My Street - PS2 review

Full Review

Since games began, there have always been compendiums, and My Street is like a virtual compendium for the PS2, a compendium of games you'd expect to see on an Atari in the mid-80s. Set in a funky chirpy 'neighbourhood', you get to choose, or custom design, a character and then race around the streets and surrounding area meeting people and playing little games - that's where the 'compendium' side comes into it. The range of customisation for your little guy is vast - vast to the extent that the mission to create your character becomes boring, and the happy-clappy vibrant and clean-cut feeling to the game becomes tarnished. In short, it's tedium of the highest order.

Ok, I might have been a bit hasty in jumping to that conclusion, so it is only fair to say a little more about the game. As you roam around, there are a number of mini-games to play. These are the substance of My Street, and the whole running around meeting people is really just a gimmick menu for getting to the game you want to play. Your choices are Marbles, Chemistry Set, Volleyball, Chicken Herding, Dodge Ball, RC Racing and Lawn Mowers. You get the idea, and can imagine what the games are like from the names (except Chemistry set, which is a coloured block nightmare). The games here have been spruced up a bit, so marbles is a bit more than your average marbles game, but much less exciting. It does get more exciting when you add more players - online or through a multitap up to four people. I doubt there will be much of this played online, when you might as well go into the street and play marbles for real, and save yourself £25.

Verdict

As far as games with mini-games goes, this has to be amongst the worst out there. Running around the neighbourhood finding the games is more fun that getting roped into playing one with a 'friend'/brat. My Street, for all its tedious gaudiness is an abomination. I'd be surprised to hear that anyone was entertained for any period of time with this. Kids these days want to play Tekken - it may be a sad reflection of the times, but if kids were staying at home playing My Street, I'd be fearful for the future of mankind. A short review, a short-lived game, short on entertainment. Bring back snakes and ladders.

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