Saying Child of Eden is a "tad short" is a gross understatement. You can complete the game's 5 chapters in less than 3 hours, start to finish, with the only replay value being unlocking one new challenge mode or playing the same game with different visual stimuli. Considering all the hype about this game after 2010's E3, I'm disappointed. It was a fun ride, but just when it felt like it was picking up and getting frantic, it was over. That said, it IS a fun experience, and really shows what can be done with motion controls when games are designed from the ground up to include them. The controller option is passable, but it's clearly designed to be superior with motion control. The biggest problem, at least in my opinion, is the length. For $50, you're really only getting the content of a downloadable title. Sure, it's enjoyable, and you may play it a couple of times, but is it worth $50 for MAYBE 10-12 hours (assuming multiple replays)? The game is fun, but in terms of value, it's hard to recommend.… Expand

CoE is one of a kind for two reasons. 1. It is a FPS in the stylistic sense, but not in relation to its content. FPS games have been hijacked by people who want our generation to be obsessed with war; hijacked by those who want us to lose our imagination and leave it in place of romanticized ideas of WWII and the like. 2. Shamanic witchcraft is back in the 21st century: you're using your hands to control the game and "shoot," which as far as I know, is the first time this has ever been done. The reviewer below me who says "this game can be played with a controller" is missing the beauty! THIS GAME CAN BE PLAYED WITHOUT A CONTROLLER!!!… Expand

*NOTE:THIS GAME CAN BE PLAYED WITH A CONTROLLER*

Words cannot do this game justice. Not because it's ultimately superior, but just because it's just different. It's a tad short, but it has plenty of replay value and unlockables.

It's a great game for all ages, and all levels of experience. If you are unsure and wary about spending the money, I saw a game called "Q3" at Gamestop that's down to about $13 now that is a 3-pack that contains "REZ HD", the predecessor of Child of Eden.

Pick up REZ HD and if you like it, Child of Eden will blow your mind. (The bigger the TV and sound system, the better.)… Expand

The strength of this game is in its SMOOTHNESS. Not many words to really describe it with... I don't know, FLUIDITY. DYNAMIC-INTER-RELATEDNESS-OF-IMPOSSIBLE-AND-COOL-AESTHETICS. Just watch the trailer. It's exactly like that. But better. Yes, it's short. But you feel like you've taken a bunch of drugs when you play it. If you want to have a party where people pop pills or get wasted or something just simply have it on in the background and everybody will enjoy themselves. It's unbelievable.… Expand

This game has the power to move one to tears.
It's beautiful, emotional, rewarding, powerful and simply...special.
It is like the kind of movie that haunts you years after viewing.
Besides it is the first game after playing I felt happy for buying a kinect. Kinect is totally capable of serious games, what a relief.
Yes it is short, but to me it is definitely a keeper which I can pick up again whenever I just want to watch and hear something that put a real smile on my face.… Expand

Not worth the money. I beat this game in 2 and a half hours and discovered there is almost no replay-ability.
This could have easily been a 15$ Arcade release but they are trying to capitalize on the motion control crowd. It is very beautiful and fun but I recommend waiting for this one to hit the bargain bin.

A triumph of unique visual artistry in a sea of games that strive for realistic graphics. Child of Eden shuns realism for the abstract and takes you on a psychedelic journey of environments. Its only failings are its short length which don't quite justify the retail price this title commands. For kinect owners, the control response is fluid and is a one of a kind title that deserves a spot in your game library.… Expand

For those of you calling this REZ 2, I must let you know that this game far surpasses Rez in graphics, music and controls. Mizuguchi's soul is still blaring out of your audio and visual stimuli-resonators, but the game is unique. One of the most unique games of my lifetime, and of yours if you give it a go.

welcome to the world of controlling the entire universe with your hands!!!! two thumbs up!! five smiles!! twelve toes crossed!!! best game i've played in years!!! you have to try it!!!

So, I bought Child of Eden yesterday, and I've been wanting this game since I heard that 'Rez' was getting a sequel. Then I found out after E3 it was Kinect-able. I nearly lost my mind at the thought of actually using my hands to guide the tracer! In the short time I played it (about 2 hours) before bed last night, I completed almost 60% of the chapters. Although with some games, this would be a complete failure, I played 'Matrix' a good 3 times last night because the challenge isn't just about getting through the level, its purifying the cells to 100% and making the most fluid soundtrack you can with the motions you make as a Kinect player. I can somehow forgive it's 'shortness' because of the immaculate graphics and generally insane detail put in. Playing such a visually stimulating game in HD on a large screen, is something to behold. Although it seems a lot of the reviews are concentrating on the fact that it is a short game, current trends in DLC and extra, post-release content will no doubt expand the game again, for a small fee of course. And if you're playing this game with a pad, you're missing out on about 3/4 of the choas. This game was, and still is, ahead of it's time. 10/10… Expand

Child of Eden is an incredible journey into a digital universe. The music and visuals are amazing. The Kinect control is spot on. I was impressed at how smooth the game played when you use both hands at different times (for different weapon types) and how accurate it was. It is well worth the money and worth picking up over the other games that have been released recently. I didn't give it a perfect score because it is a tad short. However, I will have to say that I was using Kinect to play it and my arm is killing me now :)… Expand

Developed by Q Entertainment and published by Ubisoft, Child of Eden is a first person shooter. But it's also a game unlike almost every other first person shooter out there. Dazzling visual and audio effects, brilliant level design, smooth controls, and a catchy technopop soundtrack form a solidarity with which Child of Eden rises to greatness.

See the full text of my review here: http://boredomsadvocate.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-child-of-eden.html… Expand

This week I was romanced by the thought of a Kinect game that I actually was interested in. Several review sites around the web, including my personal favorite IGN, say that this is the title that we were all waiting for, this is Eden.

Child of Eden is a Kinect friendly (but controller capable) game for Xbox 360. If you don't have a kinect, don't bother. This title is MADE for motion control. The story? From what I could make out of it, it's sometime in the future, the internet is now called Eden, and mankind has moved into space, and there is a girl in a garden that needs saving... from Eden... thus the internet is eating a little girl. Hmm.

If that sounds confusing to you, welcome to the club. It sounds completely asinine to me. Don't take that as a bad thing though, as this title is about the game itself, NOT the story. I never thought that this was able to happen.

At it's root, Eden is a shooter title, but one, for lack of a better term, is Euro'ed up. Techno trance music, enhanced by your shooting capabilities, washes over you as you move yourself about shooting the likes of glowing worms, insects, and possible parasites. The neon colours are not just pretty things, they are not just '90's flash back, they are engaging and well planned. You have two styles of weapons. Your left hand is a machine styled light gun. It is fast and easy to use, but not very powerful. Your right hand is a lock on missile light gun.

To call what you have guns is unfair, as this is the simplest way to describe what you have. They aren't guns though, they are more... sprayers? I'm not sure exactly how to describe it. But they work and work well. The motion control has very little to no lag, which is, to this point in Kinect life, unheard of . You seemingly can only have one or the other active at once, but that may change on later levels.

If you like Robert Myles, a techno trance spinner from the mid to late '90's, then the soundtrack to this game will be right up your alley. Even in tense moments of the game, you will be tappin your toes to this very engaging title. Everything you do in the game adds to the musical experience, as shooting flying octopus' and eboli virus look a likes chimes notes that magically blend into the score perfectly.

The motion on screen, while technically is "on rail" (definition of a rail shooter: see "House of the Dead" or "Time Crisis") is movable to a point to where you can pan around on screen and shoot at things that may have left your line of sight.

Is Child of Eden worth getting a Kinect for? No. Not yet anyway, as the title is, at it's heart, a shooter title with a wacked out sense of style. Is it a good game? ABSOLUTELY. It's an experience that while not completely new, is fresh, and really fun to look at and even to play.

The game is short, but it's a "play a million times" game. It's something to show off to your friends, when they say "Is Kinect worth it?" The Kinect has been a shameful disappointment thus far, but this game truly sets the bar higher on almost every level. It is what people say is "an experience to play", it's just that the experience is short and becomes a little repetitive. There are lots of things to unlock, and there are challenge modes as well. Hopefully, there will be some DLC levels in the future as well. You will come back to play this, just to see the difference of what real game planning is like.

C… Expand

I spent a large part of my life trying to convince people to play Rez on the Dreamcast... and I have a feeling im about to start all over again with Child of Eden using Kinect. The first thing I must say is that the 'controller' option for the game did feel a little clunky after spending time with Kinect. It was nothing to do with accuracy, but the on screen reticule just seemed to move slower when using the controller, and that bothered me. So for this reviewer Kinect is absolutely the way to go. The game itself is sheer bliss. An eclectic orgy of mesmerising colour, ethereal sounds wrapped round light techno beats, and mind blowing conceptual imagery that will actually make the players eyes water when deeply engaged. It's just so beautiful. The gameplay is spot as well. It really is an absolute pleasure to move around the game space and take down the on-screen foes. Switching from 'lock-on' to 'tracer' is effortless, and at no point did I find the game cheap or badly designed. I love Child of Eden. And as with Rez, I know already that it will be one of my favourite, and most played, games of all time. Materpiece… Expand

Hi i am new and this is my first review.
I think the game with big tv and the volume up, is very good.The optical and the acoustic part of the game is fantastic.Without playing rez, i like very much this game.IT'S MAGICAL!!!Also i like that the controller is vibrating with the rhythm of the game.I didn't play it with kinect because i havent.

I get that it's different just like Rez HD was and it's fun but I am seriously failing to see what people like about this game cause I had enough of this with Rez..I have played both games and I've put a couple hours into each one.I personally like Rez HD better but I can live life without this game and live it well.Actually if this was never made, I think I would be even more happy cause I wouldn't of had to waste hours of my life trying to see if there is something I am missing or what.I seriously wish I could have those hours back and play through a game that I have beat before or anything cause this is a shallow complete waste of every minute, of your life, you let Child of Eden have.For gamer's out there,go to the arcade and relive some old arcade classics.This is the definition of a bad idea and if you do give this game a chance then you'll understand what I mean at the end of your gaming session with this game,even if you can call it that!… Expand

This is the most fun game I've ever played on the XBOX 360. The graphics and the controls are like nothing I have ever seen in my life. I recommend this game more than any other game on the market right now.

This game for me was more interesting than fun. As far as kinect games go it may be the best to date but i found the gameplay really quite unspectacular (lame). Thankfully the game is very visual and can be appreciated as art. This game from my perspective was about as fun as a lava lamp or an interactive screensaver. It's kinda neat to own and show people but not ultimately complex enought to be something you will consistently rely on for entertainment. Thankfully this game was a free download that came with my kinect and it is good enough that it should be the chosen game to be bundled with the kinect to show off that the future of gaming should head in the direction of wireless interaction. I know a ton of people are going to disagree with my review but in 5 years when wireless interaction games finally mature this game will be seen as extremely trivial. This game would have really benefited by having a toolbar of different weapons or abilities of some kind. You would think this would be a no brainer given that you can just wave your hand in front of a sensor and it would recognize what you wanted to do or choose. I'm sorry but for me this game falls into the same category as the lamps you clamp on and off. Just not enough there to impress longterm.… Expand

This game looks fantastic and felt like a great reason to justify having bought a Kinnect. However, I really crave tight controls for my shooters. Yes, I realize this game can be played with a controller, but isn't the point of Kinnect games to be played using motion controls? Being a big fan of this genre, this was a great addition based on design and visuals. Ultimately though it is stripped down and lacking the depth of a lot of other games of this type. It's worth renting. You can knock it out in a weekend then decide for yourself.… Expand

Only played it for an hour, and I can tell that it's going to be quite an experience. If you complain it's too short, I'd argue that you're missing the point. Not to sound hipster, but I really think this is the new breed of game. It's a little cheaper (in the future, I think games will continue to get cheaper, as well) and a little shorter. I think it's just something that will wear off in time--I've been a core gamer since I was three, but I just don't have 20-30 hours of time to devote to one experience anymore. This game is exactly what it needs to be--a fun, short diversion that grabs you with interesting gameplay and visuals.… Expand

I hadn't heard of this game until it started getting rave reviews and once it's price dropped on Amazon, I couldn't resist.

Most of the praise you've heard about this game is accurate. The Kinect controls (assuming you are in a spacious, properly-lit room) are a revelation. At first, you may be skeptical. The right hand controls are a little meh at first and it takes a little while to get used to it. But as soon as you get the opportunity to use the rapid-fire left hand controls, you will be sold. Thrusting your palm forward and watching the purple bullets fly as they play a steady percussive rhythm is a great feeling. The level design is basically perfect. Each stage is about 15 minutes long and each moment is memorable in its own way.

That being said, the negative things you've heard are largely accurate as well. The game is criminally short. While I haven't played its predecessor, "Rez" (though I now fully intend to), the nearly universal opinion is that, if you aren't using the Kinect controls, "Rez" is superior from a gameplay and story perspective. The fact that you have to restart an entire song from the beginning if you fail may not sound so bad, but when each song is about 15 minutes long, it can get very frustrating.

I also was constantly frustrated by how finicky the Kinect could be. When you start the game, it seems to recalibrate your sensor for basically no reason. It also never succeeded in logging me in based on my face, something other games have never had a problem with. I wish that the Kinect had a more accurate way of detecting hands. Right now, it basically detects hands as an extension of the skeleton that it builds from your whole body. In other words, in order for it to read your hands, it needs to see most of your body. That really shouldn't be necessary. I should be able to play this game sitting down, yet every attempt I made displeased the Kinect sensor. If the Kinect is going to succeed, they're going to have to improve the firmware and the detection methods so that using the Kinect is significantly less problematic. People need to be able to play from their chairs and couches. They need to be able to play with their friends sitting next to them. Otherwise, it will always be more trouble than it's worth.

But I digress.

The fact is that the things this game does right far outweigh its short-comings. The game is absolutely beautiful, the gameplay is unique, it is the second game that has made me glad that I bought a Kinect, the music is fantastic, and the story, while very simple, still manages to be involving.

I paid about $35 for this game, and I'd say that's a reasonable price. You could just rent it, but this seems like the kind of game you'd like to own. I could easily imagine myself wanting to play it again or showing it to friends. I will say that I feel bad for anyone who paid $50 for this game. As remarkable as this game is, that price does not seem reasonable. However, price shouldn't be the main focus of any review. If the price tag is too high for you, you can wait. That's what I did. Still, I wouldn't wait too long, and please don't buy this game used. Games like this should be encouraged. This is the sort of game we never get, so please let Ubisoft know how much we appreciate that they published a unique game like this.… Expand

I played this game on a controller, and it sucks. This game is impossible to beat without a PS Move. It didn't account for the slower reaction time and lower accuracy of a controller joystick at all. At level 4 this game becomes impossibly difficult to play. For controller, this game is a 3. It's a nearly unplayable game.

A fantastic mix of visual style and creativity, Child of Eden builds on the core concepts of Rez, but also plays it safe by not adding too much to overcomplicate the original formula. The resulting game is every bit as mesmerizing, even if it strays close to being too predictable at times. Kinect players get an added bonus via a new way to control the game that feels more satisfying at times than a controller, but supporting both really allows you to have the final say on what's best. Child of Eden isn't a traditional game and there are few games left that take audio-visual creativity to this level. If you already have the right audio setup to truly appreciate Child of Eden, you won't be disappointed. Play it loud and enjoy a unique video game experience.… Expand

Works amazingly well if you have Kinect f it really does make you feel like you are part of the game.far better than using controllers
Brilliant.........

I would like to give this game a 6.9. This game gave me a seizure and I'm not even prone to them. So whats the deal? Tons of flashing colors, to the point where you are circling a massive blob of brightness, shooting, and shooting, and shooting, and your eyes are screaming "AAAAAAAAAAAH". All the while your arm is held out, and you start to wonder.. why? Ok, that is just one part that irritated me. The rest of this game is pretty good actually! You adventure through some beautiful landscapes, skyscapes, spacescapes, and so on, until you win. It really is better with the Kinect because it is easier to get through. I did not enjoy starting at the end upon failure. All in all this game is very short, and has reasonable replay value. If you can get it for under 20$, and like the Kinect, shooters, and pretty colors, go ahead and get it.… Expand

Mixed bag with this game. I realize alot of people out there are fans of rez i've have never played it. I got this game really not knowing what to expect. the kinect sits there and collects dust so I figured what the heck and gave it a shot. first off this games is really really beautiful to look at and honestly if you have any issues with flashing and seizures stay away this one will probably cause one. Anyways the games graphics a great it plays real well for a kinect game but does suffer like all kinect stuff does it fells the same. I feel I would rather jump back and play it with a controller rather than with the kinect which is sad really. I hope this would push me over the edge and say the kinect is finally worth the money but sadly it pushed me back to the controller. (this is from someone who likes the wii controls so ya it says alot about connect). This game is also to short for a disc release I mean not worth 50 bucks for sure maybe 1200 microsoft points on a good day but that is really it. I feel maybe it should have been download only vs disc based. All and all this game is a very short shooter which got alot more praise then it deserved. Don't buy it.… Expand