The first version of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire was the third bestselling game of 1999 and continues to fly off store shelves, so a sequel was inevitable. Who Wants To Be a Millionaire: 2nd Edition gives fans 600 more questions and brilliantly captures the feel of the TV show. The only thing missing is the cash. The game was developed by Jellyvision, famous for its irreverent You Don't Know Jack series of trivia games. Although the designers didn't have much to work with considering how Spartan the set of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire is, they did a masterful job of simulating both the mechanics and the drama of the television show, wrapping everything up in a slick interface that is immediately recognizable.
It seems impossible that players could feel any tension playing Who Wants To Be a Millionaire: 2nd Edition when no real money is at stake, but the game's perfect pacing did a nice job of at least making us think we were playing for cash. That's because it doesn't deliver an immediate response when a question is answered. Just as in the game show, if you answer a question quickly host Regis Philbin will confirm or reject your answer quickly. As the game progresses and the questions get tougher there is more of a pause between your answer and the confirmation. Regis will make some comments, sometimes offering you the chance to change your mind by asking the now grating "Is that your final answer?" as the show's music and a drum roll build tension in the background. The delays were surprisingly unnerving, making us constantly second-guess our answers.
Should a question prove too tough you can always fall back on your three lifelines. The designers polled 50 random people to provide data for the "Ask the Audience" lifeline, and The Reege's friends dispense audio advice for the "Phone a Friend" option. Of course, the 50/50 lifeline is also available.
All these elements coalesce to form a surprisingly fun trivia game, and one of the few available that is more fun to play solo than with a group of friends (although playing cooperatively with a few buddies can be fun). Games rarely take more than 20 minutes, so it's perfect for a quick trivia fix--we just wish it came with more questions. Guess we'll have to wait for the flood of sequels that is sure to follow. --T. Byrl Baker
Pros: Atmosphere provides some tension Near-perfect simulation of the hit TV show Lifelines are implemented well Cons: Questions quickly run out Doesn't come with a million dollars
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