Publisher: Sony
Platform: PlayStation 3
Rating: G
Price: $89.95

Tone Rating: 4/5

Reviewed by: Kona Burdett, age 11

EyePet is the latest game to use the PlayStation Eye camera, and is like an updated Tamagotchi or Nintendogs. Using the PlayStation Eye, you get to interact with a virtual pet that looks like a cross between a monkey and a cat.

The game itself is strikingly similar to the Tamagotchi as you must feed your pet, keep it happy, clean it and so on.

In the box you receive a small rectangular pad that during the game transforms into things onscreen, such as a bubble blower, trampoline and even a singing set.

A cool feature is that you can draw a picture on a piece of paper, such as a car, then hold it up to the Eye and your pet will attempt to redraw it in-game. Once your pet redraws the car (for example), it becomes animated as a remote controlled car that you can use as a toy to play with your pet.

Using the PlayStation controller, you are even able to choose from a selection of materials for your creation to be made out of, such as gingerbread, plastic or wood.

Throughout there are challenges to participate in and win your pet special gifts, toys and clothes. I particularly enjoyed playing the challenges and trying to get more gifts for my pet, and the minigames you are able to play with your pet (such as bowling, where you use him as a bowling ball) are a lot of fun.

The game also ran very smoothly and with no problems.

It’s great to see that PlayStation has taken Tamagotchi-style games to the next level by allowing the players to interact with their pets. Doing so has given me hours of fun.

Cool:

• The small pad you receive with the game that transforms into things

• Being able to interact with your pet

• Getting cool toys you can use to play with your pet

• The ability to customise your pet (change colour, fur, make it wear clothes, etc)

• You can have a garden

• You can draw things and have them brought to life in-game

Uncool:

• The game needs a certain amount of light for the Eye camera to work properly. With too much or too little light, navigating through the game and interacting with your pet gets very frustrating because it can’t read your hand gestures very well

What do you think?