Eyetoy: Play 2 PS2 Review

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When Sony released the Eyetoy in 2003, it reached a phenomenal level of sales and a new way to control games was born. The camera shipped with Play, and while it demonstrated the cameras uses it was a very basic program. Unfortunately since the release of the camera we have not seen much software for it but that has changed recently with Sega Superstars and now Eyetoy: Play 2, the second title from London Studio for the camera. Again like Play it is made up of a bunch of mini games but they offer a great variety and if you own the Eyetoy perhaps worth a look.

The mini games are widely varied in Eyetoy: Play 2 but all have you moving your body as expected but still doesn't offer too much variety in terms of body movement. As well as the mini games, Play 2 also has the option to setup a very basic spy camera to record what is happening in the room it is setup, and also a number of experiments which basically show the power of what the Eyetoy can do and what you may expect in future titles for the camera such as the new Eyetoy cameo technology which is used to reconstruct your face in 3D for games.

Air Guitar

This game tasks you with strumming in tune with some notes that fall to the bottom of the screen. The tunes range from single strokes through to lots of strumming in a continuous motion. You occasionally have to move you're other hand for the virtual chords of the song. The single player game tasks you with playing some songs before coming up against some boss characters and having to emulate what they play to defeat them. It's a fairly original game but won't hold your attention for very long.

Bubble Pop

The aim of this game is to destroy all the bubbles by popping them with your hand while avoiding the red coloured ones. Destroy too many red ones and the game will end. Again this progressively gets harder and features a boss fight but won't hold your attention for very long.

Table tennis

This is actually one of the most impressive games of the package and in a basic terms, rivals many full blown tennis games. You hit the ball with your hand but strategy can be used. How you move your hand will determine how hard the ball is hit, where it is hit etc. The competition gets harder as you defeat more characters, but again it probably won't hold your attention for an extended period of time in a single player format.

Secret Agent

This game gets your whole body moving. Initially you have to avoid detection by a searchlight while picking up things such as hacksaws to escape from a prison cell but further into the game you have to unlock a series of locks in the correct order and timelimit while still avoiding the searchlights. The game features a structured format which is definitely a positive but again it won't hold your attention to long.

Drummin'

This very much mimics the guitar mini game except with drums. Icons appear on screen and like a Dance Dance Revolution style you have to hit them the same time they hit the relevant drums. Boss fights are again featured, but once three are defeated the game is completed and therefore does keep you interested for a great deal of time.

Goal Attack

Goal attack is one of the more impressive games of the package. You begin as the goalkeeper in training before moving to the match scenario where corner kicks are volleyed towards you. What's impressive about this game is the graphics and how the game displays the action during the corner kicks. Again there is not much to bring you back to this game in a single player format but it's still impressive none the less.

Home Run

Like Goal Attack this game begins in training with the game showing you how to hit the ball before moving into the big game to beat the Eyetoy red caps. The most surprising aspect of this game is that once the ball is hit you actually have to make a running motion for a box on the screen to move to each base thus replicating a proper baseball game to a degree.

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