Having never seen the Biggest Loser TV series, we weren't all that sure of what to expect from the fitness game. Would it just be another quick cash in, or would this be something a bit more? For those who've never seen the show, the Biggest Loser is a reality program, in which a bunch of overweight people are basically put into a fat farm, and made to lose some pounds. There, with the help of the personal trainers, they're set goals, and shown how to turn their lives around.
The game, then, also sets out with similarly noble goals. As you first boot up the game, you're effectively being made a contestant on a TV show, only there are no other contestants. Instead, the trainer (and you can choose between Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, from the US version of the series) is concentrating only on you, as the game sets you out on the road to a new you.
The picture in the bottom left turns red if you're not doing the exercises properly, and tells you what you're doing wrong. Brilliant.
Things start out with a fitness test, with the Kinect sensor being used to track your movements in 3D - but, if you've played Your Shape, this couldn't be further apart. The pace is slow, and steady - it pushes you gently, and doesn't throw you to the sharks, as they see what you can take. Moving up through the ranks of exercises, the game will stop when it detects you aren't keeping up with the pace, and then recommends a level of exercises for you to partake in. After our experience with Your Shape, this was much more forgiving.
After that, again, you're asked a few questions about yourself and have to input your vital statistics, before you're asked to face the Kinect sensor, so the game can scan you in. By first facing the front, and then turning to the left, the game will attempt to create a 3D map of your body, so it can accurately calculate how many calories you'll burn - although, with us, it was more than a little bit off, saying we have a 39" waist!!!! Thankfully, you can manually adjust the values it gives you, so any mistakes are easily corrected. After that, you're given a suggested workout routine, and shown how it'll target each area differently. If you want a toned bum and thighs, but the game thinks you should work on your upper body, you can always change the workout target manually, letting you exercise the way you want to.
Argh, knee lifts. We'll need a wheelchair for the rest of the week, then.
Once the game's gathered all the data, and asked how long, and how many times a week you'd like to exercise, it's here that the magic happens. Going by what you've input, the Biggest Loser will construct a fitness plan for you to follow, whether you want a four, eight, or twelve week plan of exercises, with the intention of getting you to your goal. From the menu, you'll be able to access a calendar, which tells you when you need to load the game up again, and what you'll be doing when you return (including the dreaded weigh-ins). It's far more than "just" an exercise game, as there's even a selection of healthy recipes on offer, helping you improve all aspects of your life - not just while you're playing the game.
Of course, mimicking the TV show involves more than just having the same presenters, so, in true reality TV fashion, whenever something "big" happens in the game, whether it's you embarking on your fitness program, or when you've just completed a test, you'll be asked if you want to record a candid video diary. It's an interesting gimmick, but we're not sure we see all that many people using it - but you can always skip it if you so desire.
The exercises are nicely structured.
The actual exercises, however, are a lot more structured than those found in Your Shape, and, as such, the experience is a better one. Easing you into the exercises, before slowly but steadily ramping up the effort required, The Biggest Loser is an effective fitness partner. You're constantly bombarded with tips and positive feedback from the trainers, but they somehow manage to never feel patronising as you jog on the spot, in no doubt you must look like a complete prat. They'll be a constant source of feedback on how well you're doing, and what you should be looking to do to maximise the efficiency of each routine - including warning you about ways you could potentially injure yourself. You're given regular breaks to catch your breath, or get a drink of water, and even stranger, the trainers regularly ask you how you're doing, and you're expected to answer. Reading one of three choices on screen (along the lines of "I'm having trouble keeping up", "I'm doing OK", and the insane "Is this all you've got?") will determine how harsh the next set of exercises are. There's a huge mix here, working every major region of the body, with many requiring you to lie on the floor, and work your legs, back, and arms in an entirely different way. The only problem we found with this was that for exercises that involve lying on the floor, the sensor often has a few problem tracking quite where you are - again, like the other fitness games for Kinect, The Biggest Loser is incredibly space hungry, as lying 8ft away from the camera wasn't good enough.
Other than that, though, our experience with The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout was almost entirely a positive one. What's most impressive, though, is the way it feels as though the game revolves around you. The trainer feedback's appreciated, the breaks even more so, and the exercise plans help give you a structure to work around if you want to make real changes to your life. If you've made yourself a resolution to get up, get active, and get fit, then the Biggest Loser could be one of the most powerful tools you could have for helping you reach your goals - more so than Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, which seems to only be for people who've already reached them.
Format Reviewed: Xbox 360
