Talkman (PSP)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Guy Cocker
• Reviewed on: 06/16/2006
• Released on: 11/17/2005
• Originally published on GameSpot: Talkman (PSP) Review

Following hardware add-ons for the PlayStation 2, including buzzers and cameras, Sony is now offering USB peripherals for the PlayStation Portable. The silver microphone included with Talkman lets you use the console as a basic translator between English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Japanese. The game also includes tutorials to help you learn each of the languages, plus a number of other useful tools, such as a currency converter and a world clock.

Your companion in Talkman is Max, an enthusiastic, animated blue bird that acts as an intermediary between you and the hapless foreigner that you're trying to communicate with. The game's talk mode asks you to choose from a list of common traveling scenarios, including the airport, hotel, or theatre, and then presents a list of context-sensitive questions that you might want to ask. If you're trying to catch a train, for example, the game will ask questions such as, 'How much is the fare for the express?' and 'Which platform will this train leave from?' The game then displays the question in the chosen language and reads it aloud, before allowing the other person to respond and then repeating the process in reverse.

While the technology has limitations, specifically in that you can ask only the questions that have been prerecorded into the game, this interactive phrase book could be a useful tool for travelers. The game's 3,000 phrases cover quite a few bases for travelers who need basic information, and while it can be slightly odd thrusting your PSP into a stranger's hands, the game certainly offers value for money compared to the cost of purchasing six separate phrase books. If you don't want to scroll through the various different crib notes to find a question, you can speak into the microphone and the game will guess what you're trying to say. If you utter, 'Can I make a reservation?' Talkman presents a list of corresponding questions, usually with a good level of accuracy. However, the restaurant scenario didn't really cater to the many tastes and requests we experimented with, and a translation of traditional Spanish and Italian dishes would have been nice.

When you choose the scenario relating to your circumstances, Max is transported to a similar location onscreen, such as a golf course or a football match. Despite having a thick Cockney accent that might sound grating to your ears, Max can also emphasise phrases so that the recipient knows if they are intended in a positive or negative way. You can also choose to follow up certain questions with a request, such as, 'What time is checkout, could you write it down for me?' The people we spoke to who were fluent in Japanese, French, and German said that it was very accurate and would be easy to understand if used abroad.

There are problems with the translation part of Talkman, though. Load times can spoil the spontaneity of conversation, and if you're talking to a foreigner who has no idea who you are or what the game is, it can lead to awkward encounters. You also have to be in the correct scenario to ask specific questions, so you can't enquire about bus tickets without being in the bus scenario of the game. However, you can bookmark frequently used questions so that they can be accessed at any time, and this is certainly useful for common phrases such as 'How much?' or 'Where is the bus?'

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