The Sony PS3 Playstation Move is obviously a big attempt by the console giant to move in on the motion controller action that was jettisoned to mainstream legend status by the Nintendo Wii. However, the big question is whether or not the release is a step forward or simply a carbon copy designed to cash in on Nintendo’s near dominant market share.
One of the first things that hits you as being brilliant as soon as you start to play around with the Playstation Move is the fact that the controllers aren’t connected by an annoying wire. This gives the Move instant kudos over the Wii controller and hard wired nun-chuck. Instantly, your arms have free motion, which comes in handy when you’re trying to hack your opponent to death in the sword fight game in Sports Champions.
However, there is definitely a similar feel to the way you play games with the Playstation Move as with the Wii; a limitation that obviously won’t apply to the Xbox 360 Kinect. Another slight annoyance is that the PS3 Move looks very much like a pimped up microphone, so you’ll probably struggle to look very credible when you’re pretending to wield an axe, unless you pull off a brilliant combo that looks as impressive in real life as it does in the game.
In terms of the range of movement and the accuracy of the device, this is an area that Sony have massively excelled on. While there is some difference between the range of the technology used depending on the game you’re playing – Start The Party is ubber precise, but Sports Champions is more directional than subtle exact movements – you can definitely see the possibilities of the Playstation Move in the first set of games released that harness the technology.
Every movement of the controllers is mapped by motion and light sensors on the rack and 3 gyroscopes in each of the controllers. This means that your entire range of motion is paper with pin-point accuracy that is a definate rival to the Wii.
The Sony PS3 Playstation Move is in a general a step up from the Nintendo Wii controllers, and at around £39.99 its not a crazily pricy addition to your PS3 box of tricks. However, I think its impact will pale in comparison to the possible might that could be released with the launch of the Kinect. The real decider, though, will be the playability of the games that hit the shelves, so expect an epic, Move-ing gaming war of epic proportions as the Console giants battle it out for supremacy until the next generation of consoles are released.
Sony PS3 Playstation Move review: 4/5
