There have been a lot of very enjoyable fitness games released recently that we’ve scored quite highly (we’re big fans of choccy biscuits here at FemaleGamers.co.uk, so we try to stay fit too!).  Given that more and more titles are hitting the right notes in this genre it’s clearly going to become increasingly difficult to be competitive and provide something with an extra edge.  However, just as the Wii Balance Board promised to enhance the gaming experience and led to a string of compatible titles, I have a feeling that Your Shape’s motion-tracking camera will do just the same.  In a tough market, this is undeniably a product with an edge.

If you’ve read my previous fitness title reviews you may have garnered that whilst I enjoy them and I enjoy exercise (once I can motivate myself to do it!) I am always self-conscious about whether or not I’m doing it right.  I do my very best to follow the instructions on screen but with the best will in the world it sometimes feels impossible to mirror the instructor.  Funnily enough I don’t have a floor to ceiling mirror in my exercising space, so at times though it may feel like I’m doing a certain step or exercise correctly, in reality I could be way off the mark.  Your Shape takes huge steps to address this problem.

The motion-tracking camera simply connects to the Wii via the USB port and then sits on top of your TV.  It’s considerably smaller than I expected – I was expecting something the size of a snooker ball but what I got was something smaller than a ping-pong ball!  Once you set a profile the camera can recognise your figure and suggest areas that you may want to work on.  Combined with a short fitness test, Your Shape will suggest a personalised workout program to suit your needs and goals and suggest which days of the week you should work out, for what length and what the main goal will be for each session (e.g. cardio, upper body etc).  However, if you find that the workouts suggested aren’t suitable, you can easily adjust the dates, lengths and workout styles on your calendar.

Upon starting the workout you’re given the opportunity to select any additional equipment you have to hand, including hand weights, gym ball and step board.  If you don’t have any of these available, just bypass this step.  You then embark on your workout and, as with many other fitness games, an enviably fit instructor appears on screen to guide you through whichever of the 450 exercises your workout consists of.  However, this is where Your Shape differs greatly.  Next to the instructor you can see your own image and the moves you are making.  This took a little getting used to I have to admit.  I hate having even a photo taken – how would it feel to see my every move on screen?  I needn’t have worried – once the workout started I hardly thought of it.

The most obvious bonus of the camera is that you can see yourself next to the instructor and gauge whether or not you are mirroring her actions.  I found this absolutely fantastic – I no longer had to guess whether or not I was completing exercises correctly – I could see for myself.  However, better things were to come.  Although most of the time I could see for myself when I was mucking something up, at times I’d get so into what I was doing that I’d stop thinking about whether or not it was right.  Luckily the camera is ever vigilant.  Suddenly the instructor would be calling out ‘Watch those arms!’ or ‘Watch those legs!’ and I’d realise that I was all over the place and straighten up quickly.  The more I played, the less warnings I received about familiar exercises – I was clearly learning to do them in the correct way.

Another bonus of the title is that it scores your ability to complete certain sets of exercises.  At the end of every workout you’re given a percentage score to show how well you do – however, it’s also broken down into the various aspects worked on, such as cardio and lower body, so you can see which are your particular strengths and weaknesses.  Additionally the workout routine changes all the time, particularly if you experience difficulties with certain exercises or fly through them too easily.

In addition to the workouts there are also Special Challenges allowing you to focus on a specific aspect of your training program for a quick, focused session.  You can also log other activities you have done independently, such as walking or jogging, so they can be taken into account when you take fitness tests.  Finally you’ll be able to keep an eye on both your progress and your performance, monitoring calories burned, average score per workout and your fitness level.

With an RRP of £49.99 this is not a cheap title by any means; however, I have no doubt that many people, like myself, will benefit greatly from the features that Your Shape has to offer.  The small camera is unobtrusive and easy to set up and works incredibly well.  The range of exercises is extremely impressive and allows you to keep learning and developing long after you complete your first workout.  Whilst I have enjoyed other fitness games, I found this one to be a much bigger boost to my confidence.  As frustrating as it was to keep fluffing a step or an exercise, it felt incredibly good to get it right and see that my movements on screen matched those of the instructor.  I really wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this for those who enjoy fitness games or have a general interest in wellbeing titles.  It’s user friendly, has some great music, offers some brilliant workouts and really leaves you feeling good.

**Review by Donna Haw**