Do you think the next logical step in video gaming is mind control? If so, then you’ll love the concept of Soap Studio’s MIND: The Batman vs. Superman Dawn of Justice Cerebral Combat Trainer. It’s a video game that I was sent to review. It sounded like fun, but it turned out to be pretty lame. Let’s take a look.
What’s in the package?
MIND headset
Holo-Box
USB charging cable
Instructions
Design and features
The Cerebral Combat Trainer has two main components. The MIND headset and the Holo-Box. First, let’s talk about the MIND headset which is shown above. It looks like a pair of headphones, but the adjustable band rests against your forehead and not the top of your head.
The headset has a micro USB connection for charging the internal batteries. On the top of one of the “ear pieces” is a power button and a tiny status LED.
The shiny parts of the headset rest against the backs of your ears. The headset does not play any sounds. It’s just there to detect your brain waves.
The other component is the Holo-Box which is just a three-sided open-topped plastic box. A clear piece of plastic is inserted into the box at an angle to act as a mirror.
Your Android or iOS device rests face down on the Holo-Box. The phone’s screen reflects off the angled plastic to create a very viewing box.
I tested the MIND Holo-Box with my iPhone 7 Plus and didn’t really see any advantage to using the Holo-Box because the size of the “screen” in the box wasn’t any bigger or better than just viewing with the phone. The info on the package says
By combining a smartphone and a Holo-Box, players can experience a 3D holographic projection, as if in a private cinema.
Yeah… no. Not even close. It’s just a mirror image of your phone’s display. Nothing 3D about it. At all.
It’s time to control Batman with my brain!
Before getting all brainy, you first have to charge the headset with the included (or any) micro USB charging cable. Then you put on the headset with the band touching your forehead and the earpieces resting on your ears like the frames of a pair of eyeglasses. And that’s where I ran into another problem with the MIND Cerebral Combat Trainer. It doesn’t fit if you wear glasses because the eyeglasses temples prevent the headset from properly resting on your ears.
With my glasses removed and the MIND headset in place, I launched the MIND app on my iPhone 7 Plus and was giving the choice of using the Holo-Box or just the phone. I tried it with the Holo-Box first and was instructed to place the phone on the Holo-Box.
The app then begins the headset connection phase.
I had a hard time getting the headset to fit correctly on my head. See that tiny icon in the lower left corner that looks like a pair of headphones with a red X in the center? That icon would continuously switch from X which is bad, to yellow which is good.
I finally got a good connection and went through some calibration tests where I was asked to blink twice and to make the Batman logo spin faster.
Once I passed the calibration steps, the game proceeds.
The game has several levels which are represented in a circular pattern. By double blinking your eyes, you can switch between the levels, but to select the level to play you have to tap the screen. If you’re using the Holo-Box, that means you have to pick up the phone, tap the screen and then set it back on top of the Holo-Box.
Each level instructs you to do something with your mind. In the first level, it’s your job to have Batman fly through gates.
The idea is that you use your mind to make Batman fly higher or lower so that he doesn’t miss a gate.
Easy right? Actually yes. Very easy. I didn’t even try to focus my thoughts on Batman’s flying. I just watched the screen and he was able to get through every gate without problems. Hmmm…. Either my brain is insanely powerful, or this game is lame…
The next level has you help Batman hack a lock by spinning gears until they snap in place. Again, I had no problem getting through this level by no even trying.
I didn’t run into trouble until the third level. In this level, Batman is in a parking garage and bad guys appear out of thin are. You’re supposed to us your mind to move a target over the bad guy and then Batman will zap him. I was horrible at this level and got seriously annoyed at the game because it seemed like it would just do things randomly no matter if I focused or not.
Final thoughts
After the third level, I was done with the Soap Studio’s MIND: The Batman vs. Superman Dawn of Justice Cerebral Combat Trainer. It’s not fun and it’s crazy expensive at $120 with over $80 shipping to the US. A kid might enjoy goofing around with this game (for about 30 minutes), but not at that price. My advice is to skip this one and use your mind for something more productive like reading an actual Batman or Superman comic.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Soap Studio. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.
Product Information
| Price: | $120 + shipping |
| Manufacturer: | Soap Studio |
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