| Lips | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | iNiS |
| Publisher | Microsoft Game Studios |
| Designer | Keiichi Yano |
| Platform | Xbox 360 |
| Release | |
| Genre | Music / Rhythm |
| Modes | Single-player,multiplayer |
Lips is a 2008karaoke video game for theXbox 360.Lips was developed byiNiS and published byMicrosoft Game Studios. The game features the use of motion sensitive wireless microphones and supports the use of songs already owned through aZune oriPod.[1][2][3]Lips has spawned three sequels:Lips: Number One Hits,Lips: Party Classics, andLips: I Love the 80's. Localized versions of the game and sequels have been released in several countries, includingLips: Canta en Español (Lips: Sing in Spanish), andDeutsche Partyknaller (Lips: German Party Hits).
TheLips' microphones are compatible withRock Band 2 andGuitar Hero: Metallica due to a patch that was released in summer 2009.
The gameplay inLips is similar to the gameplay ofSingStar andKaraoke Revolution. In addition to supporting single-player, the game allows two players to singduets or play competitively in various multiplayer modes including "Time Bomb", "Kiss", and "Vocal Fighters". Unlike most other music games, players cannot fail out of a song if they sing badly (or even if they don't sing at all).[4] The game does not have a difficulty setting but rewards players for their singing in six categories including rhythm, pitch, and vibrato.[5]
Players can connect a digital music player (such as aniPod orZune), or use aUSB flash drive, to sing along to their own music. The game will perform vocal reduction and score player like the included songs, except that the game will not display song lyrics.[3] Players can also connect their Xbox 360 to a computer running a compatible media sharing service, such as Windows Media Connect 2.0,Windows Media Center, Zune PC software with sharing, or PVConnect to access their own music from a network share within the game.
Lips is bundled with two motion-sensitive wireless microphones (one white, one black). A second player can seamlessly join in the currently playing song by picking up the microphone and shaking it.[3] The microphones can also be used to perform gestures dictated by the game, plus the standard game controllers can also be used to add overlays such as hand-claps and crowd noise.
In February 2009, Microsoft released atitle update forLips. This patch addressed most of the issues with the game, namely, it introduced a new algorithm forvoice recognition and vibrato pick-up, claiming that the game was 'too easy' before, and the ability to synchronise the microphone timing, a cause of regular negative feedback. This update also introduced the use of global leaderboards to track high scores. Minor tweaks were also made to theuser interface.
Additionally, following the April 2009 title update, song packs were also introduced for purchase, offering bundles of songs for a discounted price.
As of October 2014, the store and server forLips had been shut down.
The games listed below support the Xbox 360 Wireless Microphones.
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 71/100[6] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| 1Up.com | B+[7] |
| The A.V. Club | B+[8] |
| Edge | 6/10[9] |
| Eurogamer | 5/10[10] |
| Game Informer | 7.5/10[11] |
| GameDaily | 7/10[12] |
| GameSpot | 6.5/10[5] |
| GameSpy |   [13] |
| GameZone | 7/10[14] |
| Giant Bomb | [15] |
| IGN | 6.8/10[4] |
| Official Xbox Magazine (US) | 7.5/10[16] |
| 411Mania | 7/10[17] |
| Variety | (mixed)[18] |
Lips received "average" reviews according to thereview aggregation websiteMetacritic.[6] Reviewers praised the wireless microphones and multiplayer experience but criticized the single-player modes and the song import feature which many people had issues with. In addition, the import feature does not support lyric downloads but the game does make an attempt to reduce the real singer's voice volume while playing in this mode.
The A.V. Club gave the game a B+ and called it "A self-esteem booster for your tone-deaf friend, though the introduction of more content should help make it stay fun for everyone else."[8]411Mania gave it a score of seven out of ten, saying that it was "a mixed bag, but by far it is not a bad game. It's a decent game that is missing some of the key components that other games in this genre have."[17] In contrast,Variety gave it a mixed review, saying that "Though it will quickly bore vocalists acclimated to the challenge ofRock Band,Lips excels as home karaoke, bringing style and pizzazz to a crowded genre. However,Lips is also exceedingly shallow, with a small number of songs and a broken system for importing new ones, meaning living room crooners will likely stick with Sony's deeperSingStar franchise for the time being."[18]
