Monkey around with Move.Cats, dogs, dolphins... unicorns. You name an animal (real or not) and odds are there is a pet sim for it. But until Platypus Wrangler is released, Sony has put together what may be the most immersive pet sims to date.
I speak of course, of EyePet.
*Warning: Real pets will be jealous of how much attention you give the EyePet.*EyePet is one off Sony's brand new PlayStation Move titles. The Move control scheme allows PS3 gamers motion controls using the Move controller and the EyeToy (the PS3's USB camera) to track player movements. This new level of interactivity allows you to... well... interact, with the EyePet.
The EyePet itself is nothing short of adorable. It's a small, fluffy, simian creature that will steal the thunder of real household pets everywhere (for a time). It coos, purrs, yips, laughs, and responds to player stimulus. And you can customize it from fir (or feather) length and color to adorable outfits. But how does it work?
Pimp your EyePet.Unlike other Move titles (which only use the EyeToy to track the controller) EyePet uses the camera to show players on their TV screen. The EyePet itself is then layered over the screen image, making it look like the little scamp is in your living room (or whatever room you are playing in). The effect is nothing short of charming, but there are a few catches.
One hurdle in the EyePet experience is the setup. Before being introduced to your Pet you have to watch a tutorial on how to rearrange your room for playing. In a nutshell, you need to clear the room of any clutter (toys, coffee tables, etc.), achieve mid-level lighting, and place your EyeToy about knee high off the floor.
It's not a huge inconvenience, but if you had to move a couch everytime you wanted to play Call of Duty it would dampen the experience a smidge.
Another obstacle is the video quality of the EyeToy itself. If you watch an EyePet commercial you'll notice that it's shot in HD, showing a pristine clarity between players and their EyePets. This illusion sadly isn't replicated in-game. The EyeToy is a USB camera after all, and its grainy footage clashes with the digital bliss of the EyePet itself.
I don't know what camera they're using, but it's not an EyeToy.Interior decorating and oversold camera quality aside, there's a lot to like about EyePet. For starters, the Pet itself repsonds to all kinds of stimulus. Clap and it looks to you. Wiggle your fingers on the floor and it will pounce. Reach out to pet it and you can see its fur respond accordingly to your carresses.
Let me put it like this. At one point I was petting my EyePet slowly trying to get it to go take a nap. My dog Gucci saw me making pat motions to the air and came over to investigate. As soon as Gucci entered the frame my EyePet became startled and quickly jumped out of Gucci's way. That's some impressive tech.
Another level of immersion comes from the use of the Move controller. Selecting a toy like the glove and ball replaces the controller (as it appears on the screen) into said toy. So on-screen, it looks like the player is actually holding a cartoon baseball glove. It may not sound impressive, but seeing it in action sparks your imagination regarding the potential of Move.
The EyeToy does more than put players on the screen too. For example, players can teach their Pets to draw in one of two ways. You can draw on the screen with the Move controller OR you can actually draw on a piece of paper, hold it up to the EyeToy, and watch as your pet attempts to replicate your art. I know it's a simple scan process, but the sense of immersion is pretty awesome.
And that's just a piece of the pie. You can draw things like simple cars, which turn into in-game items after your pet draws them too. Draw a car, your pet copies it, then you can drive it around and watch your Pet chase it. It's no Gran Turismo, but again the tech is impressive.
To progress through the game you need to complete the Pet Program. The program gives you 4 objectives to complete a day over the course of 15 days. These can be sports challenges (like knocking down a set number of pins in bowling) or photo challenges (taking a pic of your pet doing a specified activity).
Helping your EyePet hatch is a pretty magical moment.As you progress you'll also need to do other pet related tasks. Bathing, feeding, and medical check ups are routine and make use of the Move controller. When bathing your furry friend, the Move controller can be a water hose, a shampoo bottle, and a hair dryer. Sure these tasks become a little tedious, but the cuteness and adoration of your EyePet as you clean its stink away make it all worth it.
Tying this whole package together is a tutorial character known as The Professor. Giving regular updates in his worst Doc Brown impression, The Professor is a tough pill to swallow. Kids may appreciate his corny humor as he walks them through the game's various functions, but as an adult gamer (one who LOVES SpongeBob mind you) the frequent input from The Professor was annoying. Luckily, his presence diminishes as you progress through the game.
The Game (7/10)
EyePet works on two levels, as a pet sim and a tech demo. Moreso as a tech demo. The Pet is a real charmer but sadly, after a week it seems to go the way of the Tamagatchi. It's hard to come home everyday and stress over feeding your EyePet when you're real pet needs some TLC.
I put EyePet to the test and let my 4 year old nephew take a turn. In two minutes he was over the wonderment of being on the TV screen and the cuteness of the Pet, proceeding to try and hit it with the controller. Granted the opinions of a 25 year old and a 4 year old make for a weak demographic study sample, but I'm a 10 year old at heart.
The Time (8/10)EyePet can be knocked out easily in a week, faster if you don't mind piddling with your PS3's internal clock. And the daily tasks of Pet maintenance don't eat up a lot of time either... in theory. Sometimes you'll jump into the game for a quick feeding and you'll see that you're pet needs a bath, or a checkup, or wants to play, or all of the above. At that point the pick up and play factor takes a backseat to human emotions.
The VerdictThe gist? EyePet is a functioning and immersive pet sim, but the wow factor has about a week of longevity. My time with my EyePet has me excited for the possibilities of Move. But other than as a showpiece to friends I don't plan playing through the Pet Program again anytime soon.
I remember when all my friends had Tamagotchis and I had to have one. It (who I named Iggy) was super cool for like a week and then I lost it somewhere in my room. For two months I would wake up in the middle of the night as my lost Tamagotchi beeped in hunger. I never found it, but the beeping eventually stopped and I can only assume the worst.
EyePet is a technologically advanced Tamagotchi that at times can wow players with its immersive gameplay. But I can't promise that it won't suffer the same terrible fate as poor, poor Iggy.
Some people just can't take criticism.
