|
Looking for the future in gaming? Look no further. Sony's Eyetoy USB camera is a riot for the Playstation 2. Although the Eyetoy hasn't enjoyed a great amount of success yet, I predict that this technology will become a must-have in the coming years.
Recently I was given the opportunity to test out this technology with a brand spankin' new game called "Eyetoy: Antigrav." Unlike many Eyetoy games in the past, Antigrav doesn't show your image during gameplay. The only time that your image will appear during the game is during calibration screenings which is where the camera will lock onto your face and be able to track your movements. While playing, your character will be riding on a hoverboard through a variety of environments. There are two options of gameplay - you can either choose to accrue points by pulling off tricks and collecting things or race against computer-controlled competitors. Both options are extremely exciting and challenging at the same time.
For those of you that haven't experienced the Eyetoy camera yet, you are probably wondering exactly how this technology works. What happens is that you stand in front of the camera and you go through a calibration screening. After this the camera will be able to track your movements, even the smallest of movements like tilting your head. During gameplay you will have to stretch from one side to the other to make your character grab things as well as jump, crouch and countless other activities. While you may expect this to be somewhat embarrassing to play with your friends, it is actually more exciting if you have a group of people around.
So far I have told you all the great things about the game and the Eyetoy technology, but I haven't mentioned the downsides. One of the main issues that I have experienced with the Eyetoy is that you have to play in a very well-lit area. If you are playing in a dim area then the camera can't track your movements and therefore your character won't do them either. Another issue is that the camera locks onto your face at one angle, so if you move your head too far it recalibrates and locks onto one side of your face, your neck or some other part of your body. This gets really annoying if you are trying to play and your character is doing the wrong moves because the camera isn't locked onto your head.
Overall, 'Eyetoy: Antigrav' is an exciting and innovative game. However, the gameplay still seems to be a little too futuristic for the technology that supports it. If you play the game in a well-lit area then you should have absolutely no problem with the Eyetoy. As I said in the beginning, I feel that this technology will become a must-have in the near future and I stand by that. This game is a great step in the right direction for the future of gaming and I congratulate the folks at Harmonix Music and Sony Computer Entertainment for taking such a risk to push gaming to the next level.
- Chad Kennedy, Editor-in-Chief
| 
