When Microsoft announced that every Xbox One would come bundled with a new, hyper upgraded version of their Kinect sensor in the box, it seemed somewhat odd that there were so few games that really showed it off. Promising higher resolution, wider angle cameras that can not only track your movements down to individual fingers, but also require up to 60% less space to run, the next-generation Kinect sounded like an impressive piece of kit - but the only game that really looked set to put it through its paces was Kinect Sports Rivals, and even then that got delayed until Spring 2014. So what will you be able to use your Kinect for on day one, beyond some fancy voice controls and the odd bit of waving at your console? Step up, Kinect Sports Rivals: Preseason.
Helping fill the gap until the main game arrives, while also giving you a great way to show off your shiny new Kinect sensor, Kinect Sports Rivals: Preseason will be available on the Xbox One as a free download come launch day. Letting you jump straight into one of the sports featured on the game - Wake Racing - you'll be able to race off against a friend in split screen, play online, and complete monthly challenges via the Kinect Sports hub, which will also be available as a separate download on day one.
It certainly wins the award for most colourful launch title
Offering a true test of Kinect's capabilities, Kinect Sports Rivals was shaping up to be one of the more impressive looking launch titles before its untimely delay. With a selection of six sports on offer - Wake Riding, Football, Bowling, Tennis, Climbing, and Target Shooting - all controlled through your body alone, one of the game's more jaw dropping features is how it puts you into the game. Simply stand in front of the camera, give it a bit of a grin, and Kinect will give you the once over, before turning you into an in-game avatar that bears a terrifying resemblance to your true self. Going far beyond simply matching the colour of your shirt, Kinect scans you in in such detail your avatar genuinely ends up looking just like you, right down to your haircut and facial hair (although with any luck, that'll hopefully only apply to the men...) It's uncanny valley, to be sure, and hopefully the feature will be present and correct in the Preseason demo.
Available to download for free on the 22nd of November, Kinect Sports Rivals Preseason should be among everyone's first ports of call on day one (or whenever you pick up your console). With plenty of stuff to unlock, and multiplayer challenges to keep things fresh, Preseason looks set to be a nice little freebie that'll tide us over until the main event next year.
