Genre: Puzzle

Platform: Sony PSP

Publisher: Sony

Classification: 3 (PEGI)

My head hurts!

I have flittered through more time-plains this week than Dr Sam Beckett in his entire Quantum Leap career – only I didn't have Al and Ziggy to help me through.

Echoshift is a puzzle compilation that fearlessly walks the line somewhere between insanity and true genius. One whose visuals and audio are just as barmy as its premise. But somehow, somewhere through its inch-thick make-up of madness, Echoshift works – it really works.

The goal is simple – you must get a mannequin from a door on one side of the level through to a door on the other side of the level. Various obstacles that require more than one mannequin to traverse will block the way.

So you gain control of your first mannequin and guide him from the door, climb down some stairs and push a switch to open a coloured wall somewhere back up the stairs. By the time he's traversed the stairs again, he's run out of time and the game rewinds. This is where things get clever. Play starts back up again but this time you're in control of a second mannequin. Whilst on the level you can also see the first walking around and his actions still bear consequence. So instead of following him downstairs, you can loiter around by the coloured wall upstairs to get through as soon as he's pressed the switch. Because of the time you saved, the second mannequin can get through the door thus achieving the goal.

These previous time plains are known as 'echoes', and the less that players use, the greater their score will be. Obviously once an echo has been used it can't be changed.

The best way to think of it would be as a co-op game without the need for anybody else. Instead of co-operating with a mate over Wi-fi, you're instead co-operating with a previous echo in order to reach the goal.

But it's not just switches and coloured walls that stand in the way of the goal, there are plenty of other puzzling treats provided over the 45 levels. What’s more, each have challenge modes.

A simplistic and washed-out art style is used that whilst looking pretty basic, is actually quite beautiful in its own way. This is accompanied by a mellow and soothing soundtrack which although it is repetitive, is never annoying, greatly helps to create a thought-provoking atmosphere.

It may be awash with mannequins, but Echoshift is for from being a game for dummies. It's thought provoking, mind boggling and just as good, if not better than the copious amounts of puzzle games already available for the Sony PSP.

SCORE: 8 / 10