To me the Kinect no doubt had a lot of potential to be a great gaming accessory, allowing the gamers teh ability to get the chance to play some fun games while playing around, and the hardcore gamers extra accessibility to add functions into games. An example of an extra is the Siaxis controller for the ps3 (not many games used this), but tilting the controller allowed for extra movement or balancing in parts of certain games (like balancing on a log in Uncharted). Which in truth that proved to be more frustrating than fun at most times, but I am getting off the topic at hand.
When I bougt the Kinect it had already been released for about 8 months, giving it time to work out any problems that intially come out and go down in price a little. I want to make a list of what I think is good and bad about the Kinect, and review as much as I can with my expierience with mine has been.
I'll start with the bads, because I don't like to end things on a bad note:
BADS
1: Controls
This is a hard one to explain since the Kinect has no controls, and it is based off the movement it reads from the players. Now this is a hard killer towards the Kinect for me, because the main function I have seen in games tend to have more problems than not. I tend to find myself arguing more with the kinect on what movements I am trying to make, and it would be making moves that i wasn't even trying to do. It's enjoyable at times, but to me a lot more frustrating in games when I am trying to play.
2. Games
While games like Mass Effect 3 have came out to utilize the Kinect with voice commands, which work really well in my experience. I am talking about the games that utilize the Kinect for its potential. Games that have been released solidly for Kinect were the type you would find on the Wii with little variation. The sports games and family games types, which most would play much easier from the Wii or PS3 Move because the Kinect has a harder time reading than those. For a hardcore gamer with a full around experience to get from playing on just the Kinect. Let's face it love Call of Duty or Battlefield? Those types of games just would not be able to utilize the Kinect in its state to make it an enjoyable experience. If you want to work out or dance, then the Kinect may just be what you're looking for
3. Other Players and Viewers
Now another big problem I have is the Kinect has a hard time keeping myself and maybe another play in the game without reading someone that is sitting behind me on the couch watching me play. All of the sudden there is another player with the guest character going ape shit because the person is only sitting down trying to watch me play and not participate. If no one is in view of the Kinect to read it does fine, but I don't like having to move people and furniture around just to play a game.
GOODS
1. Voice Commands
I honestly believe this is the best part of the Kinect, and this is the issue that I normally have no problems with. I'd love to see more games initiate the voice commands into the games, but other than not a huge selection in those types of games it is very functional on the xbox to move around, and understands my saying very well. For example "Xbox, bing Metal Gear Solid HD Collection", and it would come up in the Bing Search, I love that.
2. Xbox 360 Utilizing Kinect
When the Kinect first came out not many things utilized what the kinect would do, so more often than not you still needed to use the controller. To do most anything from the Xbox 360 dashboard and apps, you can use voice commands and hand gestures to go through it. I'll admit it was nice to be able to go through Netflix with simple commands.
3. No Controls
While this still has a lot of kinks to get worked out, I do love the idea with games of being able to play without using the controller. But I do believe that if this system is perfected they should do it to where the player has the choice in the game whether to play using the Kinect or the controller, and not be forced either way.
As you see with the goods and bads I wanted more of an even tone through out, because I like the concept, but it has just not been able to reach the hype that it set for itself. Too many issues and the lackluster gaming choice make it hard for me to give this a high review for myself. Like I said it can be fun, but it can be frustrating. It's gotten to the point I don't even try to utilize the Kinect as much any more for gaming, as much as I do for getting around the dashboard.
MY FINAL SCORE
6/10... I want to rate it higher, but I believe it shows enough potential to be a good gaming accessory, but not enough behind that has backed it up to show me otherwise. I'm sure this won't be the only type of system to utilize this technology, and I can't wait for the next one that may have been polished out to be a great gaming accessory for everybody
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