MI6 reviews the latest James Bond board game - "Scene It? 007 Edition". Is it well suited for casual and dedicated fans alike?

Scene It? 007 Edition - Review
10th February 2005

After creating hugely popular general movie games, "Scene It?" launched their "007 Edition" earlier this year, blending both traditional board game play with the technology of a DVD. So who is it best suited for - Bond fans or general cinema goers - and does it provide a challenge? MI6 reviews the game...

The Contents
The game consists of a main playing board, dice, cards and of course... a DVD! As the name of the game suggests, you will need a DVD player for this game to work. As well as the main fold-out board, the box contains a well sculpted metal piece for each of the four players (Bond, girl, martini glass, Aston Martin) - although why the game is restricted to only four players is unclear. Despite the use of the DVD, most of the play comes from the 200 question cards and 30 "Q" cards - which act as random events to spice up the play.

The Questions Questions are split into three categories: Basic Bond, Beyond Bond, and Brilliant Bond. Basic Bond questions should be straight-forward to anyone who has seen all of the movies, especially as they have multiple choice answers. Brilliant Bond questions are pitched at the more dedicated fan, although the majority are still quite straight-forward. Very few of the questions challenge indepth knowledge of the films. Although, Beyond Bond is where most Bond fans will find an element of challenge, as the questions escape the 007 world into areas such as other movies cast members have appeared in, and connections between elements of the films. Right: The cover art for the boxed game.

The DVD
John Cleese, who played Q in the 2002 film "Die Another Day" narrates the Scene It? 007 Edition DVD game with his usual wit and charm, taking the edge off otherwise dry rules and monotonous gameplay. Coming in with a total length of 73 minutes, including the frequent menu transitions, the disc is actually quite light on video content and the clips will become quite repetitive after a few plays - even if the questions that follow change.

The DVD based questions fall in to two camps: questions that require no Bond knowledge (such as simple observation), or those for which the clip is irrelevant. Up until the "final cut" finale, the DVD is relatively surplus to requirements, but the climatic challenges to determine the winner give the format a chance to shine with some quite inventive methods of testing a players skill. Musically, the DVD relies heavily on "The Living Daylights" and "Tomorrow Never Dies" to provide the main score, but other cues are scattered throughout.

The Experience
What is it like to play? Initially the game looks very straight-forward, but only a minute into the interactive walkthrough with John Cleese you may find yourself lost. There are far too many rule complications, especially surrounding how a player can win the game - so much so that the rules are reminded every time a player reaches the final stages. Using the DVD as a question timer is quite laborious, and the various "play modes" for the same questions seem a spurious attempt to pad out an otherwise familiar format. The game could have been made a lot simpler and easier to enjoy, without the unnecessary complexity that adds nothing to the experience. It is also conceivable that a knowledgeable Bond fan may win the game very quickly, giving other players little board time.

MI6 Rating
For the average fan or novice, the "Scene It? 007 Edition" will be fun and challenging for the first few games, but may soon become quite repetitive and tiresome. "Party Mode", where the game automatically pitches questions to a larger audience, may prove to be the most useful setting for the game for social gatherings.

For a serious James Bond fan this game holds very little in the way of a challenge, except for the occasional question in the "Beyond Bond" category. For this audience, the "Reel to Reel" trivia game is highly recommended, and can be found regularly on Ebay for a fraction of the cost. Hardcore fans may also spot the occasional technical error amongst the 200 question cards.

Note: The game is rated PG-13 in the USA, but 15 in the UK. According the box, the game is suited for players aged "13 - adult".

Buy Online - Amazon.com
Buy Online - Amazon.co.uk

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