If it were as simple as that, of course, you’d probably feel short-changed. Aside from holes in the floor, there are ‘jump pads’, cul-de-sacs, stairways, and other concerns to twitch and fret about. The level designers have been deliberately awkward. There are many stages here, yet after the first couple there are virtually no easy ones. There aren’t even many ‘moderately difficult’ ones, just stacks of mind-crushingly tough stages - Echochrome’s currency. But this is a good thing - the extreme difficulty level raises the stakes. When you succeed, you’ll inevitably feel a great sense of victory from having outsmarted the game. At least until the next, even harder puzzle.

     
Echochrome also opens up its level design tools for general dallying in Canvas mode, where the building blocks of stages are laid bare and can be reassembled in virtually any formation. User-created levels can be exchanged between players via PSN, which is a neat way of extending Echochrome’s appeal, and maybe even establishing a cottage industry of level builders. If it weren’t for Canvas mode, Echochrome would be a bit on the short side, although for the price it would be pointless to complain.

The most obvious reason to play Echochrome is its often perplexing challenges, but it’s also a pleasant place to relax - echoing footsteps and other sound effects make it feel like you’re in the Louvre, and the lilting classical music goes perfectly with the action. It’s well worth investigating.

May 1, 2008