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Buzz Quiz TV
The PlayStation 2 phenomena “Buzz” has
arrived on the PS3 that once again returns our “favourite” quiz show
host and although from its initial appearance, the game only seems to
have received a slight face lift, the title actually contains a plethora
of new editions to the genre. The two most noticeable differences to the
franchise is the inclusion of wireless buzzers and online play which
means you can challenge players from around the world.
Before embarking on the game, the player
must first install the USB receiver into their PS3 unit, install the AA
batteries into the wireless buzzer and then load the game. Although the
controls are almost identical to the PS2 incarnation of Buzz, they do
feel sturdier and feel a little lighter.
Once the game is loaded, the players will notice that the characters are
now in glorious high definition and still retain that “cartoon”
appearance, however gamers have the option of modifying their avatars
costumes.
The categories from the previous games return which include
Lifestyle, Sports, Knowledge, Movies, TV and Music which are broken down
into a variety of sub categories that include “Scientific” for Knowledge
or “Oldie Hits for Music. The game also contains a variety of new music
and video clips that go hand-in-hand with the gameplay and assist in the
enjoyment factor of the title. Buzz also boasts over 5,000 questions
that definitely add to the longevity of this entertaining gaming
franchise.
Quiz games such as Point Builder, Pass the Bomb, Fastest Finger, Pie
Fight, Point Stealer and Final Countdown return for the PlayStation 3
version, however the new edition called “High Stakes” gives gamers a new
quiz perspective. In High Stakes, gamers have the ability to bet their
points towards questions which does make for some interesting fun. Final
Countdown has been tweaked by putting each player on a podium that
raises or lowers depending on whether you selected the correct answer
and once you go too low, your reign in the quiz world has ended.
The control system of Buzz is perfect and thankfully Sony did not try to
reinvent the wheel with the new cordless buzzer. The beauty of Buzz is
that anyone can pickup the controller and start playing the game
immediately. The buzzer contains a large red button on the top of the
controller with four coloured buttons below it that correspond to the
answers displayed in the game. In its essence, it’s the perfect control
system.
For online players, the MyBuzzQuiz website
allows you to create your own quizzes for players around the world and
you can even create your own specialty areas such as “Super Heroes” or
“Cats” for example. The next edition to the franchise is Sofa versus
Sofa mode that allows you play against gamers from around the world in a
variety of different quiz modes that is actually quite fun and easy to
setup.
Graphically, the title is quite reminiscent of the previous games,
however now boasts glorious HD graphics and widescreen that looks
exceptionally sharp and crisp. The characters, although still contain
their “cartoon” appearance are animated better and have a sharper edge
to them that interact better with the gaming environment. The voice
acting is as clichéd and forced as ever and actually suits the game
perfectly.
In conclusion, Buzz for PS3 is a definitely an entertaining game that
although doesn’t really bring anything new to the quiz gaming market,
the old analogy still remains that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it which is
true to this game. With over 5,000 questions, some interesting online
play, Buzz is still one of the definitive party games that we could
recommend to all gamers.
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