EA Sports Active 2 | PlayStation 3 | PS3

About the Game

The sequel to EA Sports Active , EA Sports Active 2 adds new exercises, workout plans, and brings the series to the Xbox360 and PS3 alongside the Wii. The major inclusion to Active 2 is a wireless heart rate monitor worn on the arm.

Gameplay & Core Systems

Active 2 's major change from the previous title is to move away from using handheld sensors (the Wiimote and nunchuck) to track activity. The PS3 and Wii versions include additional wireless sensors worn on the arm and leg ("Total Body Tracking" system), while the Xbox360 version uses only the heart rate monitor and the Kinect to track movement. All three platforms thus allow players to freely use hand weights and perform floor exercises - two limitations of the first game. Players can choose from three week or nine week programs. These programs are rigidly guided systems (unlike user-selected "classes") that track players through the range of weeks selected.

As with the first game, various tweaks on running in place is the primary cardio exercise. Different types of squats and jumping in place are used to focus on the legs, and weight raises or bent-over rows for the arms. The 360 supports up to two players locally. The 360 and PS3 versions include online multiplayer, allowing two players to perform the same workout session at the same time. 360 and PS3 also tie into an online tracking system, where players can track and share their workout from the web.

Players can also join a "Workout Group," tracking and contributing to a total group goal.

Standout Features

• Users can also customize separate workouts if the choose, or deselect specific exercises in a preset session (though they may not replace them with others).

Presentation & Atmosphere

A global setting (easy, medium, and hard) affects the intensity of all workouts, directly raising the number of reps or time spent on the virtual track.