We’ll settle the matter right away: Fantastic Pets is no Kinectimals. Unlike its cuter counterpart, Pets eschews any facade of being plot-driven in favor of giving you lots of time with your animal companion — in the (messy) comfort of your own home, no less.

Pets’ main screen uses the image of your Kinect play-area and inserts your pet into it. We weren’t enthused about seeing our disorganized abode onscreen, but we did like how the emphasis seems to be on time with your pet, be it through that visual cue of the main screen or during mini-games, Talent Shows (a series of five randomly chosen mini-games, played sequentially), or pet customization. The very last option — unique to Pets — is by no means deep, but we got the uncanny sensation while adding horns, wings, and a flamboyant coat pattern to our cat that, were we 8 years old, we’d be embarking on a path that’d one day lead us to hours within Forza’s customization screens.

Unfortunately, Pets’ Achilles’ heel is its simplicity: though we appreciated the uninterrupted time with our furry (or scaly) friends, we always had the sense that while we could kill time in this game every day — and were even forced to, since you’re allowed just one Talent Show per day and they’re the only way to level up — that was all we’d ever get out of it. For that reason alone, we’d say this game makes a great distraction for younger kids (especially since you can share the mini-game fun with any friend who wants to jump in), but the young at heart will likely need something more.

On Xbox 360 (For Kinect)

+ Focus on spending time with your pet creates a solid bond.

+ Customizing your pet can be somewhat diverting.

- Middling graphics, lack of gameplay depth, and shallow plot shorten the entertainment value quickly.

? Dr. Menagerie sounds just like that British dude from Assassin’s Creed II, yes?

6.5