You're in the Movies

I wasn’t sure what to expect from You’re In the Movies for the Xbox 360 when I first saw it at X08 in Toronto this year. It seemed a bit odd to be watching people flailing their arms around, running on the spot or turning their head and coughing. It garnered quite a few chuckles from people passing by as they watched people try out this new and upcoming game to the Xbox 360 line-up.

Setting up the game is simple: plug in your camera, load the game and follow the instructions to set up your room as your own personal movie studio. Be prepared to bring in some extra lighting if the lighting in your room isn’t balanced. Lighting will play a big factor in how well the camera performs. You will also need a fair amount of open space to get the full range of motions.

To play the game simply select the movie script you would like to act out. Each movie can be played solo, or up to four players where each of you, choose the role you would like to act out. The actions for the final cut are taken from mini games and a series of director cues and instructions. These cues will range anywhere from actions you need to replicate, emotions and expressions you need to perform or basic walking and running on the spot. You get a star ranking at the end of each round to see how you match up with your fellow actors. Once all the required footage is gathered, the scenes you have acted out get edited into a movie trailer for your viewing pleasure.

The use of the Xbox Live Vision Camera in You’re In the Movies literally gets you into the game. The mini games are enjoyable and the cues from the director are fun to act out and often pretty hilarious depending on the actors you have on hand. This is a good family title that will encourage your kids to express their dramatic selves and put their acting skills to the test. Don’t worry if you don’t already have a vision cam you can purchase it bundled with the game.