I've had the Move since launch day on September 17th here in the states, and its been a few days since. How do I feel about it, you ask? In all honesty, its an impressive piece of tech, with a lot to live up to following the success of the Nintendo Wii. Follows are a few reasons why this Sony motion controller isn't just a "Wii 2" and stands to become stiff competition for Microsoft's own Kinect motion controller.
Right off the bat I knew what to expect from Sony's Move having used the device at several trade shows. As much as I had used it though, there was never enough time with the hardware itself to fully determine how it would perform in normal lighting conditions. Now that I've had it, I can assure you, the tech is pretty smart in determining how much light is in a room.
The Move utilizes the previously released PlayStation Eye camera and the wand controller itself plus optional navigation sub-controller. The Move wand is equipped with an led lit globe that changes color depending on the colors the camera sees in the room. For example, if your playing in a room with white walls and your wearing a white shirt, the controller will change to any other color than white. This helps in tracking your movements more precisely.
As impressed with the hardware as I was, its ultimately the software that defines the experience and justifies the purchase. So as far as the Moves launch line up you have your options. Theres Eye Pet, which in my opinion showed off one of the more unique aspects of the move, a sort of augmented reality placing a virtual pet/monkey thing in our world through your television. Allowing specific and playful interactions between the user and the animal on screen.
Theres' Sports champions, think PlayStation's version of Wii Sports Resort, a game in which you can choose to play several sport mini games. Games such as Disc Golf, Gladiator, Bocce Ball, Volleyball, Table Tennis, and my personal favorite Archery. Its your standard fair sports game, if not a little generic, but it gets the job done and can be quite challenging.
Theres also Start the Party, think any number of Wii mini game collections, and Kung Fu Rider, a game where you rush down hill on a number of different rolling seats trying to avoid obstacles. For the cheaper, more accessible fun you also have the option for a few downloadable titles on the PlayStation Network. Most notably Tumble, a block building puzzler thats uses the Move's 1:1 motion to simulate the difficulty of stacking varying shapes to create a stable structure.
At $50 for the Move, $40 for the camera, the optional $30 for the Nav controller and a $40 game, your looking at a rather expensive investment. If your into motion control gaming and are looking for some new experiences with your PlayStation 3, pick up the move. If your still not too sure I recommend waiting for a few more games (The Fight: Lights Out) to drop before rushing out.
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