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I wouldn't call Self Defense Training Camp a "game" as much as I'd call it an interactive instructional video. There are no points to rack up, no real levels to achieve. Instead, the main objective is educational: to teach you practical self-defense techniques.
Violent crime is something none of us like to think about, but it's an unfortunate reality of life. The organization RAINN says that 1 out of every 6 women will be the victim of an assault or attempted assault in her lifetime. And even more devastating, 44% of victims are under the age of 18. But as frightening as these numbers are, as the old adage goes, knowledge is power. Any woman, no matter what age or size, can disarm any attacker if she's knows the right moves to make--and will have the confidence to make them when the time comes.
That's why I really appreciate this title. I'll start off by saying it's not perfect. The instruction can be long-winded and even tedious at times. But if you stick with it you'll learn some pretty good self-defense techniques. Self Defense Training Camp doesn't replace getting real self-defense instruction from a real trainer, nor does it really pretend to (one of the many random tips it presents throughout the game is to enroll in a physical class to continue your learning). But it is definitely a good introduction to a very important skill all woman (and men) should have.
When you start up, you'll see a number of menu options in this order:
1. Cardio Workout
2. Options
3. Profile and Extras
4. Balance Practice
5. Self Defense Rehearsal
6. Reflex Training
Oddly, #1, #4, and #6 are all locked until you complete a certain number of classes in #5 (which begs the question, why didn't they make that one #1?). There are a number of user interface oddities like that.
You start with "Self Defense Rehearsal". This is a bit of a misnomer. It's not so much "rehearsal" as it is step-by-step training instruction. Specifically, this section is broken into 5 different classes.
1. Wrist Grab situations
2. Arm and Shoulder Grab situations
3. Attack from Behind situations
4. Choke Hold situations
5. Frontal Attack situations
Each of these classes are further broken down into a number of very real and practical scenarios that a would-be victim of an attack may encounter. For example, for Wrist Grab situations, it goes through six scenarios.
1. Crossed Wrist Grab (when the attacker grabs your left wrist with his right hand or vice-versa)
2. Parallel Wrist Grab (when the attacker grabs your right wrist with his right hand or vice-versa)
3. Double Wrist Grab (when the attacker grabs both your wrists)
4. Double Wrist Grab from Behind (when the attacker grabs both your wrists from behind)
5. Side Wrist Grab (when the attacker comes from the side)
6. Choking (when the attacker grabs your wrist with one hand and tries to choke your neck with the other).
The four other classes all each have 6 similarly practical scenarios. Each scenario consists of two phases: a Learning Phase and a Timed Phase.
In the Learning Phase, you start out by seeing a demonstration of the defense technique. Two animated male figures will act out the scenario, with the narrator explaining what's going on step-by-step.
One of the very first things you learn, which is repeated over and over again, is to how kick an attacker in...his most vulnerable spot. Admittedly, it's hard not to snicker the first few times you see the computerized "attacker" get kicked there over and over again. But of course, at the end of the day the point is a serious one--if you're the victim of a real attack, be prepared to use whatever you have at your disposal in any number of situations. Aside from this universal tactic, you do learn important other techniques.
After seeing the sequence played out once, it's broken down into smaller components. You'll see each component demonstrated again by the two male trainers. Then, you (as a female character) can try it yourself. To help guide you, you'll see a white silhouette of yourself in the upper left hand corner, as well as a red silhouette reminding you of the next move you need to make.
The Kinect does a mostly good job of detecting whether you're doing the moves correctly. In some cases I was pleasantly surprised at how accurately it was able to distinguish between subtle movements--for example, the correct move to disarm a wrist grab is to rotate your arm at your elbow. I tried to "trick" the system by just flailing my arm, but it wouldn't take it until I did the proper technique. Having said that, it's not perfect--there were a few cases where I was doing the right moves but the system failed to register it. Similarly, in other cases, I would just twitch and the narrator would exclaim "incredible!" But I'd say for the majority of cases the system is quite accurate.
Once you master the one component properly, the process will proceed to the next one. You'll keep going until you've mastered all five components of the entire sequence.
Then comes the Timed Phase. After you've learned the sequence, you then need to try to execute the whole thing by yourself, remembering what the moves are and in what order to do them. If you execute all the moves, you'll get five stars for the scenario. It's not challenging at all to get five stars, but again it's not supposed to be; again, this is more of a class than a game.
Overall, I found the "Self Defense Rehearsal" section to be helpful, if a little drawn out and tedious. But again, if you approach it like a class and not like a game, it's definitely helpful. And what makes it more powerful than a video is the ability to perform and practice the moves yourself. .
The "Cardio Workout" section, has ten sessions of progressively more intense aerobic fitness exercises that incorporate boxing moves. This part of the game was reminiscent of Gold's Gym Boxing Workout for the Wii. Your trainer will do boxing moves and you need to mimic the moves to a beat. Each move you have to make is both announced by the narrator and shown in timeline of icons to the left of the screen. Overall this provided a decent workout, and of course the motion detection is spot-on. What I wasn't crazy about was that the workouts were all under 4 minutes. And once again you need to "unlock" each lesson one at a time. I would much rather them have provided complete set of cardio boxing routines that each lasted a good 20-30 minutes. As it is, your heart rate is barely elevated after one or even two of these sessions.
The "Balance Practice" section of the game are essentially yoga exercises. You're taken outside the training camp to a beautifully designed garden scene with cherry blossoms, running water, and relaxing bird chirping. Your first session takes you through yoga moves with names like "young deer", "spreading the wings", "buddha pose", and "circle of chi". As with the Cardio section, you mimic an on-screen trainer's moves, while each move is announced and shown in a timeline of icons.
The "Reflex Training" section contains various reflex games where you punch and kick or you try to dodge and block punches and kicks with your virtual trainer. Again, the motion controls are adequate on these, but the exercises themselves are fairly repetitive and uninspired. It's what we've seen in many other games--do a jab, hook, or upper cut in response to instructions from the on-screen trainer, or dodge punches to the left and right.
Overall, I had the same impressions of all three of these "unlockable" sections. They're not horribly executed, but they all feel somewhat incongruous in this particular title. There doesn't seem to be any obvious connection between these activities and the self-defense training. In addition, all of these sections just felt far too short and shallow. I get the sense that the developer was trying to make this a comprehensive "martial arts instruction" title. But it falls a bit short of that. (In fact, after progressing through some rudimentary exercises, you start to earn different colored "belts", which was quite misleading).
It's hard to rate this game, because as I said it's not really a "game". From the perspective of the self-defense training content alone it's very good; in fact, I think it's material that every woman should know.
But in terms of its quality as an interactive game, I'd say there's a lot of room for improvement. For example, it would have been interesting to have a section where you can be "quizzed" where you face a virtual attacker in different scenarios and have to choose the right defensive techniques for the situation.
Something else I found a little disappointing is that your on-screen character doesn't have freedom of motion. In other words, when you go through the exercises, you don't really control the on-screen character directly. Rather, the system will show a still image of the character, and it will only respond once you perform the exercise correctly. I think the title would have been much more powerful if they used real "video game technology" (like the kind you see in fighting games) to let you control your character in a more fluid and dynamic way.
Something else I found a little disconcerting was that the developer invented yet another way of selecting items from a menu--you need to "swipe" to browse through menu options and then "punch" with your right hand to select it. Once again, it's a shame that Microsoft never enforced consistent user interface guidelines to its developers, resulting in dozens of different UI behavior.
In many ways I see this title as an early example of what I hope will eventually be whole new genre of "self help" titles. Some day I would love to see the Kinect used, for example, to let you do things like take a cooking class in a virtual kitchen, or take a ballroom dance instructional class on a virtual dance floor.
Overall, I'd give the game 3 for "It's OK". As a "video game" it's a bit disappointing and could have been so much more. But as an interactive instructional video, while it's not perfect, I do consider the content extremely useful, especially for women who have had no prior knowledge. Put in more peoples' hands, it may even help save lives, and that's certainly not a bad thing.
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99% Exercise; 1% Non-Self Defence; 100% Misleading
Before I bought this product, I had read a few reviews on Self-Defense Training Camp. What I appreciate from those reviews was that it clearly stated that this is NOT a self defence title, but could work as an exercise title. This will be where I start off -it's EXACTLY what this game is: an exercise title trying in the guise of a self defense programme. Having gotten this bit of info from the reviews, I went ahead and bought it and have been pleasantly surprised from the word go.
So let's get the most important aspect out of the way: this is not, I repeat NOT a self defense game. Yes, it does have a total section (and large part) devoted to self defense, but it's this part that kind of drags the momentum of the game down and lower its score. So why am I giving it a four? Hope my explanations below can shed some light on it.
Let me break it down like this: this game is divided into 4 sections: 1.) "Self Defense" training 2.) Reflex Training 3.) Balance Training and then 4.) Cardio Workout. In each of these areas there are different classes starting at easy and as you complete each one you will unlock a new level. (This is easily done and for those Xboxers after easy achievements, this game is a breeze on raking them in.)
SELF DEFENSE TRAINING
This is, well, not what anyone would expect. It does do what a self defense class will teach you, but there is absolutely no value in it. You do the moves, copy them, and then go to the next one. You don't learn anything, unless you force yourself to do the same class a million times for memory sake. I would not have minded this part, but what becomes increasingly annoying as you go through the classes is the amount of times you have to select (and this is by punching at the sensor) between moves to continue to the next phase. For example, in one class, they first show you the move PUNCH TO CONTINUE now break the moves down PUNCH TO CONTINUE now first part of move PUNCH TO CONTINUE next part PUNCH TO CONTINUE next part PUNCH TO CONTINUE now try the whole sequence PUNCH TO CONTINUE your score PUNCH TO CONTINUE...and 6 more punches before the class is over. The entire class itself is a mere 4~6 minutes, so punching to select menus as much as 12 times is really wearisome. Even when you know what to do next and how the training method works, they still insist on this punching/selecting process. Because of this, you do not even build up a sweat, just a residual ache in your right arm from punching.
Having said this, I still do these self defense classes diligently, because I use it as an easy warm up and cool down. The wife loves them purely because they are super easy and not taxing at all. But still, this is the biggest weakness of Self-Defense Training Camp.
...now, the 3 remaining parts in which this game does work:
CARDIO WORKOUT
This is a cardio workout with "boxing" incorporated very well. We love this. Like all programmes in Self-Defense Training Camp it starts at easy and gradually increases in difficulty. This is true in-gym boxing aerobics and a great alternative to what Your Shape Fitness Evolved offers. This part alone is worth the game, and it's a pity they had not spend more time on this section of the game to improve and broaden it.
REFLEX TRAINING
Another form of in-gym boxing, but with a twist. Wait for the cues on-screen and dodge punches or kicks, or perform them. As an old black belt in karate, I love this part, as reflexes are truly the master mind behind a good defence. At my age then it's good to have something to keep me on my toes and test my reflexes a little. The tracking is on course 85%~95% of the time (depending on whether you are doing blocks, punches or kicks), so even with the ones you miss you will still get a good score at the end.
BALANCE TRAINING
a.k.a Tai Chi. Again, a great alternative to Your Shape Fitness Evolved. I'm not saying it's better that Your Shape Fitness Evolved, but when you do suffer the infamous exercise fatigue from one game, then this is a great alternative until you get your breath back to take up the previous game again. The balancing classes work also in steps of progression, and it's truly a very good presentation of Tai Chi.
And that is the game in all its glory. To sum up:
CONS
game title utterly misleading and may create expectations on which it cannot deliver
the self defense part of the game is its weakness
selection process in the self defense classes section is tiresome and repetitive
menu selection can do with some better grouping and arrangement
all exercise sections can be extended with some additional classes
a little bit more guidance to how to perform some activities (like the kicking part in reflex training) would be welcome
NEUTRAL
= need to finish certain levels before you can open other classes; could be irritating when you want to jump into a certain exercise of balancing but you need to finish Class 3 of the self defence class first
= loading times between activities and start up feels a little longer than should be necessary
PROS
+ exercise part of the game is easily on standard with other Kinect exercise titles making this a great addition to an exercise library
+ balancing training (Tai Chi), cardio boxing and reflex training are all welcome additions and well presented
+ tracking mostly on par
+ 0% fit people can enjoy this game as it's not too demanding
+ achievements are granted reasonably and not impossible to achieve
The title may seem a little misleading, but when you interpret it to mean that this is a training camp preparing you for a fitness level to do self-defense, it makes more sense.
It's truly a pity this title has gotten off to a bad start, as the tracking is respectable and the concept for the exercise parts really competent, it's just that the title and the "self defence coaching" significantly knocks it down a few notches. Not sure whether we will see future releases of this game, but if you go into this knowing that you are buying a passable exercise title and focus only on those parts mentioned above, you may just be pleasantly pleased.
As I had not expected a fighting game, nor a self defence training game, I did not have those deceptive expectations that other reviews/buyers had from the misleading title. It's in this regard that I give the game a 4-star, mostly because I don't think it's a bad game. It should deserve a 3-star though as the content is still limited and needs more substance, but as a first release for this title I think it's actually a pretty noble effort and want to give it a little support so that we can see some improvements in patches, DLC and future releases...if any. Hopefully for the future--and again...if any--they can drop the whole self defence gimmick and focus more on cardio exercises, and incorporate even yoga and Pilates or other martial arts related exercises.
Recommendation--when you are tired of Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 (as this is the only other exercise title released this season) and need to break out of that procrastinating mood after the festivities, then Self-Defense Training Camp may just be a great alternative title.
In the end, ignore the ratings at the top, as I don't wish to score a game, but purely provide information for people who are interested in buying the game and do not know what to expect. In that regard please leave me a comment if you have any questions and I'll try and answer them.
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(((**EDIT**))) Menu
The loading is about average, it's not long, but not short. Using the menu by punching to select & swiping to the the next/previous on the list expects a real full one shoulder to the other swipe. You can also use the controller.
There are MANY real videos with the woman from the trailer (She's a black belt) about several topics of basic self defense. Quick instructions on how to make a real fist, which part of the hand for palm strikes & hammer strikes. Also, how to walk w/o looking like a victim, how to stand correctly so you don't loose your balance, etc. Unfortunately, these were buried under the Profiles/Extras menu & then again more swiping to find in that sub menu. Also you have to EARN these videos by doing the self defense, cardio, reflexes game modes first to unlock them. They are very informative & she has a good presence & isn't boring, but having them so buried & having to do sometimes 3/4 or more of the game to unlock them (though you don't have to be perfect at the attempts) is wrong. (((**END EDIT**)))
Self-Defense
It teaches you about 2-4 moves that is shown for each segment & you do the first move, then the first 2 moves & so on.
The problem here is the CAMERA angle & teaching. I'm looking over my avatar's shoulder & cannot see how EXACTLY I'm suppose to rotate my hand. Also it's not always fully explained how forceful, or what part of my arm or hand I should use & what part of theirs specifically.
There is some verbal instruction, in fact, what is said is VERY good & not watered down. Such as at first, he will say to just, "...slam down your foot on his." But as you do it, he does explain further, "...make sure you hit the tip of his toes, which are the most vulnerable & cause the most pain."
These are real karate & kung fu (more fluid arm turns rather then hard blocks which are less jarring on the body) & other martial art moves that DO work well, but it leaves me wanting more instruction to know exactly how the attacker will react more. Here, the attacker always acts like he is so shocked by a defense move, he's like a deer in headlights which is the opposite of real life.
(((**EDIT**))) Now, a lot of people make fun of this game because at first it's always "Kick the guy's nether regions" but there are many palm strikes, back fists, circling the arms to get out of holds, etc. which are great. (((**END EDIT**)))
There is enough said to get the basic idea, don't get me wrong, but those like me who like more knowledge will want more. Also, on detection, sometimes I couldn't get the move right, though rare, but other times, I'm suppose to swing an attackers arm out by swinging mine, I just did wrist circle & it counted.
Cardio
It works well, though there is some fluff of step touching (lame) & clapping (really? really?!?!?) which I wasn't happy with at all. But there are punches, elbow strikes, uppercuts, etc. There are also back kicks & side kicks which I was happy to see, but wish there was even more emphasis on it. The classes are all about 2-5 minute each is WAY too short & about 10 of them. These are easy classes, though the animation seems a bit too sped up more then real life in that you might lose form keeping up or lose balance on the unfortunately few kick portions.
(((**EDIT**))) The later classes have a lot of knee lifts & kicks & was a good workout. I actually liked the shorter workouts as you have to get near perfect on everything to score a lot of stars to get an achievement & if they seem short, you can just load more classes. (((**END EDIT**)))
Balance
To clarify, this is NOT yoga, but is Tai Chi, though it's not Short Yang style, which I know, but some other style. It IS more authentic then Your Shapes which is more half yoga, half Tai Chi in a random order. This segment really needed some commentary about the moves & how it helps the body. For people who don't want it, a simple ability to turn it off would appease all audiences. The later classes do have some small kicks (you don't have to kick high to get credit) & snake poses & was relaxing.
Reflex Training (best part)
Very extensive, takes place in a boxing ring, it has it's own levels for:
Dodging dodge right/left, never always left & right, it does random which is great & even has you lean twice in succession.
Punching basic, hooks, uppercuts
kicking side, high & others
Block punches blocking the trainers' punches to your face, side of the head & body
Blocking kicks blocking the trainers' different kicks
I like that they show your body in the corner, though I had a little issue with the arrows (diff color for left/right even when he's hitting straight to your mid line (face/body), though practice fixed that. I also love they really emphasis form, though only a few verbal reminders, but the model shows it in the first level of each type. Again, more emphasis on verbal instruction & even more levels would have made this game a definite recommendation.
(((**EDIT**))) The later levels at 8-10 really ramps up the speed like real life & since the punches are random, you really need to have reflexes/think fast to block them in time. Although I wish there were more punches & blocks to add more variety which a real first person or see through very close third person would allow. (((**END EDIT**)))
This could have been such a great title. The people they used for knowledge on martial arts is well done & the fact form & it not being watered down is refreshing. The movements you need to do are like real life & is great. But the presentation, the animation, camera choice fails. The animations for your character & trainer are terrible. The camera angles are terrible.
This would have been great if your avatar was just a shadow outline of your own body & not some made up character & even first person view with red graphics to tell you where you did it wrong.
The instruction portion would have been better with a real video & highlighting or pausing the screen at key moments during the instruction portion. Even using a video during training would have worked to feel more real life. Even the animation of the speed in the cardio section seemed a bit too fast unless you already have extensive training/practice & each class was only a few minutes long.
I hope this or another company picks up this type of non-watered down martial arts & learns from this games mistakes to make a great game. This is a pretty good game & the only one of it's kind, so it's worth it for the small content. If Dance Central can do dancing with great detection & showing feedback, martial arts can be done as well.
There are videos of gameplay from the site 123Kinect & their review & is posted on youtube as well.
Honest reviews on Self-Defense Training Camp - Xbox 360
This game helps with the basics to boxing. This game is great for beginners and for younger kids just starting out in boxing. Great exercise as well. Just needs a little help with the punching in between to get to next level
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Self-Defense Training Camp - Xbox 360
It's pretty good as long as you understand what you're getting. This isn't really a game. It's more of an instructional tool for basic self defense. It in no way takes place of a real instructor but it does show some handy techniques if you are a beginner. The cardio workout, however, is pretty cool. It will make you sweat. You have to pass the basic moves to unlock the next level, including the cardio portion but its not too difficult. If you're getting this for a child, think again. They will be bored after a few minutes. It's more for adults or kids who's parents want them to learn some basic moves. Again, this does not replace actual lessons but its a good start and a fun little workout.
