I still only have had the demos to try out (StP came yesterday from Walmart, which we'll play tonight) so I have nothing more than impressions to speak on as of now.
Move+PSEye: I can tell already that this new setup accomplishes the main goal I had for wanting it - improve aiming in games over the right thumb stick. I've refused to play certain online game modes on console (i.e. vs. modes in 1st/3rd person shooters) because I don't have nearly enough precision to aim quickly and accurately with the analog controls as I do with the mouse on PC, and even better with a light gun in the arcades.
From what I can tell using the demos of a bunch of 1st-gen Move games, I'll be more than satisfied with the motion controllers for this purpose. That's not to say that it matches them in all areas, but it is far, far better than what we've had to deal with on HD consoles.
So any gripes I may have about the hardware here and there (software results vary of course) I'll keep in perspective, especially considering that:
- True light gun setups are extremely laggy on HDTVs (i.e. Time Crisis 4's first PS3 release),
- There will never be an easy solution for most consumers to enjoy playing with a mouse from their couches, and
- The bonus immersion aspect of using the Move for certain action genres is not unlike the immersive effect of using a steering wheel over an analog nub for driving games - it helps game play feel that much more realistic when done reasonably well.
I am still playing around with different setups with the PSEye. On top of my HDTV works great for standing motion games, but I'm still testing whether it works just as well if I play sitting games. If not, I can easily put it below my set. Playing the Eyepet demo though requires I put it about a foot or two above the ground, so there may be three positions I use.
The image quality for games that project you on the screen with the PSEye for me is grainier than the iWaggle videos I've linked to, but still not as bad as some very grainy pics and vids I've seen on the 'net. It all comes down to lighting, but the function of the arrangement works perfectly regardless of the quality of lights. I'll have to check my light wattage and decide if I want the room a bit brighter if I think I want to improve on this.
The Move itself is well designed as everyone says. I can click any button easily, and I'm very happy the Start/Select buttons are recessed and placed high and to the side of the controller. Motion gaming can be intense, but I've only accidentally hit Start once because of the arrangement.
Controlling the Move works really well in general, and the quality of the experience seems to depend on the software being using (again, I'm playing demos). Yes, you have to calibrate at specific times to keep it all lined up nicely, but it is not a major issue as it takes a few seconds.
One thing I'm learning though is how to calibrate properly. It's not perfectly clear sometimes IMHO and I sometimes recalibrate with adjustments to get the "feel" that I think is right.
For instance, with calibration that needs you to first put the Move at your shoulder height, then straight down, and then at your belt level, I found out that copying the example picture shown in the shoulder section has the Move too high near his ear. When I did it that way, my aim in-game was too high. Once I re-calibrated lower with the Move at my shoulder height like the text itself says, it aimed perfectly. This was all done standing with the PSEye on top of my 60" HDTV (chin height, aimed down). So if something isn't feeling right to you, take the time to make your own manual adjustments to see what works better, then jot it down for future reference.
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Sports Champions demo: it's only disc golf (one hole) and table tennis (two 'Bronze' difficulty opponents) but I can already tell that this game is as amazing as a ton of gamers on the 'net have been saying.
I'm a solid TT player in real life and even with the assists on (they come off at harder difficulties in the full release) I am amazed at the precision of the 1:1 paddle movement, paddle acceleration, and paddle orientation. I can see how gamers who are bad at TT will be terrible in this sub-game once they reach the more realistic settings unless they improve, You have sooooo much control over the every aspect of your hits that this game mode alone would be a must-buy for me if sold separately. Honestly speaking, it is legit to call Table Tennis with the Move a sim game - it's really THAT good. Too bad there's no online though, but at least it allows local competition via split screen.
The Disc Golf demo is nice and relaxing, and it mimics my lifelong bad habit of throwing with a angled hook instead of straight flat tosses. I plan to play this for a month or so, and then take out a Frisbee outside to see if I've made any improvements. I'm looking forward to the Gladiator mode the most once my full copy arrives this week. I hear that one Move controller works fine in Gladiator, Archery and Volleyball, but that two is more immersive and fun; that'll be the arrangement I'll review later on.
Overall, even based on a very limited preview I can say confidently that any player with a slight interest in the "virtual reality" aspect of motion gaming will be very pleased with Sports Champions. Sony made a great choice in adding it to their package as it really captures the fun of these activities almost as if you were doing them in real life.
Eyepet demo - this is not a game for gamers. At least not the stereotypical gamer. For me it has little appeal since I like objective or competitive titles, not virtual life games, even if they have a lot of mini-activities like this one is said to have in full retail (you only do three things in the demo).
That said, when I handed it over to my seven year old daughter, her face lit up and she had a HUGE grin on her face the entire time. She doesn't really play video games, but fell in love with Eyepet and is hyped up when telling everyone who will listen all about it. She really, really once me to get it so eventually I'll be sure to do it.
Start the Party - It's a lot more engaging to me as a gamer than Eyepet, and the whole family had a blast with this game (even the wife kept laughing). It's a well made party game with simple but effective controls. For solo gamers, you may want to pass, but with friends it can be surprisingly competitive in a whack a mole kind of way. The graphics are top tier in its cartoony style, and augmented reality allows everyone to see on the big screen how silly you look. There are twenty mini-games in the final (more than some pro reviews say), but only two in the demo.
Echochrome II demo - Is a very unique puzzler as the videos show. I can't comment much more than to say the flashlight/shadow concept works because there is no real challenge in the few demo tutorial levels I've tried. If it has some really puzzling levels, then it could be worth a look.
Tumble demo- This is a puzzle game that shows potential with the Move while still being a lot of fun. The implementation of true 3D movement with precision (it requires movement on the Z-axis) really makes you think about how fantastic games like this must work on 3D TVs if they have that feature. I plan to pick it up down the line.
TV Superstars demo - what a dud of a demo. The production values are nice and its party atmosphere is solid for engaging casuals I suppose, but this collection of TV-themed mini games is very poorly done, and I've only tried out three events. The fashion show game is a follow-the-motion-with-the-Move exercise (a la Elite Beat Agents on the DS) to mimic a Vogue dance routine, but it feels sloppy in how it is put together. Besides, I don't like my characters with my face on it wearing pink.
They have a Pain! cannonball launch mode that is very inaccurate and confusing. I hit the target and get a great score, then I hit a target and get a poor score. Finally is a treadmill exercise where you run in place (or just use your arms to run) and jump over obstacles. This was decent and gives you a little workout, but not enough to get me interested, and not enough to recommend for kids or casuals.
The Shoot demo - The summary impression I have is that the Move controls in this demo isn't as "exact" as I had hoped for, but still far better than if I used the analog stick. I don't want to use this as the definitive light gun game because future releases in the rail-shooter genre may make improvements, but I was initially looking for spot-on, insta-aim and shoot mechanics and this demo is not at that level. You instead are quickly dragging the cursor to the target like you would do if you played a light gun game with your mouse on a PC. It works as well as mouse aim does, but with this title I wanted a bit more. Maybe this is something to be improved in future rail releases, or the final game itself.
With that said, you still feel as if you are gun shooting and it still controls well overall. The play mechanics in this game are casual friendly (no reloading), and there is a lot of damage you can do shooting random background stuff. The more I played, the more I simply enjoyed having a rails game at home and it is really a lot of fun (two stages in the demo). BTW, one feature I like is that if you aim at the center of your screen at any time and hit the O button, it calibrates in that brief moment. I'll be picking this up this game for sure.
Beat Sketcher demo - painting with music. Not for me, but kids and creative types will love it. As you create, your strokes makes musical sounds, and then get auto plugged into the beat that plays in the background. I imagine no two songs are alike since everyone will draw something different. There are a lot of art tools to use, and if the full game is, say, $5 or so and you have kids, give it a try.
Racquet Sports demo - it's mostly gesture based in the demo so it may be easier for younger kids, but compared to Sports Champions it falls way short. I won't be getting this.
Kung Fu Rider demo - I want to like this, and right now am on the fence. I agree with what I heard in that this is a game that would be fine with the normal Dual Shock 3 controller. Motion controls don't seem to add much to it, but I'll hold off on judgment until I master the demo. I like the concept and characters, and for an arcade like title it would be a fun buy at, say $20 if it can be controlled as accurately as I expect with practice. At $40 though, I'm not feeling it either way unless there were 10-12 courses.
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I hear R.U.S.E. with Move really, really controls well for an RTS, but I didn't try it out yet. I sold my Resident Evil 5 awhile back, but may get RE5: Gold since it is $30 at Best Buy this week since I liked the game and hear good things about the accuracy of Move aiming with it. The Time Crisis Razing Storm demo will be in my bundle next week, so I look forward to testing it.
Overall I'm very happy with the Move itself... a solid 9/10 score. The games vary in quality and motion control implementation (like with everything), and I'm looking forward to more titles that are coming out that make use of this controller.
Maybe that's the Move compatible version, but more likely just a disc based version of the PSN game with all the DLC. I'm sure NA will get the patch as UK did, but it would have been nice to try it out at launch.
