User Review : Start the Party

Its party time with eye toy for HD TV's

This is definitely one for kids and the casual gamer or someone that does not crave deep gameplay. Taken from this perspective it succeeds. If you liked eye toy then you will enjoy this but if you put those games on the shelf to gather dust after a few hours then maybe give it a miss.
It is a series of fun colourful mini-games that are reminiscent of the eye toy style games that were released on the Playstation 2 but obviously here they are in High Definition. The eye camera puts you into the game via real time video and putting a tool in your hand (no not that kinda tool, ya tool) this being an animated object that relates to the particular game you are playing and if someone was to actually just be viewing the screen it would probably make them take a second look. But I must say looking at my mirror image on screen was a bit disconcerting as I kept going to fix my hair and touch up my makeup.

This is a really simple, colourful, vibrant, cute game and is great for novelty value. The upbeat narrator keeps the mood light and along with cliché cartoon sound effects it is hard to take serious and you are not meant to. As a solo player with no friends to share the experience with this becomes tedious really quickly but from a multiplayer aspect it has slightly more staying power. The good thing is that when playing multiplayer it only requires one move controller as you take turns rather than playing split screen for any of the games.

With 9 games in Freeplay and a few more in Survival, there is not as many as I would have expected from a Blu-ray capacity disc. Free play just allows you to choose any game to play individually; whereas survival lets you continue playing through a marathon of different games until you lose enough points to empty the meter and then obviously it is Game Over. Survival mode includes all the same games as free play mode but with a few extras thrown in like mining a rock with a pick axe to reveal the hidden gem, catching the topping on the pizza base, using a magnifying glass to reveal the tiny bugs and the Carni favourite whack a mole,
Here is a basic run down of the main games in free play

Rooftop Rescue
Using the remote control manoeuvre the helicopter and save the citizens in distress from being eaten alive by a giant sock puppet Godzilla like monster thingy. Simply squeeze the trigger to ascend and let go to descend twisting the move controller left and right to steer. Save glowing damsels in distress for bonus points.

Cut-n-Colour
Shave and dye the crazy looking characters hair according to the picture shown. Shave to shape and change to a hair dye bottle using the move button to add the colour.

Robot Rumble
The robots come over the horizon to get you so point to the targets on the TV screens on the robots bodies (Teletubby Robots) to shock and zap them into submission. The orientation gets flipped occasionally to make it harder and the occasional UFO slowly comes across the top of the screen to be zapped as well.

Parachute Peril
Using the handheld fan the idea is to create wind to push the little parachute guys onto the safe landing of the rafts floating by below. The sharks will make a nice meal out of those that you miss and the Parachute bombs need to be fanned away otherwise KABOOM!! Swimming with the fishes.

Bug Bash
Using a tennis racket(I think) simply wave it around madly to swat and send the flying mutant bugs for six or do a face plant on the glass in front of you.

Poppin
The spear is the weapon of choice to pop blue and red inflated puffer fish floating towards the top of the screen and avoiding the bombs. From a gameplay perspective this was the one that didn’t perform too well. Although I jabbed and japed it didn’t seem to respond at all on occassion.

Spooky shootout
In the darkened graveyard you need to shine the torch on the ghosts and pull the trigger to send them back to the grave and pointing the controller away from the screen when the red ghost is about so he doesn’t see you. This was one of my favourites only because it is the closest thing to a shooter available here or even on the market at this point.

Blooown Away
The fan is the tool pulling the trigger to create an updraft under the cute little baby birdies and direct them by tilting the remote slightly to the nests either side of the screen. Be careful not to let them get too close to the blades or it is off to KFC for them. Mmmm finger lickin good.
Picture this

Using the paint brush this is a colour within the lines of shapes that appear on the screen to have them all join together and form a big picture at the end.

Personally I liked the concept but I became bored quite quickly so it will not be everyone’s cup of tea. Some games are better than others with an addictive quality to rooftop rescue and parachute peril harking back to the old handheld games I used to play. I would not have any problem recommending this to the casual gamer, kids or as a family get- together game. My Mum and Dad had fun playing it so I guess it achieved in appealing to the target market i.e. the casual gamer or those that normally wouldn’t even pick up a controller or even know what one does.
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