EyeToy: Play PS2

Something wonderful happens when you buy EyeToy. You open the box and inside is a little camera shaped like a miniature PlayStation 2. The camera oozes that unmistakably 'made by Sony' feeling of quality, complete with the inimitable red and blue LED's and a manual lens focus. Already, it's well worth the money Then, something else even more amazing happens. Your girlfriend and non-gaming friends, all of whom are sick to the back teeth of your digital obsessions, suddenly begin fighting to get in front of the TV. EyeToy, on all levels, is a winner. Although EyeToy should really have been a Sega Dreamcast invention three years ago, the fact remains that, as a moment in gaming, nothing has come close to delivering eclectic, universally appealing game entertainment since Dance Dance Revolution. The premise is simple. You position yourself in front of your TV and control everything via the motion sensing camera. At no point is the joypad needed, as all navigation, game control, file management and so on is conducted through the camera. It feels strange, but only for about one minute, as you ease yourself into the narcissistic world of motion-sensing photography hybrid gaming that comprises EyeToy. The mini-games - 12 in all - are an eclectic mix of 2D offerings, with an Oriental/Cockney mix of characters imparting a feeling best described as playing Bishi Bashi in Bermondsey. Titles such as the excellent Kung Foo see you positioned in the middle of the screen, like a giant boss from any number of games, while hordes of titchy attackers launch themselves at you. You simply slap, punch or head them away. Fantastic! It's also worth mentioning that this game probably best highlights the collision sensitivity of EyeToy. It's perfect - not spongy in the least. Every time you make contact with an attacker, they fly out of view, leaving you feeling that, beyond all expectations, the EyeToy, as a device and a concept, works perfectly. Other games, such as Keep Ups, a game in which you have to keep a ball fro