First Kinect Reviews Are In

Microsoft’s Kinect camera for the Xbox 360 is perhaps the most anticipated gaming release this Winter, with UK stock already set to deplete alarmingly given the sheer number of pre-orders already placed. But will families get home and find their £130 investment wasn’t worth it? With any purchase such as that, you’d hope for quality over hype, and it seems Kinect will offer just that. IGN rated it at 8/10, stating that though the launch line-up is too casual and at times the technology can make mistakes, it could represent a huge step forward for the industry, while CVG went one step further with a 9/10, stating that “the gesture controls work without a hitch” and “the voice controls are a marvel”. Where Kinect seems to falter is in its opening bunch of games (including Kinect Sports, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved and Game Party: In Motion), however IGN and CVG both have praised Sonic Free Riders- a hoverboarding game featuring SEGA’s iconic hedgehog- and Kinect Joy Ride for intuitive driving controls and Minority Report-style menu screens (more exciting than they sound). For the full written verdict of Kinect and its position in the motion war of gaming, keep coming back to the blog in December…