage animations that add to the atmosphere even further. Buzz's assistant has been given a little more of the limelight to produce some cutting remarks to your chosen avatar, and in general the chemistry between host and player works very well in this fleshed-out edition. With hindsight, this wasn't an area that initially sprung to mind for improvement, but thankfully I’m not a game designer and the alterations to the basic formula are well received.
In terms of mechanics, all of the old favourite game types return, with a nice array of well-balanced questions that don't seem to repeat particularly often. Musical rounds are still prominent, but the addition of global country-specific question modes and a custard-pie inspired competitive showdown make a nice alteration from the usual pace, and provide some of the more antagonistic opportunities for showboating. Brush up on your Chilean dictator and Finnish landmark knowledge would be my advice, you'll need them.
The controversial 'Point Stealer' mode (answer a question right to steal 500 points off your chosen opponent) remains in last place for most of the multiplayer matchups however, and still proves to be the most annoying or the most gratifying of all the included competitions. There is a layer of tactical awareness here, run too far into the lead and you'll be gunned for by everybody in the final round, and can quite easily end up finishing last from a previously unassailable 2000 point lead. Exciting? Yes. Frustrating? Hell yes.
 |
 |
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| Know the answer? | Easy! |
Outside of that, the game generally remains the same, and with good cause. The controller design is flawless, and leaves no excuse for poor performance, with absolutely no barrier to entry. As a family game and for anyone bored of playing faceless online opponents, I'd encourage you to get back to the basics with Buzz! and re-learn some of the magic of gaming with friends. All too often as gamers we can dismiss this kind of title with nonchalance, but if you can get over the stigma of playing a title aimed at a wide audience and with Jason Donovan as the lead anchor, you'll find one of the best examples of multiplayer from the last generation. Now, what is the capital of Peru again?
Top Game Moment: Stealing points in the final round of the game to clinch victory.
