Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat, and so will you coach-potatoes if you don’t get off your lardy backsides and swing that PlayStation Move controller around like a glow stick at a rave. We jest of course because while Move probably isn’t for the incredibly lazy, physically interacting with a videogame can have a range of great benefits. Not only do some of the more physically challenging Move games keep you active, but having that connection between player and game can make the experience more immersive. And can we let you into a secret? Well, you don’t always have to be as energetic as those adverts make out, sometimes a simple swish of your controller will do just the trick.
What is PlayStation Move?
For those uninitiated to the ways of the motion-sensing wand, check out our PlayStation Move review where you’ll discover exactly why we called it “the most precise motion controller on the market” (that’s a dig at Nintendo’s Wii controllers of course) and find out why we marvel over its superb tracking capabilities.
Now you’re wondering what to do next with your brand spanking new microphone-shaped toy, right? Well, look no further because the following guide will tell you exactly what PlayStation games are worthy of your attention right this minute.
You can be a Sports Champion
PlayStation Move’s true 1:1 motion-sensing capabilities are perfect for sport’s games and no two games show off the technology better than Sports Champions and Sports Champions 2. The first game can now be snapped up at a fraction of the original price and include fun, competitive games to make you sweat, including Table Tennis, Beach Volleyball, Gladiator Duel, Disc Golf, Archery and Bocce. Okay, so you probably haven’t heard of that last sport but, surprisingly, throwing wooden balls at ,er, other wooden balls is quite good fun when you’ve got the magic wand in your hand.
Sports Champions 2 adds boxing, golf, bowling, skiing and tennis to the roster and offers a superb party mode which makes it ideal for playing together with family and friends over the festive period. A word of warning though: when Uncle Joe knocks you out in the boxing ring and then gloats about it right in front of your face, do resist the temptation to smash him over the head with your club-like controller. Yes, Sports Champions can get ultra-competitive, but that’s definitely part of the fun.
Resident Evil Chronicles HD Collection
Here’s a set of games that will wipe the smile of granny’s face as she tucks into her mince pie. The PlayStation Move controller doubles up as a great arcade-style light-gun and there’s nothing more enjoyable then pointing its glowing bulbous head at screen and blasting the heads off zombies.
Resident Evil Chronicles HD Collection is an on-rails shooter so there’s not much to think about other than to watch the action closely with finger poised over the trigger and shoot away like your life depends on it. You can’t help but concentrate intently on the action in case you miss a shot, which subsequently draws you into its game world.
Gameplay is extremely rewarding with more points dished out for accurate hits and there’s a ton of booty to collect. The action also switches up nicely with some cinematically creepy quick time events which test your reactions to the max. Turn the lights off, put Granny to bed and enjoy the feeling of impending doom. Don’t have nightmares!
Wonderbook: Book Of Spells
It helps if you have one or more wannabe wizards in your home to really benefit from Sony’s magical interactive book. If you do, you can bet they’ll be absolutely delighted when they turn over the first pages of Wonderbook and learn to levitate a mandrake or spray water out of their wands and soak a family member, virtually of course.
Wonderbook is a unique interactive story and the finest example of augmented reality so far on PlayStation 3. Dragons appear to fly out of the book, jars of eyeballs land on your lap and you do actually feel like a wizard as you send sparks out of your magic wand to do delightful things such as annoying a cat, or killing bugs scurrying across the floor.
We’ve had a fair few little visitors in our house since Wonderbook has arrived and every last one of their cute faces has lit up when they’ve held the Move controller in their hands and witnessed it transform into a wand. Sure, the magic will probably begin to fade after Christmas when the game has been played to death and completed, but can you really deprive your children of this magical holiday gift? Enjoy the guilt trip folks.
The Unfinished Swan
Giant Sparrow’s surreal adventure is an excellent game with a traditional controller, but PlayStation Move gives it something a little extra special. Starting off with a blank white canvas, players are tasked with flicking blobs of black paint at the screen in order to build a scene and explore. Move is the ideal paint flicker and you feel much more of a connection exploring the environment than via traditional controls.
There’s a cute-ish story about a boy in search for a swan too, but the real magic lies in exploring the unknown and wondering what you’ll find next. Disappointingly it doesn’t last for too long, approximately 2 hours in total, but while it does you’ll be mesmerised by its beauty.
Dead Space Extraction
EA’s horror-themed, on-rails shooter will be enjoyed mostly by fans of the Dead Space series due to the references made to those games. With more thrills and spills than a day out at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the action is smooth and intuitive with Move doubling as a gun to shoot limbs off necromorphs and mutated corpses. The production quality is impressive, creepy audio adds to the tension around every corner and character models are suitably scary.
There’s a decent variety of weapons too and whether you’re using a flamethrower to torch the undead or meleeing horrible creatures away like a policeman at a football riot, you always feel a little on edge and totally drawn into its dark game world. We like to keep the lights on for this one.
EA Sports Active 2.0
The craze for fitness games on consoles looks like it’s finally dying down now, which is good news if you’re looking to shed a few pounds or get fit in the New Year as you’ll pick up titles like EA Sports Active 2.0 for a snip of the original price. This is one of the better fitness games for Move combining 68 different exercises into the complete workout package. It’s really designed to complement your existing fitness regime and it does so with a diverse range of exercises, which even include mountain-biking.
You can tailor routines to suit your needs and track your progress so there’s no excuse for slackers. EA Sports Active 2.0 is also great for people who don’t have the confidence to go to the gym and, of course, it works out much cheaper than a monthly subscription. Strip off and get sweaty; just make sure you close the curtains otherwise the neighbours will talk.