Quiz Video Games Codexery

Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen!

Movie trivia game with over 2,800 questions and 23 categories.

Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen!

Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen! is a movie trivia game from the Scene It? series, created by developer Artificial Mind and Movement and released by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It launched on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii in North America on November 17, 2009, and arrived in Europe and Australia the following month. The game draws its puzzles from the highest-earning films of the era and from movies widely regarded as the best.

The gameplay pits players against each other to answer over 2,800 questions about both modern and classic cinema. Questions and brain-teasers often rely on video clips or still images taken directly from films—for instance, after watching a scene, players might have to pick the next line of dialogue or identify what's happening in a frozen frame. The game organizes its challenges into 23 categories. Like earlier entries in the series, the controls stay simple, with the real test being recognizing scenes and recalling characters or plot points. A new feature for this console-focused edition lets players dress up their in-game avatar with movie-themed outfits and props.

Development was announced by Screenlife Games on September 2, 2009, marking the first time the series would appear on PlayStation 3 and Wii in addition to the Xbox 360. Screenlife and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment also struck a distribution deal, with WBIE handling worldwide release. Screenlife CEO Barry Watts expressed excitement about the collaboration, calling it the company's most entertaining console trivia game to date and predicting it would appeal to movie and pop-culture fans of all ages. Warner Bros. executive John Quinn noted that the Scene It? brand and its movie trivia fit naturally with Warner Bros. as both a game publisher and a film studio, and that launching on multiple consoles aimed to reach a growing casual gaming audience.

Reception was mixed across all platforms, according to Metacritic. Official Xbox Magazine described it as a decent upgrade or introduction to the series. GameSpot praised its consistent multiplayer fun despite a limited feature set. IGN acknowledged strengths like plentiful clips, a fun photo-editing round, and a fair number of questions, but criticized poor lip-syncing, bland visuals, and difficulty telling who buzzed in, concluding that these flaws kept it from being essential for trivia fans.

Quick Facts

Title
Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen!
Developer
Artificial Mind and Movement
Publisher
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Released
NA · November 17, 2009 · AUS · December 3, 2009 · EU · December 4, 2009
Genre
Trivia
Modes
Single-player, multiplayer
Platforms
Xbox 360 / PlayStation 3 / Wii

Facts from the source article.

Lore & Background

Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen! was announced by Screenlife Games on September 2, 2009, as the first game in the series available for PlayStation 3 and Wii in addition to Xbox 360. Screenlife Games and WBIE announced a distribution agreement where WBIE handled worldwide distribution. The game features more than 2,800 questions based on contemporary and classic cinema, with 23 categories of questions and puzzles. Players compete to answer questions and brain-teasers often based on video clips or stills from feature films, such as choosing the next line spoken or recognizing events from a freeze-frame. Players can customize their avatar with movie-themed outfits and props.

Reader's Guide

The game received mixed reviews on all platforms according to Metacritic. Official Xbox Magazine called it 'A decent upgrade or introduction to the series.' GameSpot noted 'consistent multiplayer fun despite its limited feature set.' IGN criticized bad lip syncing, bland visuals, and difficulty telling who is buzzing in, while acknowledging plentiful clips and fun photo rounds. GameZone lamented the lack of online play and the availability of better trivia games on PlayStation 3. GameRevolution argued the game required comparable movie knowledge and gaming experience, calling it 'completely ridiculous for a casual party game.' Despite mixed reception, the game expanded the Scene It? series to multiple consoles and targeted the expanding casual videogame audience, as noted by WBIE's John Quinn.

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