This is one of the oddest titles we've ever encountered. Part platformer, part action-adventure, and all psychedelic color patterns, you won't find anything else like it on store shelves. But as you'll see in today's "X-Play," that's both a good thing and a bad thing.

Weird science

Meet young Nevin. He's a shaper, a being possessed with the talent to form anything -- even spaceships -- from a substance called plast. This teen is called into action when Paavo, the most famous of all shapers, goes mad with power after inventing a strange and powerful material known as echoplast. Crash landing on the planet Proteus, Nevin is recruited by the echoplast, which has developed a strange sentience, to save the world.

Triple threat

Saving the world involves shifting between three distinct forms. As Nevin you can juggle enemies with powerful sword combos and move rapidly throughout the game's topsy-turvy, surreal stages. In gun mode you can blast enemy drones from afar and lob grenades. And in stealth form you can pull in adversaries with your prehensile tongue, walk on walls, and make yourself invisible.

Adventures in wonderland

"Alter Echo" plays out across corkscrew landscapes and oddly-shaped caverns. As you traverse these locales, you'll encounter numerous enemy ambushes. In some scenarios you must destroy all foes before you can overcome the obstacles in your path. This mindless gameplay mostly involves beating back lots of foes and racking up bigger and badder combos. The more creatures you slaughter, the more wealth you'll acquire. You can later spend that wealth on upgrading your combat abilities.

Occasional puzzles are thrown in for flair, but none will give experienced gamers pause. Sharp reflexes take precedence in the game. This is a glorified platform game cum shoot-'em-up with an emphasis on close-quarters combat.

But what the game lacks in depth it makes up for with style. Players will have a good time chaining hits into fancy exhibitions of masterful swordplay.

Great expectations

Unfortunately, "Alter Echo" never fulfills its potential. It's a few nice ideas wrapped in a bland package. For example, the time dilation system is just a minigame.

Clever level design would've made up for some of these deficiencies. Perhaps a sequel will expand upon the game's high-quality visuals and convincing aural assets.

A future franchise

Big things lie in store for the series -- but not in its first incarnation. Take this beginning episode with a grain of salt and save it for a rental. Some gamers will call "Alter Echo" a minor success at best, but we see it as the humble beginning of a grand franchise.

"Alter Echo" (Xbox)
Also available on the PlayStation 2.