You may have heard the clamours already start to reverberate from the PR and marketing machines of Microsoft, and as the festive-purchasing period grows ever more impossible to ignore, its obvious that Redmond plan to deluge the game-buying public with ‘the word’ that is the way to go. The prime-time TV ads have already begun here in the UK, having barely ceased since the system’s high-profile launch. But of cause the real importance lies with the games, and it is this Xbox exclusive game, Blinx, which must be hoping will rival the quirky-best of as parents seek out something friendly and fun for ‘the kids’.

With this audience in mind, things look promising for our time-sweeping hero, a bizarre Pseudo-anime styled feline called Blinx. Realise that it’s developed by a team formerly responsible for and you’re already half-way to understanding the game, which sees the player hunting through ‘time’ in search of a kidnapped princess, and battling all manner of cartoon nasties along the way.

Of course, the premise is rather insignificant – but it does offer the developers ‘Artoon’, the opportunity to arm our kitty-friend with a bizarre hoover contraption, which can be used to suck up junk to use as a weapon. Of course, as a time-sweeper, Blinx can also gather three colours of time crystals, through which he has the power to manipulate time, moving and acting freely while all around time reverses, pauses or fast-forwards. It sounds innovative, and it is to a degree as it is this gimmick that can be a rather fun necessity at times, as the time-constraints upon each level grow tougher as you progress.

One bone of contention is the difficulty, however, which increases rapidly after a gentle introduction to the mechanics of the game in the earlier levels. You’ll find it increasingly problematic to collect matching crystals, which can lead to a headache, though fortunately you can also increase the power of your hoover thing to help combat the more persistent bad guys.

Of course, ultimately Blinx is the same as any platform/action game, and borrows heavily from the in the gameplay department. However, it does steal ahead of the field in the visual department, which shows the power of the Xbox wonderfully. The environments are nothing short of stunning; beautifully realised with considerable style and imagination, not to mention brought to vivid and surreal life with a wonderful arsenal of effects, too. It’s nice to see a game finally making the most of the available, and existing Xbox owners will be pleased as punch with this as a showcase for their green and black toy.

Of course, the game has its flaws, and its sad to see that once again the camera angle coupled with a degree of ‘clipping’ is a problem, as a lack of polish on this front is rather baffling, nay ultimately annoying during the game. Still, it looks lovely, even if you can occasionally perish in infuriating circumstances.

So is it any good? Well, ultimately its rather tricky, and for a game that aspires to be fluid simplicity itself isn’t quite on target. The graphics may be lovely, but the sound is average and apart from the entertaining time-bending, the gameplay very linear. A case of boss-bashing then progressing being the order of the structural day.

Still, it is fun and can prove immersive both for its graphics and quirky action. Could have been better than it is, but that’s not to say it won’t deliver many an hour of light-hearted amusement.

78%

By Luke Guttridge