Heaven Games Reviews Microsoft's Sidewinder Game Voice

The company line:
"Bring the power of voice to your games:
Complete voice solution: multiplayer chat, and voice commands.
Optimized for great game play and sound.
Quickly find and talk to your friends."

Time to stretch out those vocal cords, brush up on your trash talk, and locate your copy of 1001 comebacks to "Who's your daddy?". It's very well known that players that are able to communicate with each other have a huge advantage over players that are unable to. My first encounter with chat software was during a heated game of Quake II CTF (capture the flag), when two guys on the other team were consistently working together to get our flag and look out for each other. Now that's not too uncommon, but these guys either had to have known each other and played together for months/years, or were just downright experts. Turns out, they were just good players, made better by the use of a chat program, which allowed them to communicate on the fly and even during fire fights.

Now Microsoft may not be the first to try and get gamers talking, but they are the latest to step into the ring, in the super heavy weight category of course. Several other programs have made the rounds on PCs, claiming to deliver the ability to allow you to talk to your friends during games but often all that you end up hearing is some disjointed words and plenty of static. Now, not only does Microsoft's Sidewinder Game Voice claim to deliver multplayer voice chat, it is also a tool with which you can control you game by issuing verbal commands. You're probably skeptical, and when it comes to spending cash on a periferal that claims to deliver the goods in an area where there are already freebies, you're wise to be. Not only did we take the Game Voice for a spin, we tested out some other free chat programs to give a good comparison.

To start with, here's what's on the box...

System Requirements:

• Personal Computer with Pentium 233MZH or higher processor with MMX
• Windows 98 or later operating system
• 64 MB RAM
• 45 MB available hard disk space
• Quad-speed CD-ROM drive
• 256 color display mode (16-bit display mode recommended), super VGA
• An available USB port
• TCP/IP LAN or Internet connection
• Enclosed Messenger Service software required for connection management features
• Internet Access with at least 33.6 kbps connection (56 kbps connection or higher recommended)
• Sound card with full-duplex chip set and functional Line Out/Microphone jacks
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or later browser software recommended
• User needs DirectX 8 API or later required for some games (available for free download)
• Microsoft Mouse, IntelliMouse, or compatible pointing device

To chat with your friends, they need to have:

• Game Voice or Game Voice Share software
• TCP/IP LAN or Internet connection, with at least 33.6 kbps modem
• Microphone, speakers or headset with microphone
• Sound card with full-duplex chip set and functional Line Out/Microphone jacks
• For full 64 player session, at least 15 people must have Game Voice

Click for larger image

Voice Commands are supported in the following languages:

English, French, German, and Italian

Here's what's in the box:

• Game Voice Software CD
• Manual
• Headset with Microphone
• Main unit with all the buttons included
• Wires...

The hardware is of pretty good quality, and although the headset may appear to be pretty cheap, it delivers good sound and the microphone does the job nicely. The main unit that everything plugs into and where all of the buttons are located is a well thought out design. It has a volume control on it, and my personal favourite, a switch that toggles the sound from your headset to your desktop speakers and back. The buttons are illuminated for those of us who play in low light conditions, and the mute button is easy to find right smack in the middle. My only complaint is with the command button. It is the one you press when you wish to issue a voice command and its location on the side of the unit is a little bit troublesome. I found myself hitting it accidentaly while moving the unit, which means you have to hit it again in order to be able to chat with your friends. A small squabble, overall it's thumbs up.