This review was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Aaron Thomas.

Chances are pretty good that if you own an EyeToy, you haven’t used it in quite some time. EyeToy Play 2 is the first game in quite awhile to come out for the popular, yet seldom used peripheral. Like the original, Play 2 is a collection of minigames that are primarily geared towards group play, but this time around there’s more depth and a wider variety of things to do. It’s a solid sequel, but in spite of the added depth, Play 2 gets old quickly if you’re playing alone.

EyeToy Play 2 improves upon the original in every way. There are more things to do, the motion-sensing is better, and most games have more than one gameplay element, making the whole experience more enjoyable. The playroom is back, and there are several fun diversions for anyone that doesn’t feel like playing a game – it’s a great place for non-gamers who are intrigued by the EyeToy. You can control a submarine with your voice, color with your hands, cast spells, and even tour the solar system. There’s even a demo of the futuristic sky-boarding game, Anti-Grav, included.

Play 2 has a mode called “SpyToy” that essentially turns your PS2 into a home surveillance device. This feature is primarily for kids, but that doesn’t mean it’s not cool. You can set the camera up to secretly take pictures if someone comes into view, take time lapse shots for a whole day, or if you want to scare people, you can leave the TV on so messages are displayed and an alarm goes off if your area is breached. One can only imagine the incriminating evidence that could have been gathered on nosy siblings back in the day.

Twelve new games are included, though several of them, like Kung 2, are new and improved versions of previous EyeToy games. The games that aren’t new feature new levels, bosses, and tasks, so they end up feeling fresh. Table Tennis, HomeRun, Goal Attack, Air Guitar, and Mr. Chef are some of the new games, and they’re all a blast. HomeRun requires you to swing at a pitch and then wave your arms in a running motion to round the bases. Your picture actually moves around the bases while you run, and while it looks goofy, it’s quite fun. Air Guitar is a simplistic music game where you move your hands up and down the next of a virtual guitar in time with the falling icons. It’s fun for a while, but it’s pacing is poor so it gets old quickly.

Goal Attack is neat because it shows your body in front of a soccer goal, and you’ve got to stretch and move to block shots – not just wave your hands. It’s still not terribly complex, but it’s an example of how the gameplay has evolved. Table Tennis is surprisingly fun because it’s legitimately challenging, and not just hard to master because of the controls. Here you hold your hands up and use them as paddles while playing a virtual opponent. Yelling as you hit the ball adds speed to your shot, though doing so makes you look more than a little insane. The bottom line is the new games are great, especially if you’ve got people to play with.

There’s very little to dislike about EyeToy Play 2. One complaint is you have to be in a well-lit room, and that lighting needs to be in front of you, or the camera has a hard time following your movements. It’s also difficult to shuffle people in and out of the camera’s view, and the selection button is quite sensitive, making accidentally canceling games a frequent occurrence. These are obviously hardware problems and not Play 2’s fault, but you can’t play the game without the camera, so it must be mentioned.

Another issue is that even though there are more things to do, the game still doesn’t lend itself to extended play sessions. You might play a few minutes here and there, but the games get old quickly, and once you’ve mastered them there’s little incentive to replay.

I also had the game crash on me a few times, and while trying to create my noggin in the cameo feature, it often quit recognizing the camera, only showing a previous still picture of my head. Hopefully these were isolated incidents, but they were severe enough that they warranted mentioning.

If you loved the first EyeToy Play, then there’s little doubt that you’ll enjoy the sequel. Nearly everything has been improved and there are tons of things to do that even non-gamers will enjoy. If you’ve got friends to play with, you’ll get more out of it, but even if you plan on playing alone, Play 2 is worth checking out.

It’s more refined than the original, and the new games are very entertaining.

I guess if you’re really hot you can add another point here.

The little announcer dude is cool and the music is light and fits the game nicely.

The more people that are playing, the more fun it is.

Again, if you have lots of friends to play with, you’ll get tons of mileage from the game.