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Author Topic: Millionaire (2010) PC Game Review  (Read 4407 times)

Hastin

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Millionaire (2010) PC Game Review
« on: September 18, 2010, 03:40:43 PM »
Since the PC game is based on the last season, there's basically two things that season Millionaire is known for: Music and Lifelines. Somehow, Ludia messes up both.

Music: Yikes. Where do I begin? Did they even ever watch a full episode of Millionaire? First, while the host is explaining the rules - there's no Explain the Rules cue. Second, for each question win in the lower tier, it makes the $7500 win sound. Third, while they decided to include little sound effects (like the clock stopping) - they failed to include other iconic music - like the ATA music, or the PAF music, or the Double Dip music. At least the other music is correct for question level.

Lifelines: So there's no ATE. I can understand that, but I've found in the middle tier - the Audience can't be trusted. Again, it's like they've never watched an episode of Millionaire.

The host is generic (but all questions are read), and the graphics max out at a whopping 1024x768 (is this 2002?). At least you can now choose to flip on anti-aliasing. Plus, the fonts are all wrong. I would argue that the pre-rendered scenes they put on the box and the website might constitute false advertising, the game doesn't look that good.

Oh yea, and there's no multi-player.

It's just a bare minimum experience with Ludia. These are not simple flash games, I don't want to run through the game quick. I want some eye-candy, I want the music correct. If I'm going to play it alone, than I want a true-to-tv experience.

2 / 5. I'll post a video soon.

Skip it. Or, wait until the PS3 version comes out next year, and that will have all the bugs fixed - and be the cheapest (like PYL). ;)

//Lazily enough, they left all the audio for the multiplayer mode in the build.
« Last Edit: September 18, 2010, 03:52:16 PM by Hastin »
-Hastin :)

clemon79

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Millionaire (2010) PC Game Review
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2010, 04:17:59 PM »
[quote name=\'Hastin\' post=\'247855\' date=\'Sep 18 2010, 12:40 PM\']there's basically two things that season Millionaire is known for: Music and Lifelines.[/quote]
Lifelines, I'll spot you. Music, not so much. I know more about this stuff than Joe Sixpack, and I will tell you right now that I didn't even know the lifelines had specific music cues, much less which ones go with which lifelines.
Quote
Again, it's like they've never watched an episode of Millionaire.
Surprising.
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Fedya

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Millionaire (2010) PC Game Review
« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2010, 08:42:18 PM »
Quote
How do you mess up a Millionaire game?
You make the top prize $1,000?
-- Ted Schuerzinger, now blogging at <a href=\"http://justacineast.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">http://justacineast.blogspot.com/[/url]

No Fark slashes were harmed in the making of this post

BrandonFG

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Millionaire (2010) PC Game Review
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2010, 08:48:32 PM »
[quote name=\'Hastin\' post=\'247855\' date=\'Sep 18 2010, 03:40 PM\']Lifelines: So there's no ATE. I can understand that, but I've found in the middle tier - the Audience can't be trusted. Again, it's like they've never watched an episode of Millionaire.[/quote]
I wouldn't blame Ludia for that one, as I noticed that issue on the official online game as well. There were a few questions where the "audience voted" overwhelmingly for one answer would turn out to be wrong.
"They're both Norman Jewison movies, Troy, but we did think of one Jew more famous than Tevye."

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Fedya

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Millionaire (2010) PC Game Review
« Reply #4 on: September 18, 2010, 10:09:49 PM »
The audience gets it wrong in real life.  I know somebody who won $0 when he had a brain cramp in the first tier, asked the audience, and went with the most popular answer -- which was wrong.
-- Ted Schuerzinger, now blogging at <a href=\"http://justacineast.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">http://justacineast.blogspot.com/[/url]

No Fark slashes were harmed in the making of this post

Hastin

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Millionaire (2010) PC Game Review
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2010, 04:19:43 AM »
Video is up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3hf7EqhEo4

I didn't send this one to the third tier, but it basically shows the money amount on the set screen between each question, and there's a little more audience noise.
« Last Edit: September 19, 2010, 04:22:47 AM by Hastin »
-Hastin :)

peiboy91

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Millionaire (2010) PC Game Review
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2010, 05:35:28 AM »
[quote name=\'Hastin\' post=\'247855\' date=\'Sep 18 2010, 12:40 PM\']Music: Yikes. Where do I begin? Did they even ever watch a full episode of Millionaire? First, while the host is explaining the rules - there's no Explain the Rules cue. Second, for each question win in the lower tier, it makes the $7500 win sound. Third, while they decided to include little sound effects (like the clock stopping) - they failed to include other iconic music - like the ATA music, or the PAF music, or the Double Dip music. At least the other music is correct for question level.[/quote]

I got mine yesterday and that was the thing I was most disappointed in. They somehow got the music right when the very first PC game came out with Regis, but it seems like every version since then gets something with the music or sound cues wrong.  

Quote
Plus, the fonts are all wrong. I would argue that the pre-rendered scenes they put on the box and the website might constitute false advertising, the game doesn't look that good.

I'm glad you pointed that out. I knew that the fonts were off but it's even more glaring when compared to the preview pic on Ludia's site. I also thought that maybe they would have the correct font for the Wii version, but it doesn't look that way according to this video.

J.R.

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Millionaire (2010) PC Game Review
« Reply #7 on: September 19, 2010, 06:16:08 AM »
[quote name=\'Hastin\' post=\'247881\' date=\'Sep 19 2010, 03:19 AM\']http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3hf7EqhEo4[/quote]
I loved how how just 3% of the audience actually picked the right answer.
« Last Edit: September 19, 2010, 06:16:26 AM by J.R. »
-Joe Raygor

WilliamPorygon

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Millionaire (2010) PC Game Review
« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2010, 09:18:19 AM »
[quote name=\'J.R.\' post=\'247883\' date=\'Sep 19 2010, 06:16 AM\'][quote name=\'Hastin\' post=\'247881\' date=\'Sep 19 2010, 03:19 AM\']http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3hf7EqhEo4[/quote]
I loved how how just 3% of the audience actually picked the right answer.
[/quote]
Ludia must have brought in the Russian audience for their game.

JasonA1

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Millionaire (2010) PC Game Review
« Reply #9 on: September 19, 2010, 10:51:11 AM »
They didn't miss the mark as far as H2 missed it, but I'd still pass on this one. For the audience not to tell you what "beefsteak" is a variety of at that level is not fun for the player.

-Jason
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NickS

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Millionaire (2010) PC Game Review
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2010, 12:05:26 PM »
Foster *might* back me up on this one but could Ludia get the rights to a font other than the same one they use for *every* game?

BrandonFG

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Millionaire (2010) PC Game Review
« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2010, 12:14:11 PM »
[quote name=\'TeppanYaki\' post=\'247887\' date=\'Sep 19 2010, 12:05 PM\']Foster *might* back me up on this one but could Ludia get the rights to a font other than the same one they use for *every* game?[/quote]
Interestingly enough, I didn't even notice it. What's even more interesting is that both this and the H^2 game use the exact same graphic template for their intro screens, just different colors. I know it's cost-effective, but it's also a tad bit lazy IMO.
"They're both Norman Jewison movies, Troy, but we did think of one Jew more famous than Tevye."

Now celebrating his 22nd season on GSF!

clemon79

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Millionaire (2010) PC Game Review
« Reply #12 on: September 19, 2010, 09:30:43 PM »
[quote name=\'TeppanYaki\' post=\'247887\' date=\'Sep 19 2010, 09:05 AM\']Foster *might* back me up on this one but could Ludia get the rights to a font other than the same one they use for *every* game?[/quote]
Why pay to license a second font? This is a company that thought using a bold form of Comic Sans for the TPiR nametags looked good.

(And honestly, I see this one. Their casual audience isn't going to notice this, or care, so long as it's easy to read.)
Chris Lemon, King Fool, Director of Suck Consolidation
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