Helping to celebrate the launch of Microsoft's Xbox 360 Kinect, the world's first and only completely hands free console, Leona Lewis and The Wanted performed. Lewis sang My Hands which features off the Xbox game Final Fantasy XIII and she admitted to being a gamer herself stating, "Ive got lots of time on my hands so Im often playing games." The Wanted are particularly looking forward to the boxing and football games because "it's like a workout but in a computer game."
Perhaps Microsoft picked two young and fit performers groups to represent the new console because there is nothing lazy or passive about gaming experience. You will most likely become out of breathe and be sore the next day from your gaming. If you thought that playing the Wii or the PlayStation Move tired you out, wait to try the Kinect was tiring, this full body immersion experience will be the next step up.
Microsofts Xbox 360 Kinect controller free gaming system was launched in the UK today, heres what I thought of it after my first few days of gaming
Kinect is incredibly easy to set up. The sensor unit is essentially plug and play. Two minutes after whipping the sleek unit out of its box, I had it sitting in front of my telly scanning the front room.
As soon as you plug it into your Xbox (via the provided USB lead) the Xbox knows the score and does a few bits of calibration to work out how much space its got to play with.
Now one thing worth noting here is Kinect needs quite a bit of space. Its not something you can easily use in your bedroom. The system advises you stand at least 6 feet away from the sensor and ideally a little further if you have the space. There can be nothing between you and your telly so in my case I had to move the coffee table out of the way but even with a good sized lounge, optimum play was only achieved when I also pushed my sofa out of the way.
Its also worth saying that I am 6 feet 5 tall, and that is a factor here, as although the sensor automatically adjusts its tilt to suit where you are standing and how big you are, at times, it struggled to map my entire body this should be less of a problem for slightly shorter people and kids.
Once Kinect is good to go, youre voice activated gaming menu is available. You have to say Xbox and immediately it starts listening. First say Kinect and youll be taken to a specific Kinect menu. Say Xbox again and you are invited by the system to say what you see if you want to play disc just say it, if you want to play Zune sing it out. The voice recognition unlike most systems Ive tried is very good it actually works.
The Kinect menu offers a range of non-gaming experiences including live Sky TV, last.fm, video calls and Zune, but be aware that to fully utilise the best of them (as with non-Kinect Xbox users) you need a gold membership to Xbox live, and in the case of Sky and Zune an additional monthly membership so costs can begin to add fairly quickly if you are one of those people who has to have everything.
However, for me, Kinect is all about the gaming experience and as a part-time gamer, what Kinect delivers in that area is what really excites me about the hardware.
Kinect Adventures is the game that comes with the sensor so Ill start there (heres a review of the excellent Kinect Sports, more reviews to come)
This game is aimed at the whole family and is deliberately designed to show off the capabilities of the Kinect sensor in all its glory.
It contains a variety of challenges, most of which can be played by two people simultaneously, sometimes cooperatively and in most instances against one another.
Make sure there is nothing valuable within three or four feet of each of the gamers when you begin playing this game, because from the moment you jump in you will find yourself flailing around like a whirling dervish personally, I have already lost a free standing uplight to Kinect which I over zealously whacked whilst trying control my river raft.
Amongst the best games in the Adventures is Reflex Ridge. Aboard a small train carriage, you must jump for speed, duck and step out of the way of obstacles and reach to collect points along the way. Its pretty simple in concept, but the game play is infectious and fun great as a two player race against a friend.
Another game that got me going was River Rush, especially in coopertaive mode. You really test a friendship when the two of you are required to navigate your raft through the rapids, jumping at the right times and once again grabbing for your prizes.
Whats great about these Adventures games is that theyre short and sweet. Theres plenty of variation each time you play and theres certainly enough of a challenge to keep you coming back for more. In the great scheme of things they are more an introduction to Kinect than a title you will treasure forever but you certainly wouldnt be disappointed if you had to spend an afternoon with just this game.
Along the way, the camera appears on screen to warn you that youre about to be snapped, and just like being on a ride at a theme park, at the end of the challenge you get to see a selection of photos of your best bits.
All pics and video collected whilst your playing can be uploaded straight to Kinect Share and then onwards to the world wide web.
Ive found Kinect Adventures to be best played with a friend but as you will read in my reviews of some of the other titles I played this weekend many of the games are just as good solo. (read my review of Kinect Sports here)
One thing that you will notice whilst playing Kinect is that it is not, and cannot be, a passive experience. You will get out of breath playing almost any of the challenges available, and the next day you will wake up with aches in you