Back in January I wrote about an innovative cloud gaming service called OnLive. If you’re interested in reading all the details about OnLive, have a look at that post, but I’ll also quickly summarise what it’s about here.

OnLive is a service that runs high-end games over the Internet. You install a client on your computer which allows you to view a video feed and send controls back to the game server with the result that you get to play games without having to install them, or that your computer may not actually be powerful enough to run.

For example, I can run Deus Ex: Human Revolution on my laptop, which has no 3d graphics card and struggles a bit when I first boot it up. It’s not a games machine in any way, shape, or form, but OnLive changes that.

I was really impressed with OnLive when I last looked at it, with one proviso: the controls were a bit sluggish because the game was running on a server in the US. Data had to be piped across the Atlantic in both directions for me to control and view the game. Well, now OnLive has officialy launched in the UK, so what’s it like?

Short answer? Much better, but variable. The lag is almost entirely gone, although every now and again there’s a very slight feeling of sluggishness. Still, it’s good enough and only crops up occasionally.

The graphics are another area of interest. Remember that the game is being run and rendered on a server elsewhere and then sent to your computer as a video stream. While that removes much of the heavy-duty computing from your computer, it does mean the state of your Internet connection will have a direct effect on graphics quality. If your connection is on a go slow, or the rest of your household decide to tie up the home network, the video quality will drop. I would say I’m noticing drops in quality about half of the time when playing, although generally not so severe as to be unplayable. I have, on a couple of occasions, found that the quality has dropped to the point where I can see what I’m doing but not read any of the game’s HUD elements. For reference, I’m playing on a 12mbps connection, but I think the issue is partly down to trying to play at times of day when many other people are online. Even under the best of conditions, the graphics are not quite as sharp as playing on a local machine, so if you are looking for eyeball-blasting beautiful gameplay, you might not get it here. Don’t get me wrong, the graphics are good, just not up to the same standard as having a local 3D card.

OK, last few points, I promise :) First, I’m very impressed that OnLive supports the Xbox360 wired controller. I’ve plugged mine into my Mac and it works a treat. Secondly, it seems OnLive is very popular at the moment and, if you decide to play at a busy time, you may get a message saying the service is full and you will be let in when there’s a space. Just have patience and you’ll get in eventually.

And that’s it really – OnLive, already an impressive service, has now come to the UK and it seems to work really well. Hardcore gamers may lament its slight lag or reduced quality of graphics, but it’s a blast for casual or enthusiast gamers who want to try out the latest titles without buying a console or a monster gaming rig. If you head on over to OnLive.co.uk you can sign up for free and try out some of the demos before spending a penny. What have you got to lose?