Well, most of us think of Kinect as that gimicky thing that fails to serve as the perfect alternative to the all-time favourite controller. After all, the MAIN purpose of the Kinect (after ridding of handheld controllers, that is) is to obliterate what stands between the player and the game itself. Kinect promised to make the PLAYER become the character, as opposed to the player merely controlling the character on-screen. Have we seen that?
Mostly, no.
Games like Kinect Sports and Kinect Adventures still have you controlling an on-screen character. Every other kinect game feels more like dance practice/gym sessions/a waste of time. In short, the kinect became less of a gaming tool, and more like an excuse to not go for real dance classes/gyms/clubs. With every new kinect release, my fantasies of immersing myself in another world as a superhuman faded (that, and the increasing urge to send the kinect back to the shop).
Then, Child of Eden came.
Finally, a game that ACTUALLY uses the kinect as it should be used: as a new way to play games. There is no character to control here. YOU are the character. You can shoot blue and purple lasers, and purify corrupted entities. In fact, so good is the game's use of kinect (helped by the awesome soundtrack by Genki Rockets. Check them out!), that at moments, I forget that I'm standing in the middle of my living room. I practically FEEL like I'm in the game, and I feel happy, despite the numerous enemies trying to kill me. The game feels organic, natural even, and the kinect simply amplifies that feeling out of the tv screen and into the living room. Sure, the kinect still makes mistakes, causing me to be hit by multiple number of projectiles, and bringing my death closer, but when its not being an ass, its perfect.
And with Child of Eden, I feel that the kinect may only be starting its epic voyage into revolution. It may not have gotten the reception the Wii got when it first came out, but with time, and with better games, it'll do wonders.
What's your opinion?
*By the way, are there any Genki Rockets fans here? Just curious...
Mostly, no.
Games like Kinect Sports and Kinect Adventures still have you controlling an on-screen character. Every other kinect game feels more like dance practice/gym sessions/a waste of time. In short, the kinect became less of a gaming tool, and more like an excuse to not go for real dance classes/gyms/clubs. With every new kinect release, my fantasies of immersing myself in another world as a superhuman faded (that, and the increasing urge to send the kinect back to the shop).
Then, Child of Eden came.
Finally, a game that ACTUALLY uses the kinect as it should be used: as a new way to play games. There is no character to control here. YOU are the character. You can shoot blue and purple lasers, and purify corrupted entities. In fact, so good is the game's use of kinect (helped by the awesome soundtrack by Genki Rockets. Check them out!), that at moments, I forget that I'm standing in the middle of my living room. I practically FEEL like I'm in the game, and I feel happy, despite the numerous enemies trying to kill me. The game feels organic, natural even, and the kinect simply amplifies that feeling out of the tv screen and into the living room. Sure, the kinect still makes mistakes, causing me to be hit by multiple number of projectiles, and bringing my death closer, but when its not being an ass, its perfect.
And with Child of Eden, I feel that the kinect may only be starting its epic voyage into revolution. It may not have gotten the reception the Wii got when it first came out, but with time, and with better games, it'll do wonders.
What's your opinion?
*By the way, are there any Genki Rockets fans here? Just curious...
