Microsoft’s recent announcement of the Kinect no longer being required to make the Xbox One work is the latest in an unprecedented series of flip-flopping before the console’s release. On one hand, it’s great that they’re proactively addressing many of the issues that more discerning consumers have with the platform. However, this sequence of events also highlights how off-base the original vision for the console was while giving me cause for concern going forward.
Hot off the heels of Kinect Joy Ride is Joy Ride Turbo; the sequel to a motion-controlled game that ditches motion controls completely. On one hand, it’s a curious move to eschew the original’s key selling point. On the other hand, the key selling point in practice wasn’t very good.
If you’re curious about how well it turned out, head over to Splitkick.com to check out my review!
For my brother’s birthday, I got him a copy of Child of Eden. He’s a big fan of the music and rhythm game genre, and he did enjoy Rez. I on the other hand, fell out of the music game genre pretty hard with the crash of the plastic instrument scene, and couldn’t tell you anything about Rez other than the fact that you could get a vibrator with it.
Going into Child of Eden, I had no idea what to expect. Having just finished two out of the five levels in the game, I not even sure what it was I just played.
Are you ready to bust a move? The sequel to last year’s breakout Kinect hit is out now, and my brother picked up a copy of it late last week. At this point, I have not shaken my booty enough to write a full review but rest assured it’s on the way.
Now if you will excuse me, I have to prove to the haters why this Jett is so Fly Like A G6. Yes, that was a terrible pun and yes, I’m sorry.
Having just wrapped up watching the E3 2011 Sony press event, I though I’d share some quick thoughts on what I saw of Sony and Microsoft’s press events. I won’t speak too much on the specifics, as other major gaming sites will do a much better job of discussing the specifics. However, I wanted to share my general opinions on what I saw today.
I was sold on Dance Central the moment I saw the first E3 live demo of it in action. I always trust in Harmonix to make a quality game, but watching this girl break it down to one of my favourite songs took it over the top for me. Video games based on real dancing aren’t necessarily new, but up until this point, no one had made a dancing game where every body movement mattered. I’ve been waiting for this type of game for quite some time, and I was ready to pay anything for it.
Well, almost anything. I wasn’t ready to buy a Kinect at $150 just for this game, and I anxiously awaited for the day when I could get a Kinect for less than full price. That day happened, and I’ve since cranked that Soulja Boy and contorted my body in ways I never thought were possible. Is this the new dancing queen? Or nothing but two left feet?
Motion-controlled sports games are a dime a dozen nowadays. Ever since Wii Sports laid out the blueprint, its been copied countless times. Odds are, you’ve already burned out on Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, Sports Champions, Deca Sports and countless other takes on the same real-life sports.
Microsoft is hoping that you still have an appetite for motion sports and you’re willing to pay for it. Unlike the Wii Sports series or Sports Champions, which are packed in with something else, Kinect Sports is a stand-alone game that retails for $50. Is this too much to ask for a different version of the same sports you’ve played many times before?
As Microsoft’s answer to Wii Sports, Kinect Adventures has some big shoes to fill. Whether they admit it or not, Microsoft hopes that Kinect Adventures will be that game that sells you and everyone you know on the peripheral, just like Wii Sports did. Does this pack-in title pack the punch of its Wii rival, or is it just another mini game collection?
As recently as yesterday morning, I had convinced myself that I wasn’t going to get a Kinect this holiday season. I had no plans to buy one, and had told everyone planning on getting me gifts to not buy this for me. Despite it being the hot new thing (that I got to play in advance), I’ve had my concerns with how its priced, the Kinect’s launch catalogue of games and some overall apathy towards motion-controlled gaming.
Even with all of those things going against it, I now have a Kinect and a bunch of games to go with it. Without going into detail, let’s just say that the stars aligned in Kinect’s favour. Having spent a few hours playing with the device now, has it turned this skeptic into a believer?
Microsoft’s Kinect has been out for about a week now, and it appears as though Dance Central is the launch game to get. With every launch (at least the good ones), there’s usually at least one killer app that early adopters flock to or raise in high regard.
The launch of Kinect got me thinking about previous console launches and the games that came out alongside them, which ultimately lead me to the question, “What is your favourite launch title of all-time?”
In Third Person 