Publisher: Sony
Ages: six & up
Parental
Advisory:
Arcade violence
Living up to its considerable marketing hype, Sony's EyeToy: Play provides an innovative, interactive and entertaining experience. The game relies on a USB camera that tracks players movements and lets them physically become part of each game. It's an amazing technology and a fun title for families that can even appeal to those who have little or no interest in video games.
Instead of relying on a traditional controller, a player's physical movement controls the game through a camera that comes with the title. You place the camera on top of your television, plug its cable into one of the two USB ports on the front of the PlayStation 2, load the game and the image of the player is projected on-screen.
Players use their hands, head and knees to play each of the 12 mini-games. Each mini-game requires players to use their bodies in different ways, from quick jabs to beat back ninjas in Kung Foo, performing rhythmical dancing in Beat Freak, and even use their knees in Soccer Craze to keep a ball in the air. It's amazing for players to see themselves on screen and be a part of the gameplay and action.
The games are simple, easy to learn, different and fun. We were particularly impressed with Kung Foo, a 2D ninja/fighting game, and also enjoyed virtual window washing, boxing, a rocket activity and the dance/rhythm activities. Those who prefer more in-depth play may find the games too simple. But it's refreshing to encounter games that are easy to play and intuitive. For families and parties, the game also offers entertaining head-to-head and team competitions.
The camera, which comes with the game, is easy to install, although you'll have to adjust the camera to accommodate different size players. Another consideration is having adequate light so the camera can sufficiently sense a person's movements. Some of the games feature violence, but it's of the comic/bloodless variety. By the way, for those of you may be thinking about using the EyeToy's activities for exercise, you won't work up a sweat with EyeToy the way you can with Konami's Dance Dance Revolution. It's not as physical.
In addition to the mini games, there's Play Room and Video Messaging. The Play Room lets players apply a variety of different visual effects to their image such as being surrounded by bees, standing in a snow storm, swimming with fish, or "de-materializing. EyeToy can also be used for video messaging to record up to 60 seconds of personal video messages onto an 8MB memory card (sold separately) and left for friends and family.
EyeToy is refreshing and lots of fun for everyone in the family-even those who are not interested in video games. And it's a great game to bring out at parties. We recall similar games for the PC many years ago when the first webcams hit the market. But EyeToy's games are far more clever and responsive and fun to play.
We don't often come across a game that's as innovative as EyeToy: Play. It's an excellent game that we wholeheartedly recommend to families. And the technology has the potential to create some even better games in the future. But for now, it offers a fantastic start.
1/5/04 Daytrum Editorial Staff
