Echochrome is the very definition of "minimalistic" when it comes to presentation. Really, outside of Line Rider or one of those Flash games with stick figures, I can't think of many current games that feature as little in the way of visuals as Echochrome. Both the character and levels are composed of simple black lines set against a white background. Yet, the simple line-drawn visuals give way to so much more once you get into the game and realize that those simple lines can create a whole slew of different level designs and layouts with the simple shift of the camera.

Sound is just as low key as the visuals. Music is simple and made up of little more than a low violin solo that gives you something to listen to as you figure out the game's incredibly challenging puzzles. There's also the occasional female voice that will chime in every so often to give you some information.

If you're the type of person who can make perfect sense of M.C. Escher's artwork, you'll find Echochrome immediately accessible. The concept behind the game is actually quite simple; playing as an art mannequin, you are charged with navigating a series of platforms and collecting shadows that are scattered across the level. However, the platforms are placed in patterns that, at first look, seem impossible to navigate around. Some are separated with massive gaps while others are completely blocked off by walls. This is where the subtle beauty of Echochrome comes into play.

The world of Echochrome is governed by five laws that you must learn in order to navigate around each level. Each law dictates exactly how levels can be manipulated to solve the mind-twisting puzzles that make up the game. For example, if faced with a gap between platforms, you can use the Perspective Existence law to switch the camera around and fill the gap in with another part of the level. The concept is hard to describe and even after seeing it in action, it might take some players a little time to get their head around it - but it's a cool mechanic once you figure out what's going on.

Outside the standard puzzle level, Echochrome also includes a level creation tool that allows you to build and share your own puzzles with friends. Not only does the tool add a little mileage as far as replay value is concerned, but actually building puzzles can also offer a little deeper insight into how the game mechanics work.

Much of the challenge in Echochrome is figuring out how each of the laws relate to each other as well as the level. Echochrome is mostly a game about discovery and experimentation, which will probably make it frustrating for all but the most patient of players. However, once you master the various laws, you'll find yourself using the mechanic to pull off all manner of feats, including saving yourself from certain death free-falls with a simple camera shift or even using the shifts to completely change the way the level was meant to be played.

Even if you master the laws and pull off all these neat tricks, there's no guarantee that you'll be able to blast through every level. Echochrome is a complete and total mindf-... well I think you know where I'm going. Level progression has a nice way of building up your confidence only to throw a puzzle at you that will quickly knock you back into your place.

Adding yet more complexity to Echochrome is that your character is constantly moving; you can stop it by pressing (Triangle), but otherwise he is always on the go. However, you are given some measure of control over your character's movement path through manipulation of the camera angles, which gives you a completely different view of the level. You'll also have to watch out for black and white circles that allow your character to fall through a floor or area or leap into the air. It's a simple premise when put on paper, but in action it creates some truly mind-bending puzzle situations.

Although Echochrome is by and large a great game, it does run into a few snags. There are a few levels where your character will inexplicably fall off a ledge even though the actual perspective the area is being viewed from would lead you to believe there was no gap. Though not numerous, there are instances where the laws that govern certain areas don't quite work the way they should. Even with these small issues, Echochrome is still a fantastic pick-up for optical illusion inclined puzzle fans.