PS3 Review - EyePet Move Edition

The premise of EyePet is pure genius. Everyone loves pets, they’re cute, cuddly, and provide a sense of reward and companionship. Of course they’re a downside to everything; pets make a mess and require a good deal of time and effort to properly care for which makes owning a pet feel more like a chore than it should. Enter EyePet.

EyePet is most everything that a normal pet is and more, minus the poop scooping, stained carpets, vet bills, etc. Except this pet can do some pretty amazing stuff that a normal pet could never do. Fido and Spike could never draw a car, make it come to life (virtually) and ride it around to pop balloons.

As you fire up EyePet for the first time, expect to spend a good half hour getting it set up. This was the biggest issue for me, almost annoying to the point where I wanted to give up. Having an impatient child nearby whose attention is easily lost made the set-up even more difficult. Most of you thinking about buying this game are likely doing so to have something fun to play with the kids, so be sure prepare for this long initial set-up. I would have gone as far as to recommend setting it up before calling your children in the room, but they’ll want to see the EyePet’s egg hatch and be apart of the naming process. Another unavoidable issue the set-up has, is the fact that the PlayStation Eye camera needs to be very low to the ground to work for EyePet to work. So for those of you who plan on routing the PlayStation Eye USB cable all through the back of your Home Theater TV Stand so it rested properly at the top of your TV, you might want to think again.

An obnoxious, but fitting professor walks you through the set-up process and pops up every now and again when the game is going to teach you something new about your pet. After being shown some very basic movements, like getting the EyePet to chase the Move controller, or petting your EyePet, it’s now time to begin taking care of and playing with your pet. The main menu is full of things to do.

There’s the Pet Program, which serves as the game’s progression system. It’s filled with different challenges for you to do. The challenges range from everything to snapping a photo of your pet dressed up in a silly outfit, playing certain games, drawing objects, etc. These challenges serve as a primer on how to get the most enjoyment out of your pet and the game itself. As you complete challenges, more and more challenges become available and collectibles such as clothing or toys for you pet will be unlocked. There’s up to 250 collectibles in the game to be found across the 16 days of challenges.

You don’t actually need to play the game for 16 days. Though the game does tell you after longer play sessions that your EyePet has had enough challenges for the day, and to come back tomorrow. This is probably a good thing for kids who want to spend all their time with the pet. And they will want to spend time with their pet, as it is adorable. You’ll quickly become attached to your pet, and easily get caught up in all the fun and games. Speaking of games, it’s not all just feeding and bathing your EyePet. There is quite a few games to play with your pet. Have him jump through hoops, bounce on a trampoline, or even bowl with him. Yes, you can actually toss your EyePet into bowling pins for a strike. You certainly cannot do that with a real pet.

Even though your goal is to take care of your EyePet, what happens when you dont’ take care of him is also quite interesting. After a few days of neglect, your EyePet’s hair becomes overgrown, he smells and has the flies following him to prove it, and the professor will tell you to give him a check-up. You’re EyePet will be needing some food, some exercise and some love and attention. I’m not sure if you could actually cause your EyePet to die, as I just didn’t have the heart to kill anything my daughter enjoyed so much. Even for the sake of my review.

The EyePet is well animated, and using the PlayStation Eye camera, he’s projected right into your living room for your family to enjoy. He scurries all around the floor in front of you, all without a care in the world. For added effect, the game is 3D capable, which gives the sensation that the EyePet is in the room with even more so. The 3D effect on the menus are some of the best I’ve seen, really popping right on out at you. Though that’s about it for the 3D capabilities. It’s cool to see, but it’s not impressive and worth showing off. Remember, 3D isn’t exactly the best thing for young one’s eyes, so keep that in mind if you fire up the 3D with young ones around.

Despite being overly frustrated while setting up EyePet, it was more than worth the wait. The overall experience, especially the amount and variety of challenges is very impressive. Your EyePet will quickly feel like a member of the family and it’s very rewarding to see a young child’s eyes light up when they see and interact with it. If you have children and they want a pet, but you’re against the responsibility, EyePet may actually be a decent substitute. If you’re looking for a fun PlayStation Move game to play with your family and young children, EyePet is it.