VIDEO GAME REVIEW: Summer Stars - Deep Silver

Release Date: 01/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

Summer Stars lets players experience a large variety of events, special challenges and competitions at exciting venues, including London, the scene of the Summer Olympics and well-known stadiums and arenas around the world.

Summer Stars offers a challenging and deep career mode, multiplayer modes for up to four players and a large variety of disciplines and venues, and will deliver high replay value and hours of fun for players.

With more than 18 different disciplines & challenges, Summer Stars covers a whole range of summer sports. Players can prove their talent in disciplines like Triple Jump, Mountain Biking, Diving or Sprinting and become a top athlete in the career mode. In multiplayer mode, they can compete directly with up to three friends or family members on split screen - delivering a gripping "just one more go" experience. Summer Stars also leaves it up to the players to decide how far they will be physically involved in the gameplay: the game supports traditional arcade-style controls, as well as motion control.

* Kinect exclusive features: Fitness optimised input, Customised fitness reports and trends for the player, fitness diary and calendar
* 18 thrilling arcade-style sporting events
* Freeplay mode with 4 player split screen support and family feature



REVIEW:

In a time when getting fit feels like a chore, it’s always fun when a game arrives that not only gives you some fun to get on with working out, but also brings something of a flavour of the time to the user. After all, in a year of the Olympics, what could be more fun than tackling some of the events to earn your own medals as well as trying to beat your own personal best.

Each user can challenge friends as well as family (and for me that’s the best part) as you all seek to outdo each other. Whether you want to beat them at long jump or out fence them or even hit the bull’s-eye in the archery challenge there’s something here for everyone and perhaps a great way to beat the Summer blues on those rainy days. However if you’re not into doing things the Kinect way it is compatible with the controller, although be aware of the Daly Thompson Decathlon or Hypersport frenzied action that could lead to damage on the controller in the long term.

For me this was a game that was a lot of fun, a great way to have a bit more fun getting fit and a wonderful way to get the whole house to improve their fitness and see who rules the podium. Great stuff.