EyePet & Friends PS3 Review

Publisher – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe – Developer – London Studios – Genre – Virtual Pet – Players – 1-2 – Age Rating – 3+ – Other console/handheld formats – N/A

I have fond memories of Tamigotchi virtual pets from my younger days, and really connected with some of them, nurturing them from the moment that they hatched out of their eggs. EyePet I assume would have already had the same effect on today’s kids, having first been released in 2009 on PS3.

For those unfamiliar with Sony’s EyePet games, basically the objective is to look after a cute, fury creature, doing your best to make sure it remains happy and healthy. You’ll keep it clean, provide food, teach it things and play with it. It’s basically a Tamigotchi inside your TV screen.

The difference with this version of EyePet is that it’s possible for two players to look after their own pets, or for a single person to look after two. Multiplayer adds some competition into the wealth of mini games that are included on the game disc, competing against another player as opposed to your own previous scores as in other EyePet titles.

But largely, EyePet & Friends is a typical entry in the series, and like the previous game, makes use of Sony’s Move controller and the PlayStation Eye in tandem with one another. The new multi-EyePet option does require an extra Move; although multiplayer is an option and not a necessity.

Interacting with your EyePet should be a lot of fun, and fortunately it is. There are various mini games and toys for your EyePet to play with, and the little creature is so cute that you really will want to keep him happy and healthy. The Move controls are mostly very reliable, and you’ll see the controller turn into various objects, seeing yourself holding them inside the screen, while your EyePet appears to be wandering around your living room.

At the heart of the EyePet experience are the Pet Tokens. These tokens are earned with doing almost anything in the game, which in turn allows you to purchase various goodies for your EyePet. You can buy food, toys, customise your EyePet and more with these points, which will certainly give the target audience a sense of reward for both themselves and their furry little friend.

There’s a fair bit to do in EyePet & Friends, with fun and simple mini games, the opportunity to teach your pet tricks, feeding, exercise, strong customisation options and more. But sadly, there’s still not quite enough to completely ward off the tedium, and even the younger audience may want to move onto something else after the novelty wears off, which admittedly may take quite some time. Staying with negatives, the loading times are also longer than you’d hope, although you do see your cute pet doing cute things while the game goes through the motions.

With its adorable pet and simplicity, EyePet & Friends is certainly going to appeal to younger gamers. As a game it may be largely unchanged and be more tedious than it should be, although it still offers enough fun and a sense of responsibility, although you won’t ever need to get your hands dirty when cleaning up any accidents, and these pets won’t bite you during the teething phase.