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You’re in the Movies Review for Xbox 360

You’re in the Movies Review for Xbox 360

On the Way to Stardom

This game was one of the most interesting game announcements we saw at Microsoft’s Keynote in the last E3, at least as far as party games go. I even got to try it with some other journalists, and I couldn’t help but be curious about what it would be like to play a few mini-games with my friends and then obtain a cool custom movie as a result. Unfortunately, I can’t say the game turned out to be a success, but at least it’s on the right path, and hopefully the developers will consider fixing its flaws in order to make it shine.

You're in the Movies screenshot

Wondering how this game works? It’s simple. You just have to clear the living room so there’s plenty of space available (just like if you were going to play Wii Sports). After that, set up the LIVE Vision camera in the middle of the room, and then start the game. You’ll be asked to perform a calibration. All you have to do is make sure there’s plenty of lighting and not too much stuff behind the made-up stage. If everything is set up correctly, you should be able to see your own silhouette on top of the game’s background, just like if you were the weather man. Up to four players will participate in a series of mini-games, which are split up between a few rounds. When it’s your time to act, you’ll be called onto the stage and you’ll have to do what the game says, whether it’s swatting bees, doing a few dance moves, feigning surprise or terror, running and dodging objects, etc. There’s no time to be shy; you just go there, do it, and return to your seat. Many times two players will compete in small duels, like rescuing a treasure from the sea by pulling a rope or racing to the finish line.

You’re in the Movies has all the ingredients to make a nice party. First of all, people will be entertained with its funky mini-games, at least for a while; second, everyone gets to partake and make a fool out of themselves – the perfect formula for a good dose of laughs; third, it’s memorable – after goofing around, the game will create a movie featuring all the players who participated in the fun. You can even upload it to the Internet and retrieve it via e-mail. Then, you can post it on YouTube or send it to all your friends. Who knows, it may even be a nice thing to have in case you ever have to resort to blackmail or something like that!

You're in the Movies screenshot

The biggest problem with the game is its low video quality and the low replay value. You may have a really fun evening with your friends, but chances are most of them won’t be eager to play the same game any time soon. After all, You’re in the Movies only offers about 40 mini-games, and after you’ve played them all, it will start to feel somewhat redundant and even annoying. If it wasn’t for the fun movie you get to watch at the end, you may not even be motivated enough to perform in front of the camera again.

The low video quality and shape recognition is also bothersome. We all know the Xbox LIVE Vision camera is not that good, but the final result in You’re in the Movies seems even worse. Mixing the players silhouette with actual movie clips contained in the game doesn’t work great all the time. Perhaps the technology is not there yet, at least at the price we’re paying for the game. On occasions, the game will work well until almost the end, and then, all of a sudden, it will decide to show a piece of wall around you or your friends. Other times it simply won’t recognize the entire shape of the player, cutting off the player’s arms or showing a hole in the middle of their belly. Seeing how the movie is going to get ruined just because the game or the camera decided not to work is frustrating. Things could have been much better with a replay button that would allow you to repeat the mini-game once the camera is recalibrated. Instead, if the problem happens and you want a clean movie, you’ll have to start all over again.

You're in the Movies screenshot

It’s imperative not to change the lighting conditions or the background within the room. Even still, things will inexplicably go wrong when you least expect it and without having changed a thing. This is my biggest complaint with the game. At least half of the movies we made got spoiled because of an inexplicable error with the camera and the people cutouts.

You're in the Movies screenshot

Of course, the game is not all that bad. It has appropriate sound effects, the game design is appealing, and the mini-games are funny. Since players are separated from the background and transported into the game’s zany visuals, everyone will laugh out loud seeing how ridiculous the “actors” look waving their arms, gesticulating like a foolish person. The director’s voice can get annoying though. It starts really funny, but you’ll get tired of his repetitive and defiant comments. Who does he think he is? Well…if we’re the actors, I guess that makes him the boss…but still!

All in all, You’re in the Movies is more of a novelty than a fully fleshed out game. It includes 30 different movies of various genres, which are funny spoofs of Hollywood-style movies. There’s also a section you unlock where you can edit and create your own movies, but there should be a higher amount of movies and mini-games, and the gameplay should be more fast-paced. The Director’s Mode will let you combine clips from different movies, add your own voice or sound effects with the mic, and that’s about it. It’s a nice extra, but it won’t do much for the average player. Also, there isn’t online play, so you can’t play with your online friends or share the videos with them unless you use a computer to download the movies and then upload it to a video website.

Playing mini-games and watching a movie featuring yourself and your friends is fun the first few times, but it wears off fast. The game does a good job of including everyone and providing a fun time, and the Director’s Mode extends its value, but if you already own the camera and get tired of party games easily, perhaps there isn’t a good enough reason to jump into this purchase. However, if you’re ready for a crazy night of fun, renting it wouldn’t hurt. In fact, it will be highly entertaining the first time around!

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 3.2 Graphics
The game design is funny and engaging for party gameplay, but the movie clips leave something to be desired. The video quality is also pretty bad. 3.0 Control
You’re in the Movies needed more polish. The Cutout Studio technology doesn’t work well, especially in an average living room with pictures and furniture in the background. 3.2 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Background music and sound effects are appropriate for the game, but the director’s voice gets downright annoying. 3.3 Play Value
This game is very fun the first time around, but the fun doesn’t last long due to the small amount of mini-games and movies available. 3.3 Overall Rating – Fair
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • Casting call. Up to four friends can bask in the spotlight and play starring roles. But rest assured, even watching from the sidelines is fun! A top-notch director guides actors through their roles with simple instructions and immediate feedback; in fact, the director even rates actors on their physical performance in minigames. This exciting scoring system will stop you A-listers from getting too lazy.
  • Share your masterpiece with the world. What budding talent doesn’t yearn to be discovered? You can share your cinematic creations – your performances and user-created movies – by downloading your masterpieces to your computer and sharing them with friends, family, and the entire world. Just think, that best actor award could be only a click away.
  • Take the director’s chair. Jump into Director Mode and produce your very own blockbuster. Lock yourself in the edit room and get to work filming the next big hit. Choose your music, add your own voice-over and re-edit to your heart’s content.
  • The miracle of technology. The Xbox LIVE Vision camera captures player movements using the revolutionary Cutout Studio technology. “You’re in the Movies” allows players’ best and most hilarious performances to be filmed, saved, shared, and relived.

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