This is a music game for those of us intimidated by the rhythm and dance games like Rock Band and Dance Central. Here you can "conduct". To paraphrase Lauren Bacall, "You know how to conduct, don't you. You put your hand in the air and wave." Well, its not as simple as all that. You have to waive to the beat, and follow the cues on the screen.
First, any conductor is only as good as his orchestra is at watching him. In the case of the Kinect sensor on my Xbox One in a fairly well lit living room, I found that a fair number of my moves just didn't register at all. Eventually I developed some workarounds to help the sensor see me: For instance, keeping my fingers apart, sort of the way Mickey's hands are typically drawn, helped it figure out what I was doing.
There is a story mode, but moving to the music is really the only thing that matters here. Usually you have to follow the visual clues (though I found listening and somewhat anticipating the music's beat was often more rewarded). Sometimes you get to influence the sound of the music, or even create your own sequenced tones.
It is a physical workout. Your arms will get tired! And that is a good thing! We found the more we played, the more we wanted to play! Since the better you play, the better the music sounds, there is a spirited impetus to do well, beyond the scoreboard. I wish there was more in the way of music exploration, perhaps an opportunity to conduct (and hear) different parts of the orchestra. Unlike the film, the emphasis here is not on classical music, however those were our favorite tracks, particularly Night on Bald Mountain from the original.
A note to new users...at the beginning of the game there is a fair amount of "standing around". The program won't continue in certain sections unless it sees you standing. Occasionally, it is unclear when you must be upright. Eventually, the game settles into its own rhythm and you'll develop a knack for knowing. Just don't let the opening narrative keep you from discovering how much fun being the Sorcerer's Apprentice can be.
