I actually got to play Kinect Adventures for the first time with my nephew (4 years old) yesterday in a local toy supermarket. There was a huge queue of people waiting to play so didn't get to play for long. But first impressions are it feels very nintendo. It is fun and my nephew really enjoyed it. But for me as a hardcore gamer i see it being the drunk fun game with friends, like my Wii. Which get's used very rarely.
So if i compare my thoughts of it as to when i played Wii for the first time the device is cool. The software is what will define it. I understand now what MS meant by saying it is like launching a new console. It is like being able to play Wii on the 360. Adventures was fun but i question it's lasting appeal. If the devs can get out games for it that are fun and have a lasting appeal then i think it will do well. I can see a hand controller released for it eventually though. Because you can't move around in the world, by bringining in a analog stick at least will open up to hardcore gamers. In some things you don't need it, but in others you do. I hope MS doesn't go down the route where they won't introduce a thing like that because they think it will take away from the experience of being totally controller free.
So in terms of this article i don't think MS have anything to worry about. Everyone who i saw play it really enjoyed it. If you look at all the videos of people playing it you don't really see people complain afterwards. The only people who do are those who are obvious hardcore gamers who compare it to something like Halo or some other hardcore game. WHich is silly as the device is not designed to be for those types of games, the 360 already does that. It however doesn't do casual games well and this is just a device that enables people like your mum to play it and have fun.
Review Embargos have been around forever. Any reviewer who complains about it or there being some kind of cover up is obvioulsy being stupid. There are three weeks to go until release, what do they expect to get it 2 months ago? If they think that is how it works then i am surprised they even have a job as a reviewer!