Eye Toy: Play (PlayStation 2)

By JON MINIFIE

(Herald rating: * * *)

Rarely do we see true innovation in the games industry, especially with console hardware. The cutthroat nature isn't conducive to new concepts as most developers and companies prefer to rehash already successful ideas. However Sony Computer Entertainment has come up with something clever and fresh.

Obviously digital cameras are nothing new but the Eye Toy is a USB camera that plugs into the port at the front of your PlayStation 2.

Barely big enough to fit in the palm of your hand, its slick black design corresponds with that of the console.

Your first task is to set up the camera, which is mercifully simple. All players need to do is position the Eye Toy and themselves so their virtual image is portrayed in the centre of the screen.

Now tradition flies out of the window and the fun begins as you abandon your controller in favour of waving your hands over onscreen icons to manoeuvre through the interface. It is instantly hilarious, not only because you have your mug looking back at you, but because of its physical nature. Instead of mastering button combinations, players merely need to wave their hand about to get results.

Motion-tracking technology places gamers in the picture and tracks movement. The accompanying game disc, Eye Toy: Play, holds a dozen mini-games, all designed to show off Eye Toy technology.

It is fair to say these games are fairly simple at this early stage, designed mainly for the party-game set, but the potential is huge.

My favourite is Kung Foo (pictured above) which pits you against an army of tiny ninja who leap at you from all sides. Complete with cheesy sound effects, players can nonchalantly swat them away with a wave of a hand, sending them tumbling off-screen.

Some of the other games include Keep Ups, in which you use your head to keep the ball in the air like a Brazilian soccer star, to Boogie Down, a dancing game in which you pull off your best funky moves to keep up with the on-screen dancing girl.

The possibilities for gaming scenarios are endless. These are expanded even further when the need to include the player on-screen is removed and the camera is used solely for control and navigation purposes.

Ultimately it will be up to the developers to see where they can take this but for now, Eye Toy is providing PS2 gamers with a glimpse of the future today.

Price: $119.95

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