"The Shoot" marks two firsts: It is the first game using the PlayStation 3's Move system I can wholeheartedly recommend, and, if you believe such a thing can exist, it is the first family shooting game. Not a game in which you shoot at families, of course, but one that takes place on a movie set. This means instead of pointing your fake gun at the screen to kill hundreds of people, all the enemies you face are wooden cutouts, filled not with blood but smithereens. It's hard to imagine someone feeling nervous about their kid splintering these particleboard patsies, and the most profane thing in the game is when the director yells "Hell of a performance!" The result is a game that feels more like a Universal Studios ride than a murder simulator.

It takes more than (relative) wholesomeness to make a game worthwhile, though, and "The Shoot" sets itself apart with special moves you unlock by hitting a bunch of targets in a row without missing. Point the Move controller (clad in Sony's pistol attachment for an extra $20) upward and shoot into the sky to activate a brief machine-gun mode, or spin around 360 degrees to slow down time. Add in other special sequences, like drawing your weapon in Old West duels or ducking to avoid missiles in robot levels, and you won't want to play this game on your couch.

Just as impressively, "The Shoot" offers a lengthy experience. At a time when so many light-gun shooters have good gimmicks but only a few levels, it's refreshing to play one that can't be beaten in two hours.

The only problem with "The Shoot" is that the focus on accuracy robs the game of whatever enjoyment might be derived from treating it as a shooting gallery. Levels are littered with objects, from windows to TNT barrels, that you want to blast just to see what happens, but it's rarely worth the risk of breaking a streak.

rvogt@dcexaminer.com