The simplest party games are the best, and Heads Up! Phones Down slips into that model perfectly, albeit it’s completely barebones. Resembling a mobile game with nothing in the way of features or presentation, it has been a massive hit in my household.
For broad appeal, the rules need to be clear, as do the controls, as you’re likely to involve a lot of non-gamers into the mix – and truth be told, the latest from Aspyr is instantly playable to people from all backgrounds as the controls are super easy once you interpret them.
Heads Up! Phones Down is a classic game where players stick a card to their forehead in some way or another, and others have to hint at what it says on that card without explicitly stating what it is. It’s Charades. This PS5 game differs because the clue cards show on your TV, and the participant has to sit or stand with their back to the screen.
Heads Up! Phones Down Review [PS5]: Give Me A Clue
Unlike popular party games such as What the Dub? or Use Your Words, only one person operates the controller, and no smart devices are required for answers. Without a single tutorial (in hindsight, would you need one?), one person will hit a shoulder button to pass or press the d-pad or standard buttons for a correct answer.
Alas, there is no way to enter player names, set up teams or anything like that. On that part, Heads Up! Phones Down makes no sense as a competitive experience. If you’re going to have a party game, you need a record of who’s winning. Each game is a standalone, and you can’t play any rounds as it’s one-by-one. It’s a fatal flaw, in my opinion.
At the start of the Heads Up! Phones Down, you’re presented with a vast deck of cards to choose from. These range from movie-related questions, decades, music, animal sounds, kid-specific topics, cartoons, myths, and more. Honestly, there are so many options in the game, but it’s very much trial and error on which will suit.
Who’s Winning?
For starters, you need to assess who you are playing with. As a general geek, I’m in my element with video games, music and movies, but my wife doesn’t share the same knowledge (unless it’s anime or manga), nor do my kids. My eldest daughter wanted music questions, but I hadn’t a clue what many of the songs were in a section, so we couldn’t even hum them. However, she still wants to host a get-together for her friends to play this, as there is no player limit.
The more generic decks in Heads Up! Phones Down were the better ones, and we had an absolute blast with the questions as my wife and I went all out with our animal sounds, dodgy accents and questionable miming skills. The kids were enamoured with how mad and fun their folks could be. That’s what we told each other. Of course, Heads Up! Phones Down can’t take full credit for that as it’s a tried and tested format, but it’s an essential party game for us as a family.
My biggest issue is needing a way to track team scores. You can’t enter player names or team names. You can only have competitive rounds if you have a piece of paper to tally up scores. No phones allowed. Put it down. I double-checked the settings, and the only option other than button configuration and volume is changing the duration of your answers.
Heads Up! Phones Down works for us as a family, although not having any leaderboards, options, or animations for the game isn’t good. If you want a classic, automated experience for a bit of fun – great; just don’t expect any tracking of your scores. I have to maintain some integrity and say this is not worth the full asking price. The mobile version is free. We’re very grateful for the fa
