Review - EA Sports Active 2 for XBOX 360 Kinect

About a month ago I got the opportunity to review the EA Sports Active 2 for XBOX 360 Kinect. I will say upfront that I LOVE this game. I have tried demos for other games on the XBOX 360 platform including The Biggest Loser, and none really sparked my interest. The lack of interest is minor compared to their lack a heart rate monitor, which the EA Sports Active includes.  It also has an online community and groups to join in the game to keep you motivated, competition is a great motivator after all :)

The EA Sports Active 2 game includes the resistive band and the wireless heart rate monitor along with the game and retails for around $40 at major stores like Target or Best Buy. The versions for the Wii and PS3 include extra sensors, but the XBOX 360 seems like it is the best system to get this game for. The Kinect sensor truly tracks your movements effortlessly. I have read mostly great review for this game, the negative ones go on about the sensor not being able to pick up movement. Now, I will say that I've had this problem too but it was my fault. I had the Kinect sensor placed badly and as soon as I moved it i did a quick reconfiguration that takes less than 3min. and everything worked fine afterwords. I love the Heart Rate Monitor thats included in the bundle. It is wireless, you just strap it on your left arm and turn it on. It is fully integrated into the game and allows a more accurate count of calories you are burning. It includes the batteries and mine died right after earning my achievement for 13 hours of exercise.

The graphics in the game are not bad, you can customize yourself in the game and as you move, your movements can be seen by you alternate self in the game. I do wish there was more upbeat music in the game, even though I love hearing my trainer tell me to push harder and that I can do it. There are over 70 exercises to choose from, including aerobic workouts, athletic training, and muscle-toning exercise. You can chose to do trainer-generated workouts or make your own. I find myself doing the activities more than any other exercise. I enjoy the boxing, soccer striker and outrunning exercises the most, they really make you sweat! I work out with the Active 2 everyday for a minimum of 30min and burn a minimum of 500 calories. When I started the game I couldn't do more than 5-10 minutes but over the month and daily exercise I have more stamina and enjoy it too.

As of today, I have used the Active 2 daily and have exercised over 14 hours, ran a distance of 13.67 miles, hit 5,080 boxing targets and burned 15,546 calories (the equivalent of 4.1 lbs.) in a little over a month. How do I know all of this detailed information? The game tracks is but I go to www.easportsactiveonline.com to track it online. This game paired with eating better on my Nutrisystem program has been work, but great. So far, combining the exercise with the Active 2 and Nutrisystem I have lost a little over 16 lbs. in 5 weeks. I wish I had an extra copy to give away to you guys but I don't :( This is one game I HIGHLY recommend and give it 5/5 stars! If your true to the game and push yourself you will lose, and sometimes losing is a great thing!

Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the product in question, from the company or their representing  PR company,  free of charge in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have provided a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation for my review nor was I under any obligation to give a positive review.