Child of Eden

Microsoft has announced plans to bundle a downloadable copy of Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s musical shooter Child Of Eden with the current Kinect hardware offering, which includes Kinect Adventures. Launching in all Xbox Live regions excluding Japan, where Child Of Eden has yet to be released, the new bundle will begin appearing in stores next week for the same price as the existing one, “available in limited quantities and while supplies last”. While Child Of Eden is also playable with a traditional Xbox 360 controller, it is widely regarded as a highlight of Kinect’s software line-up. Our review, which you can read through the link below, labelled the game “a convincing example of how motion control can breathe new life into a niche genre” and, “more than that, a masterclass in audio design and the emotive power of CG imagery”.

It seems the "next-generation sensory experience" war is far from over, with Ubisoft and Sony issuing a bid for victory in the form of Child Of Eden's PS3 version. Out September 30, the version predictably features Move control (which "captures a full range of motion giving you ultimate control over how you play the game") and "goes even further" with stereoscopic 3D support. It will also allow you to hook up multiple controllers for further sensory excess, as you could with the XBLA version of Rez. Child Of Eden and 3D does seem a irresistible combination, mind.

Ubisoft has announced that a PlayStation 3 version of Tetsuya Mizuguchi's hypnotic Child of Eden will be released on September 23, following its Xbox 360 launch last month. The game is currently listed at €19.99 on Ubisoft's online shop, half the price of the Xbox 360 version. We contacted Ubisoft who confirmed that the price shown is correct - how this will affect the Xbox game's price is currently unclear.

Producer James Mielke says on the latest 8-4 Play podcast that Child Of Eden's PlayStation 3 release has been staggered because the developer is doing all work on the game in-house, and is now at work on the PS3 version. Saying it is "coming along nicely," Mielke hints at an improved PS3 release, with Move controls and 3D: "There's nothing I can really say about it, except that it will definitely be worth the couple months that people have to wait for the PS3 version to get finished. People with PS3s, people with nice TVs, people with all kinds of control options...it's going to be really cool."

Kongregate offering a grand prize of $10,000 for the best synaesthesia game built in Flash to help promote Child Of Eden.