Watercoolergames pointed me to the Yourself! Fitness game.
But the IGN review is everything you ever wanted: The overweight, out-of-shape, hardcore gamer tongue-in-cheek trying to pick up a physical exercise regimen from the in-game personal trainer, Maya. (Named of the modeling program?)
I can’t come up with anything better than what the review says, so I’ll just quote some good bits:
Today, God help me, I bought an exercise step.
A week ago I bought some hand weights.
Last came a flexibility measurement. Sit on the floor, legs out, feet 12 inches apart, and bennnnd. Hold it. Now compare yourself to the onscreen bendy dolls and choose the closest one. I got as far as my calves.
Special note — one of the bendy folks on the screen is actually folded face first into the floor. Ha ha, Maya is such a kidder! Let’s all go to the circus!
I think regular readers of some women’s magazines will find the following a silly question, but it’s pretty good:
Another oddity is the meditation garden. While I am sure the routines are fantastic for someone more flexible than I am, I have no idea if or when I am supposed to use this thing. Is it a workout? Is it a relaxation area? Why would I go in there? The manual does not provide much depth.
So there is the whole question about target audience:
The Yourself!Fitness web site is woman-oriented, as are all the in-game graphics. The loading screens feature tips and advice from Prevention magazine, and some of the statements are geared directly towards women. I understand the desire and design to get women more interested in gaming and consoles in general, but let’s not be solely focused on one half of the population.
We can then discuss whether this thing really is a game, or just something that is distributed through the game channel.
I couldn’t let this pass though: I understand the desire and design to get women more interested in gaming and consoles in general, but let?s not be solely focused on one half of the population. No let’s not fall into that man-hole. It’s just a case of the tables being turned on the reviewer, isn’t it?
It it a game? That’s a really good question. It’s definitely a simulation of a personal trainer with different “fitness” spaces to explore. The fact that the meditation room is not explained in the manual is not that much of a problem is it? I mean the bar with scantily clad dancers in Morrowind is not explained either – why would you and I go there?
I wonder if purchasing this wouldn’t contribute to a general increase in stamina and well-being of the entire research staff at the Center for Computer Games Research, Jesper?
I don’t think you’re quite fair to the reviewer …
The thing about the meditation garden is that they probably assumed that the potential audience already knows why you’d want to go the meditation garden, “to feel better about yourself, d’oh”.
The entire research staff here is very physically fit, obviously.