EyePet PSP review

Formats: PS3, PSP
Format reviewed: PSP
Publisher: Sony
Developer: SCE London Studio
Made2Game EyePet PSP  review score: 7/10

EyePet on the PS3 is a great game; however the only problem with it is that you couldn’t take you pet outside for a walk. Well, the clever boffin's at Sony have now come up with the perfect solution - EyePet PSP. So get your trainers on and get outside, it’s nice out there you know.

The PSP version of Eyepet follows the same idea as the PS3 version, so basically you hatch an egg, bring up the pet and watch it evolve into a clever little being. To make the pet appear on your screen, first up you need the PSP camera, which as you may or may not know is not compatible with the PSPgo, so if you have one of them you are out of luck.

Next you need the magic card which comes with the game, this card is used to track the EyePet’s movements in front of the camera, so generally this needs to be within sight at all times.

Setting the game up is very simple, you just place the Magic Card pretty much anywhere as long as it's in front of and in view of the camera, and then your little pet will appear. The card and camera work in pretty much any environment, all the game asks is that there’s plenty of light.

Obviously with the PSP being a portable device, you are going to want to carry your pet around; well wouldn’t you know the developers have had a light bulb moment. When ever you decide to go walkabouts with your Eyepet, as soon as the PSP Camera leaves sight of the card, your pet will be captured in a bubble, this allows you reach your destination before placing the card down again and getting on with your Eyepet’s day, it’s a pretty neat way of doing things and is a bit of an ingenious solution to another-wise baffling problem. Whereas in EyePet on PS3 you give your pet a shower and play games in the comfort of your living room, in EyePet PSP, you pet has his own house for things such as this.

Here you can check your progress, play games, feed, wash, dress and do pretty much anything else you could do in the PS3 game. Another neat feature of EyePet PSP is that any time you press the square button you will be able to take a picture of your pet; we can just imagine all these pictures of EyePet from around the World coming back to people on postcards as we speak.

Children love EyePet PSP as this reviewer can testify too, in fact once the kids got hold of this game it was hard to get it off them again. The beauty of the Eyepet PSP is you can take it anywhere, so the kids were easily occupied both in our home and in the car. It’s great the kids love it because there is no doubt this is one area where Sony would have been looking to be successful when developing the game.

As with the PS3 version, EyePet will bounce around chasing your hand should you place it in front of the camera and he will also react well to certain situations. There are also quite a few mini games such as fishing, bowling, car racing and gardening. Completing the games will reward you with items, although this is probably of more interest to kids than it is adults.

Finally the game also allows you to draw pictures and scan them in ala the PS3 version, and again it seems to work a treat, although its best to make sure you use a pen which the camera will find easy to pick up. Eyepet PSP is a cute little game, it works well, and you can take it anywhere, although from an adult’s point of view we aren’t that sure you would want to.

Eyepet PSP is quite clearly aimed at children and in that respect it’s brilliant. This reviewer's kids love it, and given the game has no real major flaws, that means job done for Sony. Whether people will want to pick a copy of this game up along with a camera is anyone’s guess, however in our opinion it would make a great Christmas present for you little one’s if you are stuck for ideas.

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