E3 2010 is almost upon us and although we’ve heard that no other next gen consoles are to be released, there are still many official announcements, to get pumped about. As you may already know, the reason for lack of new games system technology, is because Sony and Microsoft are pretty ticked off with the amount of hardware, Nintendo have shifted. So…as any competitor will do, they’re all jumping on the band wagon and wanting those party-mad families, to jump around in front of their systems, instead (we hope for the industries sake, it’s not just for more “party games”).
The PS3 Move
Sony’s ‘Move’ looks to offer incredible similarities, to the Nintendo Wii’s Wiimote. Instead of taking a basic TV remote design (like Ninty), Sony have opted for a more modern take, and have crafted a more slicker, rounder design. Take your new-age DVD remote, add an over-sized ping pong ball on the top and you pretty much have the PS3 Move controller. BUT…after all…it’s not about how your hardware looks (as Nintendo have already proved) it’s how your games play.
The PS3 Move, works the same as the Wiimote, but offers a more modern design
Sony’s Move not only borrows from the Wii’s design, but it also functions the same. Movements made by the player with the Move remote, are mimicked on screen, either by character or interactive objects. The most welcomed aspect however, is the ease of use and prompt response. Existing eye games can now be re-released (or updated) to become compatible with the PS3 Move, offering more enjoyable gaming. Two downsides to the PS3 eye, was the amount of space a player needed, as well as the perfect amount of light required, while playing.
An interview with the Eye Pet developer, shows us just how much more responsive the game becomes, with the new PS3 Move controller
The 360 Natal
Microsoft’s ‘Natal’ looks very advanced…possibly promising slightly too much, for it’s own good. Total voice recognition and multiple player mapping? (being able to differentiate one person/player, overlapping another). I’m afraid we’ll believe it when we see it. Hey, if it does work, at least we’ll be in for some awesome intruder alarm systems, eh? An alarm system, being able to detect the difference between a squirrel and a ninja-thief, could come in quite handy…don’t you think? Well…maybe it’s just us, wanting to witness a real-life ninja, then.
Microsoft's Natal (or as we like to call it "Project Overkill") has a spec sheet that offers far beyond "motion control"
One thing is for certain with Microsoft’s Natal…they’ve really piled on the pressure for themselves. Not only does this baby have voice recognition on it’s spec sheet, but it can also react differently to the various tones in a players voice. Most of us were sold at the idea of becoming the actual controller, but with this much added value (well…lets see the official price tag first) Microsoft could be onto a Wii killer, if all goes well.
Pre-E3 – Before the Battle
At the moment, we’ve mainly seen game demos from developers. E3 should give us a much better idea, of exactly what we’ll be playing and how we’ll be playing it. Sony’s Move looks simple, effective and even has existing games that the Move can easily improve and shift, but is it too little, too late? Microsoft’s Natal promises the world and if it can pull off what it’s promising, (even with only half-decent games to accompany it) the hardware could still be a Wii AND Move killer. But…is Microsoft offering too much, too fast? We all remember the 360’s introduction with hardware issues, so can Microsoft deliver the spec and reliability?
