The evening standard gave it 5 stars, but the problem with it is that there is no release date yet, and the other issue is what it will cost.... It also annoys me that Lionhead will be working on Milo not another game (well I assume they will still be working on Fable III)

If its out this year that would be quite amazing. I doubt it will be thought...but the sooner MS starts attacking casual gaming the better. If this comes out this year, sony can cut PS3 price all they want, it wont matter.

HD gaming with online capabilities on 360 + amazing motion controls...force to reckon with for sure.

Price is still a question though. If they can get arcade and Natal for under 300, they will be laughing to the bank.

Oh my God. Microsoft cant make games like nintendo can!

I'm quoting what the UK news is saying and what the M$ exec said on TV this morning. Dont fire at me. I tend to believe M$ more than you.

Project Natal is in the UK news -- with a lot of speculation and Wii Bashing (which is all too common by UK technology writers)

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology/2009/06/03/10-reasons-why-project-natal-will-be-better-than-wii-115875-21412131/

(From the Daily Mirror)
10 reasons why Project Natal will be better than Wii


3/06/2009

NatalUnveiled at E3, Project Natal for Xbox 360 is what Microsoft believes is the ultimate motion-sensitive gaming experience. But can Natal (pronounced like Nadal, but not as good on clay) beat the Wii at its own game? Here are ten reasons why it just might…

1. No controller necessary
That’s right folks, Project Natal for the Xbox 360 will allow you to control what’s going on onscreen without the need for a controller. No need to splash out on extra Wiimotes here, your body is the controller! This is done via camera, sensors and a microphone built-in to the Natal bar, which then track your body’s movements.

2. No batteries
No controllers means no batteries means saving money. The only battery you’ll need is in the form of food, to keep your energy up so you can continue playing the motion-sensitive games.

3. You can use your feet
We’ve always wanted to be able to use our feet in some Xbox games. The clip Microsoft showed at E3 showed a girl kicking a ‘football’ and a boy performing a martial arts high kick in a fighting game. We envisage plenty of smashed lights! Oh, and you can use your feet without having to pay £60 for the privilege of Wii Fit.

4. It recognises your voice and face
The Project Natal sensor is the world’s first to combine an RGB camera, depth sensor, multi-array microphone and custom processor running proprietary software all in one device. Unlike 2D cameras and controllers, this sensor tracks your full body movement in 3D, while responding to commands, directions and even a shift of emotion in your voice.This was shown off by the computer-generated character Mylo interacting with a real person, holding conversations and ‘recognising’ players in a startlingly realistic way.

5. Scan objects into the game
You’ll be able to scan real-world objects for use in the game. Microsoft’s demo for instance, showed a boy scanning a skateboard into the Natal sensor. Likewise, the girl talking to Mylo ‘handed’ him a piece of paper that took on virtual form.

6. Lets lots of people play at once
Multiplayer, without the need for splashing out on more controllers than you can afford, is a very real possibility judging by the E3 video. Natal will recognise each player individually, so while one person drives a car say, another can perform the pit stops. And so on…

7. It follows you around the room.
Whereas the Wiimote loses efficacy when it’s not directly in front of the sensor, Natal looks like it’ll work fine from most angles: the demo showed it following a kid around. Whether this is by using sound or by tracking him in video we’re not sure, but it’s very clever stuff!

8. It’ll work under any light
The Wiimote gets confused if you use it under harsh light, because it uses infra red. That means it’s best used in a low lighting situation. No such problemns for Natal, which uses proper video cameras to track your movement. So it’ll work under any light, but obviously the brighter it is, the better!

9. Engage deeper
From Microsoft’s video at E3 it looks like you’ll be able to engage deeper with your Xbox 360. Interacting with characters in games such as Mylo is one way. But imagine walking into your living room, saying “Morrissey” and your Xbox (recognising your voice) switching on, logging into your last.fm profile and playing Morrissey songs. A media hub, just a voice command away.

10. It’s compatible with any Xbox 360 system
How rubbish would it have been if you’d needed to buy a new Xbox to go with your Natal sensor? Thankfully Microsoft has announced that the Project Natal sensor will work with any Xbox 360 system.

_______________________-

A more reasoned American reaction from PC World which makes note of Microsoft's habit of over promising on technolgoy

http://www.pcworld.com/article/165944/five_things_i_want_to_know_about_project_natal.html

Five Things I Want to Know about Project Natal

Ian Paul

Jun 2, 2009 11:20 am

At E3 2009 yesterday, Microsoft blew the media away with Project Natal, a motion sensing device that allows you to control video games and Xbox 360 menus with your body instead of a peripheral controller. Natal gives you voice and full-body motion control over your on-screen avatar using an RGB camera, depth sensor, multi-array microphone, and custom processor running proprietary software.

Project Natal will work with current XBox 360 systems. Microsoft also released yesterday the Project Natal software development kit to game makers who want to incorporate Natal functionality into their products.

Based on what Microsoft was showing off at E3, Natal promises to open up a new world of gaming, and bring us one step closer to a Minority Report-style future--Microsoft's Natal demo included an appearance by Minority Report director Steven Spielberg. But Microsoft is making some big claims with Project Natal, and Redmond's demonstration left some crucial unanswered questions about Natal and its future under the Xbox brand.

When will Project Natal be available?

Since Microsoft has released a Project Natal SDK, the motion-control system should be far along in the development process. But when will we see the device on store shelves? So far, Microsoft isn't saying, and you can bet they won't be releasing the hardware until you have several games to use it with. So it's likely we're at least a year away from seeing Natal-specific software and hardware on store shelves, but it could be much longer especially if the technology encounters any unanticipated difficulties.

Will Project Natal work as advertised?

The Natal-specific games Microsoft showed off yesterday at E3 were very Wii-like in their look and feel. One was a futuristic variation of Pong called Ricochet, where you would smack bouncing balls with your legs and arms against a wall; the other was something called Paint Party, where you use your avatar to create murals against a virtual canvas. Both games used very basic graphics and the movements required to play them were not particularly advanced. That may be due to the fact that both games were prototypes used as proof-of-concept software rather than commercially available games, but it wouldn't surprise me if earlier versions of Natal were rather limited in what they could do.

However, Microsoft also provided a video showing off other uses for Natal including a martial arts fighting game, a Pole Position-style racing game and some kind of Godzilla meets Pokemon rampage fantasy. But in the Natal demo video Microsoft was quick to state that the games shown were a product vision and that actual features and functions may vary.

Microsoft is famous for these types of product vision videos where it shows off what it thinks the future will look like. Those videos always look cool and are almost never accurate. The difference here is that Microsoft has a physical prototype accompanying its vision. But those disclaimers from Microsoft make me wonder how functional Project Natal really is.

How much will Natal cost?

Natal looks like an exciting piece of hardware, but that excitement could wear off pretty quickly if Natal peripherals are too pricey. Part of the popularity of the Wii is not only its innovative motion control gaming, but also its low price compared to the Xbox 360 or the PS3. Microsoft's device looks more innovative than the Wii, but that doesn't mean the company should charge exorbitant amounts for Natal.

There's also no word on how Natal will be packaged. Will it only come in some kind of Xbox 360 bundle or will you be able to pick up Natal to add to your current system? Also, how many pieces make up Natal? Will Natal components be all in one box or will Microsoft leave out some crucial component that you have to buy separately?

How complex can Natal games get?

Microsoft created Natal to lower the bar of entry into modern gaming to anyone that can move his or her body, but will Natal appeal to the more advanced gamer as well? Painting elephants and playing handball might be fun, but what about crouching down in the brush to ambush enemy soldiers, taking cover behind storage containers on a space station loading dock or having a high-flying lightsaber duel against a Sith Lord? That may be the inevitable future of gaming, but is Natal the technology to do it?

If Natal really does end up having that kind of functionality, I hope Microsoft is smart enough to give you the choice of switching back to a conventional controller for those days you just can't bring yourself to get off the couch.

Will Natal be backwards compatible with current games?

Imagine if you could plop in your favorite edition of Halo or Call of Duty and start firing away without a controller? Backwards compatibility is an important feature for many gaming systems that are within a generation or two of each other. Backwards compatibility adds value for the user with a stockpile of games at home, and makes it far more likely that people will snap up the manufacturer's latest toy. Natal may be one of those products that is so hot and so far advanced that backwards compatibility with older games is either impossible or unnecessary, but it sure would be a nice feature.

So those are the questions on my mind as we look toward the future of gaming. What do you think? Will Project Natal work as advertised, or is Microsoft's new non-controller controller just a lot of hype?

_____________________________________________

Mike from Morgantown

I live in the UK and nobody here i know is talking about this frankly i imagine its the good old MS hype machine and its brainwashing  a few folk folk as usual . Im happy with my xbox 360 but all this nonsense is just there attempt to corner some casual games , no thanks i will stick to real games and not novelty party games .

Which is exactly why i think this thing will take off

I've been surprised by the amount of people that have heard about it already.

i will sell my wii too


What a load of public relations bulls--t. Ofcourse this exactly why MS did it, to generate competition for the Wii that would dislodge its sales potential. Well it aint going to work if it has no games or price or a solid release date.

Oh and those 4 uk papers are owned by Newscorp. Rupert Murdoch might just have a huge advertising interest in MS don't you think?

Your right. A crappy morning TV show it is. But you miss the mark entirely.

GMTV is the most watched morning program in the UK whether you like it or not. And the sort of people that will watch it are the sort of people that have Wii's. Eg: mums, and families. Mums with young kids are the ones that have this show on. They will be like, wow thats better than the wii lets get it. And the way the media is clinging to this here in UK, Natal should sell by the bucket load at least in the UK.