The quiz in a box continues to thrill, but its motion control extras don’t impress
Format: PS3 (version played), PSP Dev: Relentless Software Pub: Sony Out: 22/10/10 Players: 1-8, 2-8 online
Game shows. They’re a staple part of Saturday night entertainment and they also make fun video games in their own right. Relentless’ Buzz! series has been a reliable source of social fun with its brain-tickling quizzes for a number of years. The series’ latest release for the PS3 is an incremental step, with a handful of new features it hangs its hat on. Nevertheless, it’s still great for get-togethers.
The core quiz game remains the same. Hyperactive presenter Buzz (voiced by Jason Donovan), who appears to have gone through full body surgery, introduces the rounds and goads you as you answer. This game is very much geared towards playing with others. With friends, you have the option of more diverse and interesting rounds, whereas alone you are only given the choice of Stop the Clock or Over the Edge – a new round introduced in last year’s Quiz World where you must get questions right to keep yourself from being gunged.
As the name suggests, the quiz content is all music focused, with sound clips and other media that typify Relentless’ production values. The beauty of trivia is there are a hundred different ways to ask the same thing. Questions on musical terminology, like identifying the sound of a falsetto, are an example of the range you get here.
It’s compatible with the previous titles’ quiz packs and MyBuzz! features, which allow users to create and share their own quizzes with the community. Though you can play several MyBuzz quizzes in succession, the odd four-star user ratings and eight-question limit from its conception still has significant room for improvement.
New to Buzz! is PlayStation Move support, and Relentless have created a unique mode for the motion interface. A set of augmented reality mini-games fill the rounds, from hammering answers with a giant mallet to popping balloons and using a magnet to attract metal. Though young members of the family will find it amusing, it’s ultimately a gimmick that does nothing to enhance the core quiz gameplay.
Even though Move support is being touted as Ultimate Music Quiz’s big feature, don’t be swayed. Player profiles add greater personalisation and online play remains as heated as ever. If you already own one of the previous editions, I can only recommend this for its original questions. If you’ve still not tried this fantastic quiz game, order a curry, get your mates together and give it a go.
Aaron Lee
Tags: buzz, family, playstation move, quiz, relentless, sony
