Reviews// Camgoo (Campack)

It’s difficult to be particularly impressed by what’s on offer. Camgoo has, for want of a better word, stolen the concept behind Eyetoy Play and has then released it as an inferior product. But, regardless of such creative, um, borrowing, Camgoo will still hold a certain appeal. For those with a PC, but no PS2, any such Eyetoy comparison is largely irrelevant and Camgoo is unique in what it does.

There’s no disputing that the camera-interactive malarkey is a good giggle, and this type of gaming has a near universal appeal. By dispensing with a joypad, or in the case of PCs, shedding the need for a cumbersome keyboard and mouse, interaction becomes instantly accessible. And it’s a good job that small children and/or the elderly can play it, because Camgoo is clearly aimed at the non-PS2 owning populace; which, for the most part, equates to the non-gamer market. There’s no need to explain what button X does, or how you pull off special moves, you just flap about in front of the camera like a Thunderbird with a mouthful of amphetamines.

But therein lies part of the problem. Many PC owners will have their PCs set up in a desktop type environment, and this isn’t always ideal for the Camgoo scenario. In order to get your whole body mapped onto the screen, you’ll need to stand several feet behind your monitor with you camera pointing dead-ahead; which, in practise, can be difficult anywhere other than a living room. You certainly won’t be able to get away with a discrete blast on Camgoo in the average open-plan office – at least not without looking like a massive twat with a hyper-activity disorder.

Indeed, testing out Camgoo in the SPOnG London office left our hard-working neighbours looking rather disconcerted. Who’s that crazy chap having convulsions in the hallway? Why, it almost looks as if he’s trying to converse with his computer in sign-language, what a freak! Self-awareness is not a problem that plagues us, but nonetheless, it would have been a bonus to include a T-Shirt that explains in large, bold text exactly what the Camgoo player is doing, and why. That might have staved off some of the more in-depth questioning about our mental and physical well-being, and may have avoided the need for someone to call security.