Hands-Off Review of Natal

[The_Blue_Rider]

I've been thinking, in motion control gaming system is there any skill? Say if you made a fighting game, would there be any skill in it? Like say you play tekken 6 on natal, how will you pull of eddy's breakdancing or laws backflips? or the 10 hit combos?
I dont think Natal can be used for much.

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

Sounds fun, but at 2am if I'm gaming I don't want to be doing a work out.
Plus where my 360 is I really don't really have the room/floor space to wave around like a clown.

I say keep it to the casual/youth/party gaming market, n I wont moan about it.

 

[Jared]

I'm looking forward to giving it a try...still skeptical as hell but I'm going to do my best not to condemn it yet

Same. I had a feeling it would be tiring none the less, I mean, of course it would be for something active like that.

I really want to see what would come out for it before I send it to room 101

 

[Sparrow]

I'm not holding my breathe until I've tried this out myself.

Exactly.

I'm liking the look of Natal, but I won't build it up. If anything, due to the fact it's meant to be cheap, it'll at least come in handy with those menu's.

 

[Crazy_Bird]

My idea for Natal and Arc utilization? Martial arts forms. Think about it, Natal with it's I/R sensor, and the Eye with it's motion/facial recognition, combined with the wands could be used to track/teach perfect form. Hell, I'm betting if they're sensitive enough they may even be able to track speed. So, think about that...an app (wouldn't necessarily call it a game), that has say...20 or 30 martial art/self-defense/CQC styles pre-loaded, and well, use your imagination. Additional forms to follow via DLC? That'd be fuckin brilliant.

Actually I thought along the same lines as soon as the boy was fighting the stereotypical Asian martial arts tutor.
I guess it would be great to have a "Wii fighting sports" with full body control. It could teach you move and give you feedback about your speed and technique and design training plans.
Such a program alone would be a safe way to sell it to me.

 

[Tales of Golden Sun]

Microsoft should sell the Natal technology to Fitness First. They've got the right audience for it.

 

[MagicBucket]

The day they force me to put down my controller is the day i stop gaming.

 

[Byers]

Sounds like a poorly thought through Wii ripoff. Wailing your hands around will always feel dumber and less engaging without an actual prop (like a Wiimote). And what happens if someone walks past the room or past the TV screen in front of you? I assume it will screw up your control in a big way. I'm not sure what measures are taken to ensure the games track just your movements instead of people sitting 1 inch away from you on the couch, but it all sounds like a recipe for frustration. And I won't even begin to speculate how much they paid Spielberg for that quote.

 

[brunothepig]

It could be fun. But, I think it belongs in an arcade. It just seems like it would be too exhausting. I have a Wii, and playing Tenkaichi and actually making the motions of a kamehameha is pathetically fun. And I like it for FPS, Resident Evil 4 is awesome. But, as I said, this is so very different, and tiring, that I think it would be something you play occasionally, hence you don't want to pay... I don't know. Lots.

 

[Killerbunny001]

As the publicity budged increases so do the chances of the final product being crap.

Go ahead and quote hate me.

That is all.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I am much too lazy to be able to utilize Natal properly ... unless of course they introduce a new Sims for it in which you convince the people in door less, windowless bathrooms to not kill themselves while trying to show them the schematics for a prison-style toothbrush-shovel. Besides I still haven't seen how movement other than looking around will work unless they expect you to stand in place and pantomime walking or else some kind of voice controlled walk/run which would be kinda creepy and weird. This isn't just for run-N-gun games but RPGs. Unless they are all third-person and use a DS/ Spirit Tracks style, 'point-to-the-thing-you-want-to-run-at' feature which would only really work with RTS gameplay

 

[AcacianLeaves]

Here's the thing. I play games to come home, sit down in a comfy chair, relax, and escape into the experience. If I wanted to play dodgeball I'd go outside and play some goddamn dodgeball. From all I can see Natal is attempting to simulate something that already exists in reality, and there is no discernible reason for it to be on a home entertainment system.

 

[ImprovizoR]

Here's the thing. I play games to come home, sit down in a comfy chair, relax, and escape into the experience. If I wanted to play dodgeball I'd go outside and play some goddamn dodgeball. From all I can see Natal is attempting to simulate something that already exists in reality, and there is no discernible reason for it to be on a home entertainment system.

Exactly my point. And they even want you to pay for something you can do for free. Are people really that dumb to get excited over this?

 

[Dexiro]

I'm surprised MS didn't drop the idea a long long time ago, pretty much everything about it so far dictates that it won't work.
I have a strange feeling that hype won't do them much good this time either, a few people will tag along as always but others have had too much time to contemplate it.

 

[johnman]

Really? You have no idea what kind of games their making?

That could turn out for the best, if Mircosoft are allowing alot of creative freedom then we are much less likey to see Mircosft sports followed by Mircosft sports 2 and Mircosoft Sports resort.

I can see Natal being frought with issues, there are always going to be problems with voice and facail recognition in their current state.

As the publicity budged increases so do the chances of the final product being crap.

Go ahead and quote hate me.

That is all.

No I agree with you. I avoid most games these days because the hype tells me they will be average at best. See MW2, halo and Gears of war.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

I've never been too thrilled about the natal, but only recently have I begun thinking about what would happen if it flops. It could lead to Microsoft leaving VG's and that could lead to another Game Crash! But oh well, let's hope my prediction is wrong.

 

[Terramax]

I'd suggest Microsoft try a hand at trying to sell this product more for businesses or professional athletes than gamers. This could be the ultimate fitness machine that the wii-fit only dreams it could be.

I reckon this is the kind of item that will only sell to a small market (at least at first) to best to home in on one or a few that are more than likely to be interested in it.

 

[Rect Pola]

All I ask is to see one full game (more than 5 minute mini-games) that use this thing.