Buzz! Quiz TV Review

By Dan Whitehead Published 3 July, 2008

Finding the answer within.

Version tested: PlayStation 3

The PS3 debut of venerable and award-winning quiz series Buzz will not surprise you. In terms of presentation and content, very little has changed. It's hard to avoid a slight twinge of disappointment when you realise this, since our usual expectation when any series jumps console generations is to expect a showcase; something bigger, bolder, familiar yet beefed up in all the ways that were never possible before.

That's not happened here, but that twinge of disappointment soon fades. Buzz doesn't really need a makeover, since it's already a superbly refined quiz machine. Relentless has therefore opted for the safer, more sensible, path of not fixing something that isn't broken. The categories are the same - Lifestyle, Sports, Knowledge, Movies & TV, Music - and they break down into sub-categories such as Food and Drink, Toons and Oldie Hits.

The rounds available are also familiar, bar one new addition and one tweaked entry. Play a local multiplayer game and you'll get Point Builder, Pass The Bomb, Fastest Finger, Pie Fight, Point Stealer, High Stakes and Final Countdown. High Stakes is the new round, and requires players to bet some of their points based on their confidence regarding the subject matter. Final Countdown, meanwhile, now places each contestant on a raised podium, the height of which is dictated by your score. Being the first with the correct answers raises you higher, wrong answers drop you lower. Should you drop to the bottom, you plummet into a hole and are out of the game.

You still have no control over which rounds you get, or in what order, which seems a bit of a shame, especially with the new emphasis on handing creative control over to the user. Obviously the fixed order has been carefully chosen to offer the best flow of scoring opportunities, keeping the game interesting even when the players are hopelessly imbalanced. And I also understand the urge to keep the game simple and accessible. Yet I can't help feeling that an extra layer of user control, offering access to all the round types from previous games and allowing players to create their own "greatest hits" quiz compilation, would have been a nice gesture.

'Buzz! Quiz TV' Screenshot 1

The game boasts plenty of music and video clips, but not so many that the Blu-ray will be creaking.

User control is, of course, still on the menu in the form of MyBuzzQuiz, the website that lets you create your own quizzes and share them with fellow players, who can then rate your work. The most popular quizzes rise up the ranks, until you're crowned Big Chief Quizlord of whatever region you happen to be playing in. We already went into the nuts and bolts of this addition in our hands-on preview but suffice to say that while the more creative players may find the eight text question format rather limiting, this is an area of the game that can only grow and grow. It's fun just seeing if anybody has created a quiz for your own niche interests, and making one up if there are none to be found.

And then there's the online Sofa vs Sofa mode, which is shorter than the offline multiplayer mode with a different line-up of rounds. Stop The Clock, Fastest Finger and High Stakes are joined by All That Apply, in which you can select multiple answers to the same question. You can see what other people are selecting, which is either an outrageous cheat or a good way to make you paranoid about the one that you've not selected but everyone else has. Points are allocated for each correct answer you choose, and deducted for any you get wrong.

The addition of online play is certainly welcome, particularly since Microsoft's Scene It? didn't venture into these waters, but with no real communication between the teams - apart from the pre-scripted jibes from your character - it does feel like the concept of team play is being undersold. Relentless has assured us that voice chat and EyeToy support are both things it's looking to add in the "near future". It really can't come soon enough, especially as far as EyeToy is concerned, since they would seem to be a match made in heaven. When even the most basic Xbox Live Arcade quiz games are offering camera support, it's something of a glaring hole in the Buzz arsenal.

The HD makeover is very agreeable, with familiar characters popping off the screen in their new coat of shiny graphical paint, and with 5,000 questions it's the best-stocked Buzz so far. Despite playing countless games online and off in the past few weeks, I've yet to see a single repeat. I have, however, encountered a curious situation where the subject of questions will repeat - at various times I had two different questions in a row concerning Fatboy Slim, David Bowie and South Park. The law of averages dictates that this will happen sooner or later, but it's happened often enough to be noticeable. It's not as game-breaking as repeated questions, but it is a touch distracting.

On the hardware front, the wireless Buzz controllers are exactly the same as the old PS2 version, but thanks to a generous attitude to backwards and forwards compatibility, both controller types work with either console. So if you've already got the old buzzers, and aren't fussed about wireless, you can pick up the game solus and make a nice saving. Equally, if you're still playing the PS2 games, but quite fancy wireless controllers, then you can pick those up separately as well. The little dongle pops into a USB port and you're off. It's obviously not the same as Rock Band and Guitar Hero - and I doubt you'll ever be able to use the Scene It? controllers in Buzz or vice versa - at a time when peripheral compatibility often seems like afterthought, it's refreshing to see a product being as inclusive as possible.

'Buzz! Quiz TV' Screenshot 2

You can focus the quizzes by selecting only from your preferred subjects - or your own questions, of course.

Now, you may have noticed that most of my criticisms revolve around things I wish they'd included, rather than problems with the things they already have. That's because while Quiz TV may seem a rather timid evolution of the series, there's very little that it gets wrong. Buzz has always been an excellent quiz game, and that's also true of this version. The ability to create your own quizzes, however small, and play against other families (or households of lice-riddled students) is certainly a notable evolution for Buzz, and for quiz games in general, even if the implementation is more of a tentative step forward than a giant leap.

Best to think of this release as planting a seed, rather than an end in itself, with potential to grow into something quite wonderful with some canny updates from Relentless and a dash of imagination from the players. For now, it's nothing more, or less, than the most polished and entertaining quiz experience on this generation of consoles.

8 / 10

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About Dan Whitehead

Dan has been writing for Eurogamer since 2006 and specialises in RPGs, shooters and games for children. His bestest game ever is Julian Gollop's Chaos.

Read more articles from Dan by visiting the Dan Whitehead archive page.

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Comments (49) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Bitkari #1 4 years ago

    It's this sort of game likely to put more PS3s into homes - or at least it would have been prior to the Wii!

    Good to see this sort of game on the PS3, but I do have the distinct feeling that Sony are playing catchup in the casual domain, rather than leading the way.

  • KayJay #2 4 years ago

    Sony. Catchup. Buzz.

    Was there anything similar to Buzz on Consoles before Buzz appeared on the PS?

  • Bitkari #3 4 years ago

    Was there anything similar to Buzz on Consoles before Buzz appeared on the PS?

    Don't get me wrong, Buzz is a great game, and did a lot to bring a new audience to video games - the problem is that the wind has been somewhat taken out of their sails in this console generation, thanks to Nintendo.

    Edited by 1 at 03/07/08 @ 09:08

  • Beano #4 4 years ago

    Sounds promising... but voice chat is essential if online play is to be popular in this IMO.

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #5 4 years ago

    This, Singstar and Blu-Ray are the reasons people are telling me they're buying a PS3 instead of a 360 or Wii.

    It's a demographic which a lot of my pals fit into. Non-gamer 30-40 somethings that have in-house parties due to everyone having kids. They love Singstar (and to a lesser extent, Buzz) and it's a system seller to these people. Now I just wish that MS would do something better than Scene It and hope that Lips works out well as I don't fancy buying another console and time soon. Saying that my PS2 versions of Singstar and Buzz are still perfectly serviceable.

  • fergal_oc #6 4 years ago

    Why don't people understand (Dan Whitehead) that there is no Law of Averages? There is a Law of Probability which I understand could be miscontrued but come on!!! GRRRR

  • Huxley #7 4 years ago

    Was there anything similar to Buzz on Consoles before Buzz appeared on the PS?

    "You don't know jack" was a quiz game on ther PC a few years ago, not sure if it made it onto the consoles.

  • DanWhitehead #8 4 years ago

    Why don't people (fergal_oc) understand that sometimes writers use things called "figures of speech" to get a point across in a way most people will understand. It's a quiz game review, not a maths lesson.

  • systems #9 4 years ago

    It's a shame there's no EyeToy support, as then you could see the other online team on their sofa. But on the plus side you can make your own quiz content packs if you are so inclined. It's also good that you can use the wireless buzzers on PS2 as well. Mine is on the way to me for the weekend so that'll be a good change from Scene It (which still has no content packs).

    On the subject of gamer demographics, pretty much all of the "non-gamers" I know have a PS2 and use it just for pissed-up SingStar and Buzz. [*None* will touch Guitar Hero as it's too "geeky" and now call it Guitar Nerd]. I only know two "real life" people who have a PS3: one got it free with his mobile phone and the other bought it just for BD as he already has a 360. Conversely, my "gamer friends" all have a 360 and most of them *also* have a PS3 for BD and PS exclusives.

    None of my non-gaming mates give a toss about BD and HDTV. They're perfectly happy with DVD and all want a Wii.

  • Arwin #10 4 years ago

    I've played PS2 Buzz on my PS3 already, happy to see this release! Will pick it up tonight if it's there.

    Any news on Trophy support? Does it work out of the box for this title or do we have to wait for a patch? Or does it get a patch immediately?

  • DanWhitehead #11 4 years ago

    I got a finished disc earlier this week - no evidence of Trophies yet.

  • oreillymj #12 4 years ago

    Can 2 dongles support 8 players like some of the PS2 games did?

  • rashes #13 4 years ago

    This would draw me towards finally buying a PS3 more than MGS4 would.

    It's a pity Scene It has been so poorly supported. No on-line, no DLC!

  • fergal_oc #14 4 years ago

    In response to Dan Whitehead:

    As a journalist I would assume that it is your responsibility to use your language in a way that is deemed correct. By all means use a figure of speech to describe something in such a way that anyone can understand, but to use one that is plainly incorrect and made-up is almost immoral.

  • MrGilder #15 4 years ago

    Buzz is a great party game, picked up Scene It for the 360 a while back but just feels souless in comparison to the fun of the Buzz series...

  • X201 #16 4 years ago

    @Arwin
    The game disc was finished weeks ago before the trophy system was finalised and so it is not included on the game disc. It will be added with a patch that is due for mid-July. They're just waiting for Sony to QA the patch.



  • DanWhitehead #17 4 years ago

    As a journalist I would assume that it is your responsibility to use your language in a way that is deemed correct.

    I'm not a journalist. I'm a writer. A critic. Big difference. Journalism is a trade, much like law or medicine, that must be trained for. I just get paid to write words good about games and stuff.

    Understand this isn't to suggest that I don't take what I do seriously, but I'm not about to pretend to be a surgeon just because I can do first aid.

    By all means use a figure of speech to describe something in such a way that anyone can understand, but to use one that is plainly incorrect and made-up is almost immoral.

    Immoral? Really? I mean, we could get into a long, tedious, semantic argument about how "law of averages" isn't an actual mathematical "law" but - much like sod's law - it's a commonly understood phrase. Law of Probability may be the technically correct term for what it tries to describe, but I'm writing a review of a quiz game, so I'll stick with the popularly used wording, thanks. When I'm writing for an audience of theoretical mathematicians, feel free to pull me up on my incorrect usage.

    And, if we wanted to make this even twistier and turnier (disclaimer: made-up words!) I could ask you to explain how your use of "immoral" is correct in this particular example, since my casual use of a phrase that has no bearing whatsoever on the subject of the review or the score given has no moral or ethical obligations attached to it.

    I guess I just find it weird when people read a whole review and the only thing they can think to comment on isn't the game, or the review, but the tiny mistake that they spotted. Factual errors, fine. The occasional typo, misplaced punctuation mark or popular phrase that doesn't meet with mathematical specifications? That seems a bit petty.

    But, whatever. Go in peace. I'm sorry "Law of Averages" made you angry.

  • DanWhitehead #18 4 years ago

    That's unpossible.

  • systems #19 4 years ago

    @oreillymj - yes, you can use two sets of controllers.

  • Madafunkola #20 4 years ago

    I might re-start the DanWhitehead for Prime Minister movement. (re GayerGamer debacle)

  • SpeedyThing #21 4 years ago

    Actually fergal_oc - if we're going to be semantic idiots then there is no "law of probability". There are lawS of probability (e.g. law of probability of errors, law of total probability) but not a singular law of probability as you would suggest.

    So Dan was actually correct by using an established lay term, and you were double wrong by not only correcting an acceptable term but also replacing it with a made-up term.

    Now go back to your rock

  • fergal_oc #22 4 years ago

    In response to Dan Whitehead:

    You say that you're not a journalist but a writer and critic. Well I'm a reader and therefore a critic of your critique of Buzz! Quiz TV. I've found a flaw in your review and pointed it out to you, yet rather than take it on the chin and admit your mistake you get all het-up and defensive. Let's hope that the makers of the games you review don't react in such a way.

  • fergal_oc #23 4 years ago

    SpeedyThing:

    You are correct and I incorrect. In my haste to reply I made a silly mistake and have learnt from it. I would however disagree that "law of averages", though a lay term, is one that is widely accepted - in my honest opinion of course.

  • crazyhorse174 #24 4 years ago

    Fergal_oc: are you always so anal and pedantic? This isnt a white-paper - its a games review...why is this so-called error getting you so heat up?

    And I have to say that I, along with a mahority of people on here, would recognize the term "Law of Averages" more than "Law(s) of Probability".
    Edited by 1 at 03/07/08 @ 14:11

  • Cloudane #25 4 years ago

    £35 on Amazon (UK)!

    I have just pre-ordered it and will have a great weekend playing it.

  • DrDamn #26 4 years ago

    @fergal_oc
    "I would however disagree that "law of averages", though a lay term, is one that is widely accepted"

    Seems you are the only one though ...

  • DanWhitehead #27 4 years ago

    I've found a flaw in your review and pointed it out to you, yet rather than take it on the chin and admit your mistake you get all het-up and defensive.

    But...but...it's not a flaw and it's not a mistake. And, weirdly, I do get a bit defensive when people call me immoral just for using a popular figure of speech in a games review, when that figure of speech implies the existence of a mathematical law that doesn't actually exist.

    I mean, there's no such thing as a rule of thumb either...

  • systems #28 4 years ago

    £33 from Tesco with the FREEDEL code:
    http://ww w.tesco.com/entertainment/produ...

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #29 4 years ago

    I think the rule of thumb is that people like fergal_oc, based on the law of averages, need to get out more.

    Although sods law he's probably (I'm asking for trouble here), just a bit lonely.

  • afgavinstan #30 4 years ago

    People, I ask a favour. Take a quiz I created, based on the greatest TV show of all time, Arrested Development.
    Thankyouplease.

    Had a promo copy for over a week now. First time Buzz!-er and I love it.

  • wewillselfdestruct #31 4 years ago

    Why turn this comments thread into an extended diatribe about a commonly used and understood (by everybody except for him) term? Perhaps the person in question would be doing everybody a favour by ceasing to comment on this games website. In my honest opinion, of course. I come here for information and amusement. I went to school for an education.

  • wewillselfdestruct #32 4 years ago

    @ afgavinstan

    You are so right. And it looks like there's a movie in the works. This makes be happy. If I get the game, I'll be sure to check your quiz out :)

  • Madafunkola #33 4 years ago

    @ afgavinstan
    Although I won't be buying the game I am interested in your Arrested Development quiz.
    Mr F!

  • DanMW #34 4 years ago

    Any idea how many questions the downloadable packs include? Might get some in the future.

  • AOFanboi #35 4 years ago

    <em> do have the distinct feeling that Sony are playing catchup in the casual domain</em>

    Yeah, I mean it's not like dancing games and Singstar + Karaoke Revolutions existed before, and it cannot be that the Buzz! series started a year and a half before the Wii launch...

    Unless you wanted to play revisionist and say the PS2 did not happen... that the Sony that is playing catch-up is a different one than the one that e.g. had Bishi Bashi way before there was a Warioware...

  • afgavinstan #36 4 years ago

    @ wewillselfdestruct and @ Madafunkola

    You don't need to own the game to play my quiz, you can play it via your web browser at [link url=http://www.mybuzzquiz.com.]http://www.mybuzzquiz.com.[/l ink] Just do a quick search for it, and it should come up.
    Thanks!
    Gav:)

  • Kyle #37 4 years ago

    Fergal_oc, give it up already, you got pwned!

    Me thinks I'll be buying this when I get paid. I was a little dissapointed by Scene It and have been waiting for a new Buzz ever since.
    Edited by 1 at 03/07/08 @ 19:08

  • oreillymj #38 4 years ago

    Oh yeah, one other thing.

    How are the 4 buzzers charged. Internal rechargables a la Dual Shock3/SixAxis via USB or throwaway AA or AAA's?

    I know it's a minor thing, but it's useful info to include in the review, since the wireless hardware seems to be the major change, although I see new quiz packs on PSN this week.

  • wewillselfdestruct #39 4 years ago

    @ afgavinstan

    Been there, played it, many happy memories brought back :) I scored 8 out of 8 but then I've watched them all five or six times now so I'd have been ashamed if I hadn't ;)

    And I'm feeling a real need to watch them again as soon as I get my series 1 DVDs back from a friend. She's had them for ages. I would have to say that by lending them to her I've made a huge mistake.

    Cheers Gav :)
    Edited by 1 at 03/07/08 @ 20:11

  • Marshall2008 #40 4 years ago

    Buzz was a great little game for the PS2. Games like Buzz and lttle big planet will probably make me buy a PS3 again, next year,when they update the SKU and drop the price further.

    (I had a PS3 but got shot of it as I just wasn't using it for anything other than remote play on th PSP)

  • baardhimself #41 4 years ago

    £20 at shopto? seems too good to be true.

  • DanWhitehead #42 4 years ago

    How are the 4 buzzers charged. Internal rechargables a la Dual Shock3/SixAxis via USB or throwaway AA or AAA's?

    Two AA batteries per controller. They seem to last a while though.

  • X201 #43 4 years ago

    @baardhimself
    That's for the 'Solus' version (without buzzers)

  • Vauncey #44 4 years ago

    The article doesn't mention the 4 extra quiz packs which are available on PSN today. Rock Legends, Sci-Fi Movies, UK Culture Quiz and Australian Culture Quiz. £3.49 each for 500 questions seems pretty good. http://ww w.buzzthegame.com/en-gb/Browse-...
    Edited by 1 at 03/07/08 @ 23:17

  • Darren #45 4 years ago

    Can you play this game with a normal DualShock 3/SIXAXIS or do you have to use the Buzzer things? I'd rather buy the Solus version for £17.50 (from GAME) and then use the money I've saved to purchase the quiz packs rather than waste it on gimmicky controllers. Can I do that?

  • X201 #46 4 years ago

    @Darren
    The controllers aren't gimmicky. The whole game is designed around them and is all the better because it does have them.

  • LeeSussex #47 4 years ago

    Is anyone having problems with the wireless controllers for this game. I got mine today, and half way through a quiz they just stop working. Has happened everytime except on sinlgle player mode. I have to completely re-boot the ps3 to start over! Also I have only been able to connect online once!

    Is this game still not ready?

  • oreillymj #48 4 years ago

    @LeeSussex I haven't have controller problems, but have noticed the following....

    1) Audio options. I have to alter the volume on my amp. Unlike every other PS3 game I own

    2) Long, Medium, Short game

    3) Rose - okay no real loss there, but still

    4) My favourite buzzer sounds - Turkey, Frog & Chipmonk are gone. There was hardly a problem getting clearance for these sounds. Why were they cut.

    5) Trophies - Where are they?

    6) The Rock Legends pack I bought is not visible within the game.


    In short, this game seems unfinished and will almost certainly require patching. Why weren't these things picked up in the beta? How can EG give an unfinished game 8/10?

  • systems #49 4 years ago

    I played for a couple of hours at the weekend. No problems at all for me. Buzzers all connect in about 2 seconds and stay connected. Got online with no trouble at all. I purchased the UK Culture pack and it shows up in game for me.

    Much more fun than Scene It. A bit odd that some old favourite noises are missing though, and you can only have one game length. Oh, and there are no trophies at all.