PlayStation Move: PS3

PlayStation Move: PS3

Sony

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

LINK TO NEW MOVE GAME REVIEWS HERE

Controlling video games is changing (again) – ok so Nintendo shook things up when they launched the Wii and arm flapping madness swept the world… Who’d have thought that people would embrace leaping up and down, bingo wings akimbo trying to bowl / putt / drive with nothing but a couple of wireless nun-chucks?

With roughly two Wii’s sold world wide for every one PS3, Sony have decided that enough is enough and have harnessed the power of glowing balls to engineer a fight back which bring high definition graphics and pin point accuracy to the party…

The big question is will ‘Wii’ like this motion control–based gaming from the game changing master creators at Sony?

I got the chance to play PlayStation Move, and report back to you so that you can decide whether to trade in your Wii and join the PlayStation 3 party on September 17 (in the UK).

So what exactly do you need to play PlayStation Move – well there are of two essential parts:

A Sony ‘PlayStation Eye’ camera and at least one wireless, ‘PlayStation Move’ controller which looks like a smooth curved black wand (think Nintendo Wiimote – just with a cool glowing ball at the top).

In addition to these you can add a second Move Controller which can add lots of benefits to your gameplay experience and a PlayStation Move ‘Navigation Controller’, which you use to move around as it had a thumb stick – and all the buttons you find on the left hand side of the standard SixAxis DualShock controller.

Picking up the new kit will set you back £44.91 (all prices taken from Amazon.co.uk) for a starter pack which has a PlayStation Move Controller, PlayStation Eye Camera and a Demo Disc. Adding another Move Controller is £29.99 and an optional Navigation Controller is £17.99 – which makes starting to MOVE a good deal cheaper than a ‘no controller option for Xbox 360 called Kinect’, more satisfying too but that’s another story…
If you’re a PS3 virgin you can get a very cool bundle which gives you the Move starter pack and a PS3 320gb for £284.

"the guys rock their Move..."

Getting Moving…
The good news is that it is very simple to set up PlayStation Move. Charge the controllers (via the PlayStation 3's USB ports or your computer’s USB ports if you fancy), connect the PlayStation Eye camera – either on the PS3 or on your TV, depending on how your room is positioned.

From then on simply load up your chosen Move compatible game and point the Move Controller at the camera, hit the couple of buttons and your Move control will come to ball glowing, throbbing life. The PlayStation Eye camera will recognise the controller and you’re away, you can use the Move controller to navigate menus by holding the trigger (yes the move has sexy triggers on the underside) which is also known as the ‘T button’. You can even use the move to control the XMB menus – hold the T button, move the menu choice up / down or left / right and hit the ‘move’ button to make a selection.

The bad new is, erm, well there isn’t any bad news to report as yet, with rock solid functionality, no loss of signal or tracking, impressive battery life, sleek and very comfy controllers – Sony have delivered a potential death blow to competitor motion control systems.

What is there to play?
Move-enabled games are hitting alongside the hardware in the shape of Sports Champions, Start the Party and Kung Fu Rider (click the title to read the Darkmatters reviews of these). There are also patches coming to make existing games such as EyePet, Heavy Rain, Hustle Kings, Flower and RUSE work with Move. Then there’s The Fight (street fighting brawler), Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition, The Shoot (light gun game), SingStar +Dance (free your inner dancer) and big hitters such as Little Big Planet 2 which is like having millions of different games in one box and Killzone 3, SOCOM 4 and MAG which will redefine shooters with Move controls!? This is the start of something very special, it’s time to get very very excited because the PS3 really does now ‘only do everything’!?

Do it - do it now!

I wasn’t expecting the love the PlayStation Move as much as I do. I’ve never been a Wii fan and like to play my games chilling on a sofa not waving my arms in front of a TV… that has changed and after some extended (very addictive) sessions on Sports Champions and Start The Party – I’m a convert.

Darkmatters rating: ööööööööö (9 amazing move-ments out of 10)

If the move was a woman - it would probably be:

"could you handle the curves?"

As a strange little critter from Madagascar once said: “I like to move it, move it!” and if you invest in PlayStation Move – I’m certain you will too!

Read more about the Move here: http://uk.playstation.com/