Eden never looked so wonderfull
In 2002 a man named Tetsuya Mizuguchi introduced the United States to a game known as Rez. It was a game so unique that the game was bundled in japan with a device known as a trance vibrator, which was intended to be placed in one pocket or sat on but was occasionally used for more erotic methods of play. I didn’t experience Rez until it was released for Xbox Live Arcade and when I finally played it I realized I was playing greatness. Child of Eden is the spiritual successor to Rez but offers a little more complexity and a lot more beauty. There are many things that a video game can do for a person: they can be a method of relaxation and social interaction; a source of satisfaction or frustration. It is very hard to put into words exactly what Child of Eden does. The only thing I can really say is that what ever Child of Eden is doing, it definitely puts a smile on my face and an ache in my arm.
Child of Eden doesn’t have the most compelling or even understandable story, but that didn’t really bother me.I beat the game, yet I didn’t really know what going on. All I can gather is you are trying to save a girl named Lumi from a virus filled cyberreality. This is the most basic form of the plot, but I think that the plot is meant to be interpreted in multiple ways. There are no other characters besides Lumi and it is never revealed who -- or what -- your character is. The story feels ripped from Rez, where you are also tasked with purifying cyberspace. Overall the story is not the important part.
The game play of Child of Eden is fairly simple. It is an on rails shooter with a blue lock on firing system and a purple rapid fire system. Players use the lock on system to purify enemies and get combos. Combos are obtained though locking onto 8 targets and firing at the right time of the beat. The rapid fire system is used against purple targets and purple projectiles that are fired from corrupted foes. There are power-ups a player can pick up such as extra health and a euphoria bomb that wipes out all enemies and projectiles on screen. Playing with a controller works well enough and only has a little more accuracy then using Kinect, but while using Kinect, I found myself in a constant state of serenity, building up as the game progressed which created a very euphoric experience that few games had created in me before. It was as if I was a conductor and the universe was my orchestra. The only problem I was that occasionally there is too much going on screen that will lead to significant damage .Child of Eden offers the most accurate experience I have had playing a Kinect game so far. While the controller is good, this game deserves to be played with Kinect.
Child of Eden offers one of the most entrancing gaming worlds I have ever experienced. The pulsating music is hypnotic and will create a warm sensation in you that can only be described as pure bliss. Child of Eden is a truly breath taking idealized world featuring cybercreatures, intangible imagery and data filled tunnels. Tron looks like a toddlers drawing of basic geometric shapes compared to the striking world that is presented in Child of Eden.
Child of Eden is a must play experience that is beautiful but slightly blemished by its short length and lack of content. The game can be completed in 2-3 hours and while Child of Eden offers collectibles and a harder difficulty, it still leaves you with a desire for more imaginative worlds and mind soothing musi. While I admit that the 50 dollar price tag is high and this will undoubtedly turn some gamers away from purchasing Child of Eden, I still encourage anyone to try this game for the shear fact that it is a truly unique and enjoyable experience you won’t find elsewhere.
Watch me play: Gameplay is from an uncalibrated play through.
