Truth or Lies Reviewed – Liar Liar, Pants on Fire

As a games reviewer, you’re often afforded the opportunity to play games you’d otherwise never pay attention to. More often than not, the reason you’ve never given them a second glance is that they’re downright awful; cheap, nasty cash-ins by third rate studios that shouldn’t have gone further than being an idea knocking about in the developers’ heads.

Sometimes though, your ignorance is rewarded when you encounter a game of such inspired design and production; a flawless gem hidden amongst the rocks whose veil of obscurity you get to lift, and expose to gamers craving the next breakthrough in interactive entertainment. Truth or lies is that game.

The entire concept of the game, the very device that it hinges on is its ability to distinguish spoken fact from uttered fiction. Indeed, if you ran the above glowing hyperbole through the game, it would tell that it was, of course, mistruth. Well, it would – if it actually worked. Truth or lies is no better at ascertaining the veracity of spoken statements than flipping a coin or drawing from a hat. So poor is its capability that the following statements have all been verified as god’s honest truth:

1) I have a summer holiday home on the moon
2) I am the emperor of Rome
3) I replaced my hands with giant crab claws after losing them in an unfortunate boating accident
4) I am sufficiently endowed to make Ron Jeremy self-conscious

This is pretty much all there is to see

The game, though I’m loathe to grant it such a title, features two modes; A hot-seat option where others can ask the player any question they wish, have it answered and then verified. Normal mode, the meat in this vegan snack platter, has players answering questions asked by the game’s annoying digital host; asked with the faux enthusiasm of a TV shopping network presenter. The questions, categorised for the intended group of players (Kids, families, couples, friends etc) are so tame and uninteresting that the game would be mind-numbingly boring even if it could correctly separate truth from lie – making it absolutely, and utterly pointless.

I can’t sufficiently articulate what an incredible waste of money buying this ill-conceived, poorly executed excuse for a game would be. If you, for whatever reason, need to host a party where the truth has to come out, rather spend the money on a bottle of tequila (or three!). Not only will you get the truth out of your revellers, you might also get blackmail photographs of them with their pants on their heads.

Truth or Lies is available for PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii, and requires either a wired or wireless microphone. I’d recommend a wired one for playing this, because at least you can strangle yourself with it. Truth or Lies is rated “T” for terrible.

Scoring:

Gameplay: 0/10

Considering that its lie detection software is integral to the game and doesn’t actually work, why does this game need to exist? You can ask people questions for free whenever you like.

Presentation (and game design): 1/10

Boring menus, boring presentation, poorly conceived and executed.

Sound: 1/10

Dull music, annoyingly overenthusiastic host

Value: 0/10

There is no value at all to this, unless you derive pleasure from playing the world’s worst video games.

Overall (not an average): 1.0

A wonderful addition to any dustbin owner’s garbage bag.

Last Updated: January 24, 2011