SingStar (PS3)

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The store has an excellent interface for scrolling through specific genres and artists, and previewing short snippets of the downloadable songs and video couldn't be simpler. Still, I found myself wishing that the songs I downloaded could be extracted into MP3s that could be played independently of the game -- I paid for them, didn't I? While we're at it, the SingStore makes the whole idea of packaging 30 songs onto a $50 disc seem a little archaic. Why isn't there a $10 downloadable version of the core game that leaves me more money to pick out my own downloadable song list?

Of course, the SingStar online experience isn't only about downloading new songs, but also uploading performances to be shared with other players. It's here that the game really takes the karaoke videogame to a new plateau. Players can upload their saved vocal stylings, of course, but the most popular and appealing online feature involves using the PS3 EyeToy camera to capture 30-second video snippets of a particular performance.

Hundreds if not thousands of European users have already inundated the service with their video clips, and simply browsing them was at times more fun than the singing itself. It's like a karaoke-fueled version of YouTube -- a vast melting pot of content that features everything from dancing Wookies and emo kids on guitars to cute lisping kids and a whole lot of families sitting awkwardly on the couch around Christmas time. Some enterprising users have even figured out a way to put jump cuts and multiple camera angles into their online videos, although I'd be lying if I said I knew how. All in all, these videos provide an entrancing, engaging, entertaining look into the playing habits of others that is practically worth the price of admission on its own.

It's a shame that the video viewing interface doesn't match up to the content, though. Even bare-bones functions like pause and fast-forward are nowhere to be found in the extremely basic video viewer. While there is a ranking function to help users self-segregate the quality videos from the dreck, there's no way to search for videos of a specific song or from a specific region of the world. If you do somehow find a good video, there's no way to bookmark it for later viewing or to save a copy to your hard drive. Viewers can leave comments, but only for specific users, not specific videos themselves, and there's no easy way to subscribe to updates from strangers whose videos you might like (though you can do this with friends on your PlayStation 3 friends list).

Despite these interface problems, the online options bring definite added value to the somewhat tired SingStar formula. While the ability to download and upload songs and watch video performances isn't quite revolutionary, it's at least a healthy shot in the arm for a genre that's growing more tired by the minute. And despite the interface problems with the game itself, it's hard to deny the fun of getting together with some friends and belting out your favorite tunes. Maybe there's some life in the karaoke videogame after all...

This review was based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.