It doesn╒t feature the brainy Alex Trebeck, or the letter- turning sensation, Vanna White, but the inhabitants of the backwards totalitarian little country of Bizzarnia probably wouldn╒t have their favorite game show any other way.
Zhadnost: The People╒s Party represents the evolution of a unique game show genre that was pioneered over a year ago with the release of Twisted: The Game Show on the 3DO. There is no coincidence in the obvious likeness of these two games, as they were both created by the same producer.
By combining a plethora of full-motion-video,witty satirical humor, and competitive gameplay, Zhadnost is not only a fun game to play, but it also serves well as comic relief. You and your opponents have the choice of controlling five different personalities -- each with their own whims and dreams. These abnormal game show contestants range from a sadistic Colonel with dreams of being a Las Vegas comedian to a lady rocket- scientist with aspirations of becoming a top fashion designer. Luckily, these outcasts of society have been abducted and brought to the only place that can make their outlandish dreams come true -- The People╒s Game Show.
Zhadnost isn╒t a terribly complicated game -- contestants must compete in a variety of contests to win various amounts of time. At the end of the each round the time won by each contestant is added up and used in the final round dubbed the ╘money wheel╒. The player which scores the most amount of dough on the wheel by highlighting surface in a strategic fashion becomes the winner. Although this wheel segment is a rather interesting concoction -- requiring a blend of skill and strategy, the rest of the games aren╒t nearly as demanding or original.
Aside from a few trivia segments that may rack your brain , most of Zhadnost╒s five contests consist of simple head- to-head memory-matching not unlike the old ╘concentration╒ card games. Surprisingly enough, the gameplay doesn╒t suffer horribly despite being simplistic. The humor and competitive gameplay with three or four people is a blast.
Fortunately, Zhadnost╒s simplicity doesn╒t hurt it, but its lack of characterization does. Despite having a great full- motion-video introduction and amusing ending animations involving individual personalities, the characters you control might as well be pieces of cardboard during gameplay. Instead of continuing the funny quips and humor during the ╘show╒, the game show characters, aside from the host, are virtually silent throughout the entire game.
Zhadnost certainly doesn╒t fail anywhere on the technical side. Its probably one of the best marriages of live- action video and crisp computer graphics in a video game. Perhaps the best compliment that should be said about this title is that it succeeds in its attempts to simulate a gameshow. In fact, its so accurate that it channel-surfs commercials between each round.
Zhadnost: The People╒s Party is a great multi-player game, especially for parties. In a great marketing move, and an outstanding deal, Studio 3DO has even packed in a controller since the game operates with a minimum of two players. Although this is the minimum, I strongly recommend having three or four available.
