If you told gamers who purchased PlayStation Move on release week that two holiday seasons later Sorcery still wouldn’t be out, they probably wouldn’t believe you. But it’s a sad reality; Sorcery has been shrouded in mystery since its original announcement at E3 2010, and not until last week did we finally hear its official release window of Spring 2012. It was the defining game of the device’s original announcement, and summoned a nearly five-minute demonstration that was met with remarkable demand. But is it enough to make PlayStation Move the must-have peripheral that many were expecting?
After 15 months, the Move has grown quite a library of supported games. While Killzone 3, Resistance 3, and LittleBigPlanet 2 are perhaps the biggest names to support the motion device, all of them can be played with less effort and cost to the consumer using a DualShock controller. Many gamers, myself included, simply prefer to be able to turn on the PlayStation 3 and play comfortably while sitting down. One thing that keeps me from using my controller frequently is the battery life, which is roughly half of what the DualShock 3 is able to achieve. This has led to several Move owners trying out the device with supported games only temporarily, leaving the investment feeling unpronounced.
The Move exclusive list is still relatively tiny after months of opportunity have passed. Sports Champions remains the premier game, but it was a launch title and many early adopters have played it to kingdom come. Outside of that, there’s Start the Party, The Shoot, Carnival Island, EyePet, and a few other games that require the controller’s technology, but the theme with these games is they provide quick entertainment value that simply doesn’t last long.
Sorcery looked great during its demo, which was now more than a year and a half ago, so it’s expected to be even more refined at this point. It’s been declared an RPG that not only provides an intriguing story, but has the gameplay to match it. Being able to wave your hands in the air like a warlock before hurdling fire toward enemies goes without saying. It looks fun and appears to utilize motion-driven gaming in a way that competing devices have had little success in, appealing to hardcore gamers and casuals alike. The only thing that’s questionable is the diversity and quantity it will provide, which given its lengthy development time and first-party studio support shouldn’t be a problem come release.
Even if Sorcery does manage to hit a home run, the Move still might not be the solution that everyone has been looking for. It just might turn out to be the most well-received Move game yet, but only one game of its kind after years of waiting probably won’t be enough. It’ll likely still be considered more of a supplement due to its growing support in games that can be played adequately without it. So what we have is a device that is reasonably priced, can provide entertainment to groups of people, and offers a second option when playing some of your favorite games. More than anything, it’s a test by Sony to see if motion controls really have a future, and you can be sure they’ve been discussing whether or not such technology should be included with the PlayStation 4.
If you bought a PS Move, are you upset that your controller isn’t able to be used to its full potential? Do you regret your purchasing decision? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
