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Review:

18th December 2003:
My Street
When is a mini game not a mini game? When it's part of a package of 7 mini games that can be played online.
Posted by Chris Barnett - PlayStation 2 - UK and Europe

When a game contains 7 games, it is difficult to review it as a whole as it becomes more of a summary of the package as a whole. So instead of approaching this game as a whole game, we will attempt to review each game on its own merits. This is fair on the game too as the online mode allows you to simply choose your favourite game and play that, without any need to worry about the existence of others.

Firstly, to explain the nature of the game: it is based on a character that you choose (from several hundred possible combinations as in most character creation features in games) who must then compete with other members of a street to prove you are the best. In single player mode this is limited to a small neighbourhood where a small story about having to make friends in a your new location (before school starts in a month). This simply requires going from door to door (like a salesman, which is tedious after a while) and talking with other kids who may want to play with you. Some will require you to purchase an object to play the game with, which is financed by doing tedious chores (as in real life, yet why people would want to play a game that simulates tedious aspects of life is beyond us). And that's all there is to the single player game really (it can be completed in about 2 hours, which is quite poor).

For the multiplayer mode you can play any one of the seven games that feature in the single player mode with up to four people. This is much more enjoyable as you can choose to play your favourite games without the need to play the tedious ones or complete chores. There are troubles with communication with others, as you must use the on screen keyboard, and with no USB headset support either most players will play without chatting (which takes away a chunk of the intercommunication aspect somewhat).

So onto the game that you actually get to play, and a mixed bunch they are too (they all have the same 'big head kid' graphical styling that is strangely appealing throughout).

Marbles simply requires you to knock marbles into a goal, which is simple yet addictive. Chicken Herding is a similar (read: very similar) game to Chu Chu Rocket but with chickens and pigs instead of cats and mice (the 2 dimensional graphics are also similar) but with slightly less complex situations (Sonic Team's touch for puzzle design is sadly absent). Volleyball is a weak attempt at a net sport with gameplay that feels as if it was welded together in a few hours (unresponsive controls and very limited actions). This game would have been better off if it had been excluded really. RC Racing is an accessible and enjoyable take on the micro machines type racing (a semi overhead view) with tight tracks. Careful control is key to success rather than outright competitive racing, which may be good or bad for you depending on preference. Lawn Mowers is simply RC Racing with the need to avoid flowers and with less speed. In fact, it feels rather like a sub mode to RC Racing and should not really have been considered as an individual game due to the resemblance. Chemistry is a puzzle game that is similar to the (semi) classic Puyo Puyo Pop but with a slightly more relaxed intensity suited to multiplayer. And finally is Dodge ball where you must dodge the ball in a gym, which is much more fun than it sounds.

Since all of the games are similar to classics, it is difficult to fault them on their actual structure; it's just a shame that none of them are really original. Dodge ball and RC Racing are particularly enjoyable and marbles was quite fun for a while. But you get the impression that it will tire quite soon as the games lack depth and detail. A missed opportunity or an unbalanced game? A difficult call but we would claim that is does succeed in entertaining kids in the online domain (which is good as they often avoid online games) and that is enough to sell a game to parents. Just don't expect the strategy guides to be required�

Chris Barnett

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Review Summary:

A game that never aims high and never impresses. Not a bad thing in itself but quite dissapointing when it is considered as a missed opportunity. Kids will love getting the chance to play online in such simple games though, which is a great start to gaming.

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My Street
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