Although the site's design could use some work (the first thing you see is
a big ad), its content more than makes up for it. Here's how it works: Pick
a sitcom character or an evil dictator — yes, Ronald Reagan does qualify — and
answer questions about that person. The machine then tries to guess who you
are, and nine out of 10 times, it succeeds.
So why keep playing a game that you know you'll lose? The beauty of this
game is not winning (although it's fun when you do, and if stumping the
computer is what you're after, stick with the dictators), but with the
questions the computer asks on its way to victory.
In a recent game where I played Laurent Kabila, the Congolese leader
recently killed in a coup d'etat, the computer seemed to think for a moment
that I had actually chosen Steve Urkel, from television's beloved "Family
Matters." Once again, I thought I'd stumped it (Daniel arap Moi works every
single time) but then it followed "Are you in love with your neighbor?"
with "Were you recently assassinated?"
Who knew that only that step separated the two?
And that's why this is one game you'll love to lose, over and over and over
and over and over...
— Stephanie Kuenn (smkuenn at gmail dot com)
