Child of Eden

GAME OF THE WEEK:7 cert, Ubisoft, Xbox 360 (Also PS3) ****

If you're a fan of Rez, you'll love Child of Eden. And it's no wonder, because the same designer (Tetsuya Mizuguchi) is behind both.

The plot of Child of Edenis relatively simple. You are tasked with saving Project Lumi, which was trying to reproduce a human personality inside the archive of human memories, known as Eden. A virus has invaded the project, threatening its success, and it's up to you to fix it.

Call it seek and destroy. But Child of Edenis so much more than a simple shooter. It's multi-sensory, so expect lots of trippy visuals and synchronised music. The game is visually fascinating, and at times almost hypnotic. Images and sound blend together so that you almost forget what you're supposed to be doing because you're simply watching the screen.

There are two ways of controlling the game: standard controllers or Xbox Kinect (PS Move for Sony players). It’s a little strange at first to get used to controlling weapons with Kinect, particularly when it comes to accuracy. But with a game like this that’s aiming to really draw you in, it would be a shame to dismiss it without trying. Sure, the standard controller is easier to handle, but playing with Kinect really immerses you, which here is probably far more important than a perfect score.

Another thing about opting for the motion controls: it’s tiring. After a couple of levels, you may need a break. And as the game progresses and things become more heated, you may find yourself flailing a little to try to hit all the targets. But if all else fails, you have a screen-clearing move that you can activate by raising both your hands.

It's not perfect, but Child of Edenmay just be the game that really showcases the Kinect. Engrossing, and addictive.