Toronto Thumbs

REVIEW
BUZZ: The Hollywood Quiz

By Michael Pugliese - May 5th, 2008

Even through the BUZZ series of games has gained a massive following in the UK, I had never gone out of my way to try and play the few releases that have made their way to our great white north. Although the concept of a game show videogame seemed like it would work well on a console level, I wasn’t completely convinced, and I’ll admit that the word gimmicky crossed my mind when I saw the buzzer laden retail package on store shelves. Actually playing the newest instalment in the series: BUZZ: The Hollywood Quiz, both enlightened and surprised me. I was happy to find out that the idea completely works on the PS2, specifically in a large group; and that though gimmicky the buzzers really add to the BUZZ experience which just wouldn’t be the same without them.

The graphical styling works well with the overall concept of an over the top game show hosted by a mostly obnoxious host (yes quite the stretch from reality I know). Since this is The Hollywood Quiz, the red carpet clad award show environment does well in setting the mood for all the Hollywood trivia about to be experienced. Keep in perspective though that it is a PS2 title, and one that is targeted at a more casual player. That being said, things look as good as they need to and even add to the charm of the BUZZ experience.

Thanks to the aforementioned obnoxious host, appropriately named BUZZ of course, there are plenty of surprisingly excellent sound bites to be heard. As players make their way through round after round, Buzz is sure to chime in with something witty depending on how well or poorly each contestant is performing. Everyone involved always had a some chuckles at the wisecracks BUZZ spits out, although I did notice the quips got slightly repetitive after playing through so many rounds myself. The music works for the stage that is set, though none of it is memorable. There are no leaps and bounds being made in the sound department, but adequate works for the type of game that BUZZ is.

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Posted in PlayStation 2, Reviews | No Comments »

REVIEW
SingStar 90s

By Michael Pugliese - April 23rd, 2008

Yes, he’s in this game.

I have a confession to make: I love Karaoke games. So it may seem strange then that I had yet to experience any of Sony’s SingStar entries into the genre. Immediately I noticed that that SingStar 90s was quite different then what I have been used to in a Karaoke video game, and takes a much more traditional approach than the competitors in the genre.

It is very difficult to judge SingStar 90s on a graphical level as gameplay takes place over the original music video for whatever song is currently being sung. This came as quite a shock, as through my many experiences with Konami’s Karaoke games I was used to a graphical representation of myself strutting across a stage at various venues in front of screaming fans. Although this really has no bearing on the gameplay itself, I think SingStar’s simpler approach took away from the experience as a whole. SingStar does offer compatibility with the EyeToy camera, which essentially allows you to star on screen, but I found the video quality to be grainy and subpar. Overall, the presentation of the game is a nod to the more casual niche market for which the title is aimed.

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Posted in PlayStation 2, Reviews | 1 Comment »

Get Ready to Own Another Fake Guitar!

By Shaun Hatton - April 15th, 2008

I’ve got three video game guitar controllers right now. One for PS2, one Guitar Hero controller for Xbox 360, and one Rock Band controller for Xbox 360.

And now it looks like the upcoming Guitar Hero: Aerosmith will be shipping with this beauty up top. Right now, US retailers are offering a pre-order promotion which includes guitar bundles for PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii. There’s even a two-guitar bundle available for PS2.

Since we last reported on this game, it’s been revealed that Guitar Hero: Aerosmith will also feature songs from some of the band’s favourite acts including Cheap Trick, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and the Clash.

Posted in Music, News, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360 | 4 Comments »

REVIEW: Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law

By Shaun Hatton - February 21st, 2008

Developed by High Voltage Software and published by Capcom for Wii. Also available for PlayStation 2 and PSP.

Capcom’s Ace Attorney series for Nintendo DS has been a cult success. The games are rich with story, character development, tension, and humour. Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law, on the other hand, is a cartoon from [adult swim], and is not known for its rich story, character development, or tension. It is, however, funnier than just about anything else you’ve ever laughed at. And if you don’t think so, well, you may not have a soul.

Given my open fandom of the show and how much I enjoyed the Ace Attorney titles, I was really looking forward to the release of Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law for the Wii. In fact, I had booked the day off work just so I could buy it upon its release and play it all day. Things didn’t quite work out, as the game was pushed back from its initial November release. When the game finally did come out, I was too busy playing through other titles to remember to pick it up. But I remembered this past weekend.

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Posted in Nintendo, PSP, PlayStation 2, Reviews, Wii | 2 Comments »

SIMILARITIES: Professor Layton & Leon Kennedy

By Shaun Hatton - February 16th, 2008

“We’re not so different, you and I,” Leon said to Professor Layton.

This week, Nintendo released Professor Layton and the Curious Village for Nintendo DS. I’ve been playing the game for the last few days and could not help but notice that despite its seemingly innocent exterior, the game shares many parallels with another awesome game: Resident Evil 4.

It’s something you may have not considered. But hear me out. Both games involve the main character being sent to a mysterious and strange village to investigate an out-of-the-ordinary case. In Resident Evil 4, Leon Kennedy is sent to a small, unnamed European village to look into the disappearance of the President’s daughter, who was taken by a cult led by a man who controlled the whole village. In Curious Village, Professor Layton is called to a strange, remote village (we learn early on that there are no roads connecting it to other towns) to solve a mystery dealing with the estate of a man who seemingly owned the whole town.

In both games, things are not as they first appear. Soon into his adventure, Leon discovers that the villagers aren’t quite human, and that they’re all out to get him. Similarly, Layton finds out that everyone he comes across is really strange in that they try to get in his way by making him solve somewhat trivial puzzles. Also in both games, it sometimes takes a lot more than skill to get by these villagers. Sometimes, you see, it takes a tonne of luck.

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Posted in DS, Editorial, GameCube, Humour, PlayStation 2, Wii | 2 Comments »