In 2003, revolution in game play was introduced to the world of the PlayStation 2 in the form of a wonderful USB camera called the Eye Toy. The idea was simple, and had been on the backburner of Sony for quite a while. The idea was that people could be their own controller in a game. What could involve people more, than literally involving them in the game from start to finish? Acting upon the idea, they used a USB 1.1 camera and created drivers so that it would specifically with the Playstation alone, then released it. Packaged in with Eye Toy Play, the game was a hit, and its addictive nature had people lining up to purchase them. It was a fantastic game for not only kids, but also adults as well.

The original game sported only 12 mini-games and a playroom. This was their first step in camera based games. With its popularity growing they decided to capitalize on it as much as they could, and since no sequels could be produced, they continued to think up of innovative new ways to involve the people into their product. Trying to capitalize on the idea of Dance Dance Revolution, Sony created Eye Toy Groove. This allowed the people to dance to music, mainly using their hands, to activate buttons on the screen. Again this game was well received, as everyone found this new style enjoyable and fresh.

As the success continued, so did the production of games that the Eye Toy could be used upon. Not only were their own products using this gizmo, but also other games, like Sims: Urbs, and Dance Dance Revolution allowed people to add their own face to the game, and adding unique features. With the creative juices flowing the Eye Toy continued to branch out into unique niches never before touched on, and this is where Eye Toy Kinetics comes in. This game is designed to make working out enjoyable, but did it accomplish that task?

First things first, in Kinetics you are certainly in for a surprise. This game is all about exercise, and it provides it in a bucket load. There are four zones that you specialize on in, the cardio zone, combat zone, toning zone, and finally the mind and body zone. In the cardio zone, games are inspired by high-energy choreographed aerobic exercises, even including features from modern dance, and contemporary movement. Just as the title says, it is all about getting you up and moving. There is also a character outline that will display on screen, once you find yourself not hitting all the targets, showing you how to move, to assist you through it. The target is just an outline, and it quite difficult to follow 100% of the time.

Secondly there is the combat zone. These exercises provide an extremely anaerobic style, since they are inspired by moves from self-defence courses. They are short, high intensive, and straight to the point, while being designed to build fitness levels through the entire body. You may find yourself throwing high kicks, or even jumping around in the air. The rapid move set and anaerobic nature of the exercises will increase you heart rate, improve your endurance, and increase your cardio respiratory system.

Then there is the toning zone, where the sequences are designed to tone and strengthen certain muscle groups, of your choosing, using lead and follow instructions. What is neat about using this one is not only will you be on the screen, but also you will see an instructor there, the entire time, showing how to move. You will additionally see them from another angle, which really assists in getting the move done correctly, to maximize the time you are using on this. They are really simple to do, but also extremely effective. Just make sure to follow all of the instructions properly, while ensuring you are doing as they do.

Finally there is the mind and body zone. The exercises within this zone are inspired by a bunch of other systems included. They sport exercises from Yoga to Tai Chi, and they even make it sort of enjoyable, as they are trying out these new techniques that you normally would never see. These are slower, and assist with your breathing, flexibility, and your concentration. Each of the courses is dynamic from the last, and leaves you feeling quite relaxed. It allows you to follow lines on the screen, or in some cases following an instructor to reach your goal.

The lesson times vary, but I have noticed that some are even up to ten minutes. After ten minutes of doing their unique style of sit ups, I can honestly tell you that you do feel the burn, and even a little pain to go with the gain. It does have you tossing and turning in so many different directions. With this in mind I recommend before buying this game, you make sure you have a large area to play it in. I recommend a ten-foot by ten-foot area to make sure you do not hit anything. I also recommend that you purchase a matt to put on the ground, because you will be frequently on it. I further recommend only wearing light coloured clothing when working out, as the camera has a severe issue capturing you if you are wearing black. I found the game continually paused because it did not detect anyone on screen.

The music in the game is not really definable. There are no hit songs, and they try and match it up with what type of exercise you are attempting to do, but nothing pulls you in. I know when I am working out I like having something that pulls me away from what I am doing. Sadly, this just does not accomplish that task. They are not bad songs by any stretch, but mostly something you may end up hearing in an elevator in a hotel. You can choose to turn the music off though, and play something else on your stereo system.

Something that was introduced into this game is a personal training program. After choosing between which trainer you would like to use, Matt or Anna, you get to answer a few questions about how active you are. It determines what level may be best for you, but you do get to choose in the end. This is also a daily thing as well, where you will go to your Playstation 2 and work out with it. What the system does it takes different aspects and levels from the four zones mentioned before, and has you do a few of them in a day. They rotate through them as the days pass. This is not a short program either, as it is programmed to last 12 weeks. Something else that is neat, is that if you miss a few of your workouts it will ask if you would like to start the program all over again, or continue where you are at.