Wits and Wagers (Xbox Live Arcade) Review
Posted by John Curry on 05.26.2008
What happens when you mix one part Roulette, one part Craps, and one part Trivial Pursuit? You get a combination that will leave a bad taste in your mouth.
I am a big mark for any type of trivia/brain teaser style game so when I was offered the opportunity to play and review the new Xbox Live downloadable game Wits and Wagers I was relatively excited. Unfortunately what I played was a very poor game that actually made me nauseous to continue playing. Wits and Wagers is something that anyone who had a part in the creation or marketing of this game should feel shame for being a part of.
The premise of Wits and Wagers is a trivia game. However, unlike many other trivia games the point of the game is to answer as closely to the correct answer without going over. Once you have placed your answer, you then bet chips on the possibility of who has the right answers. If you bet on the person who is the closest without going over you win the odds for those chips.
Gameplay
The game design is built around trying to combine a little of Las Vegas with the craps and roulette with the questions of Trivial Pursuit. There are seven rounds to each game, each round with a different question. You are presented a range of numbers or time to place your answer around. Some questions are society related while others are history related. For instance, “What percentage of pet owners would say they would risk their lives for their pet?” You then select you percentage from the list given, in this case 0% - 100%. Once you select your answer it is placed on the board along with the other individual’s answers. At this point you will lay your bet on who you think is the closest without going over. Each person is given a set of odds based on their response in the 3:1 style format. If you win that is the ratio in which your winnings are tabulated. Each round you carry over what you have earned. If you are below 5 you will be refilled for free. Sounds interesting right? It is for the most part. Unfortunately the game questions are not the most exciting or enthralling questions one can expect. The seven rounds take way too long to complete and are absolutely boring. There is nothing going on in this game. You answer your question while the others “chosen characters” stand around. If they win they dance. By dance I mean worse than any dance you have ever seen on South Park. At the end of the game you have the choice to upload your earnings to the marketplace. However, your chips don’t carry over with you to a new game. Which sucks.
Graphics
The graphics are an absolute embarrassment. The only graphics you see are your character with a generic body with whatever photoshopped head you select (with costume changes to symbolize what the question will regard), the question in the center, the chip count on the bottom and the wager table in the center under the question which is barely legible. This game is a disgrace to any next generation or past generation console. I am absolutely disgusted with the thought that someone was actually paid to make this crap.
Sound
There is really no sound to this game. You have the generic announcer who says “Round 1” and so on for each of the following rounds. During the game play there is some random Muzak style notes that play but nothing of any style of quality. Again a total waste of game quality. The sound is the one thing you can always at least make a game more enjoyable with. If you mute this one you wouldn’t know the difference.
Lasting Appeal and Fun Factor
The lasting appeal will depend on whether you can forgive all of the flaws with this game. There are reportedly over 700 questions for you to answer so it s hould last you and your friends a while. I hate to say it but I would not play this game ever again. To give you an idea about this game after I played it for a few hours to get enough information to write this review I deleted it off my hard drive. I do not want this game in my house. The fun factor is a -10 for me. The game is absolute garbage and again the makers should be ashamed of themselves.
The 411
The 411 on Wits and Wagers is simple. If you want to play this game DON’T. Break out your Trivial Pursuit game and play it. Even if you play it by yourself it will be better than Wits and Wagers. You will regret spending the 800 Microsoft Points on this game. Plain and simple if someone offers you this game for free, look them in the eyes and say the following, “I thought you were my friend” or “What did I do to you to deserve this mistreatment?”
Graphics
1.0
Absolute garbage. There is no reason these graphics should be anywhere near a next gen system. Just because it is a downloadable game doesn't mean to skimp on the graphics.
Gameplay
5.0
Trivia is always fun in some way or another. Everything else about this game kills the gameplay. The small words, the lack of music, and the horrible graphics detracts from the game itself.
Sound
0.0
Aside from the announcer announcing which round it is this game has almost no musical merit whatsoever. SHAME!
Lasting Appeal
4.5
This game will last as long as someone wants to read the questions. After that it will never be touched again.
