PlayStation Move Hardware Impressions

There is no denying that motion control gaming is here to stay. Nintendo has incredible success with the Wii, Microsoft has gone all-in with the controllerless Kinect and Sony is geared to launch the PlayStation Move. Gamers from all corners of the Earth have their own opinion of motion control, but nobody can say it is a fad anymore. We were able to snag a couple of PlayStation Moves from Sony before they are publicly available.

The first impression of the PlayStation Move wands is that they look a bit funny. The contoured handle with the giant rubbery orb resting on top will have people asking what it is. However, after they pick up the Move wand, it becomes apparent this was designed to maximize comfort. The hand wraps around the body and the pointer finger will automatically rest comfortably over the trigger and the thumb will sit over the “Move” button. The wand has a nice weight that isn’t too light or heavy. Most importantly, it feels like a piece of high-end technology and different enough from the Wii controller to stand on its own.

Once the PlayStation Move turns on and comes alive the fun begins. After setting up a PlayStation Eye on the TV and plugging in the controllers to sync via USB, the PlayStation Move is ready for action. There shouldn’t be any sort of trouble “installing” the PlayStation Move because all the connectors are similar to plugging a digital camera into a computer. When the orb begins to glow, it actually is a pretty cool effect. Since the lighted ball has a purpose for tracking the controller, it is one of those rare instances where form and function are symbiotic. When gamers want to put down the PlayStation Move, they can plug it back into the USB slot and recharge the batteries. It might sound trivial, but freedom from having to keep feeding controllers AA batteries is Heaven-sent. Â

After playing a good sampling of games, my impression of the PlayStation Move is that it will leave people who are looking for an accurate motion control solution floored. Seeing the gladiator sword track with slight moves or a turn of the wrist was spellbinding. The PlayStation Move might make a few motion control converts, but Sony isn’t really looking to capture that crowd because this is targeted at the demographic that Nintendo has done so well with. Personally, I was amazed at how precise the PlayStation Eye was able to track the PlayStation Move wand. The augmented-reality games like Start the Party! show how the PlayStation Move has the potential to disrupt the comfortable hold Nintendo has on motion control gaming. One of the trade-offs for the accurate controls is that each game will have a calibration test, which to gamers used to booting up the game and getting into the action will notice more than the people who might not have had as much history with games.

The upcoming reviews for the individual games will show that the PlayStation Move is in its infant stages. Sony has shown an impressive line-up of games that will make use of the PlayStation Move but the day-one launch games are just going to be scraping the surface of what is capable down the road. The future looks extremely promising for the PlayStation Move and that renewed sense of possibility with motion-controlled gaming is all a result of how precisely the controller is able to track movement.Â