Sony’s motion-sensitive PlayStation Move control system is now less than two months away, set to attack retail on September 17th. Although there are tons of other games coming out between that time and the Christmas season, we have very little doubt that Sony will make a fortune with its motion technology. Why, you ask? Well, we have five reasons to believe in that theory.
Holding something makes a difference. (That's what she said!)
1. You’re actually holding something. A big problem with the Kinect is that you don’t really feel like you’re physically holding something as you play. It’s a big deal to play a driving game without actually holding a steering wheel, for instance. With the PlayStation Move, you hold the Move controller in one hand and either a second controller or Navigational controller in the other. This really makes a difference, as you feel the physical weight and girth of the object, which incorporates better into gaming that invisible ones. Golf games, for example. You’d feel better off holding a controller like a driver handle than just trying to grip one that isn’t there, right? We would, anyway. And, sure, it looks silly with the little glowing golf ball on top, but if it reads our motions better, we’re all for it.
2. It’ll work with games that are already out. Another problem with the Kinect is that it isn’t compatible with other Microsoft games. You can’t use it to shine your flashlight in Alan Wake, nor can you wave your arms like crazy with
Guitar Hero. The PlayStation Move, on the other hand, will support a few games that are already on shelves, including
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, Heavy Rain and Resident Evil 5 (well, the Gold Edition, anyway). This is a big deal for players who can’t afford to buy a brand spanking new game after dropping $100 or so on the PlayStation Move set-up.
Driving with a PlayStation Move? Better than you might expect.
3. New games will support it. The Kinect may have its fair share of games, but some of Microsoft’s bigger releases simply won’t support it. Halo Reach? Not happening. Meanwhile, on the Sony front, most (if not all) of Sony’s first-party software will feature Move support of some kind. It’s optional, so you don’t have to take that route if you don’t want to, but it’s nice to have that all the same. Games like LittleBigPlanet 2, Killzone 3, SOCOM 4,
Gran Turismo 5 (our favorite, obviously) and more will support the motion controllers right out of the box. And that’s on top of the games already made for the device, such as
Kung Fu Rider and Sports Champions. Now that’s dedication to a product.
4. There’s something for everyone. Part of the reason many people don’t care for the Wii is because it’s a “family” system, and there aren’t enough hardcore games to go around. The PlayStation Move’s library seems to have something for everyone, from teenage shoot-em-up fans (The Shoot) to people who adore virtual pets (EyePet) to arcade thrill seekers (Time Crisis: Razing Storm) to sports enthusiasts (
Sports Champions) to fighting fans (The Fight). And yes, there’s family fare too, and most of it is looking better than what you might’ve gotten use to on the Wii. That’s something to smile about, don’t you think?
Sports Champions has everything from ping pong to gladiatorial combat. In the same game!
5. A price for everyone. If you go with the Kinect, you’re stuck buying it one of two ways. Either you can get the device for $150 or plunk down $300 on a system bundle with a dinky 4 GB hard drive. With the PlayStation Move, your options are nearly endless. Buy the controller by itself for $60, add a secondary controller for $40, buy a PS3 Eye, Move and game bundle for $100, buy two different system bundles between $350-$400, and so on. There are multiple options here, instead of limitations telling you that you can go with this or you can go with that. Those options really do make a difference, especially to those without a system – or on a budget.
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