Although few people inside the games press have had access to Microsoft's full body tracking Project Natal camera, Microsoft seems to have no problem showing it off to their "celebrity" buddies. Earlier this year, Jonathan Ross and the Gadget Show got the opportunity to go hands-on with the device, but this week, it was the turn of Hollywood screenwriter James Gunn (of Scooby Doo and Dawn of the Dead) to have a go.
Unfortunately for Microsoft, however, their celebrity buddies don't seem to be very good at keeping things secret - earlier this year, Jonathan Ross not only let slip that the camera would be launching in October, but also criticised the device - and this time, Mr. Gunn has revealed a previous unknown game.
Called River Rush, the co-operative game puts you and a friend in a raft that's floating down a river (funnily enough). Stepping (or leaning) left and right will steer your raft through the rapids, and by physically jumping in the air, you can make your raft leap out of the water, which will then give you a chance to slap at - and collect - the stars that are hanging in the air. Bad news for those of us with Xbox 360s above the ground floor, then.
It all sounds like a game that'll certainly involve a fair amount of communication - and physical exertion, which it sounds like impressed Mr. Gunn.
"Being a gamer since I was a kid, I was really struck by the amount of physical exertion it took. It's amazing exercise and, because of that, I think it's going to be a much better device for people's health in general. As hyperbolic as it may sound, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if in a few years we see a decrease in childhood obesity simply because of the system. For that alone, I think it's the biggest step forward in gaming in a long, long time."
Strong words indeed - but ones that don't actually sound as implausible as he may think. As the Wii has proven - if the games are right, people will get behind motion sensors, and when you're playing a game like that, you do tend to forget about what you're actually doing, and lose yourself in what's happening on screen.With fun and fitness, rolled into one neat package, we've already started to re-enforce our floors. The days of gaming being associated with obesity and laziness may soon be numbered.
