Ilomilo is a charming looking puzzle game that slowly but playfully makes you feel really dumb.
In it, you play as Ilo (the red one) and Milo (the blue one) and must face a series of brain-teasing challenges to bring them together as one.
The game looks fantastic, a series of soft and spongy blocks create vast worlds that twist and turn and lose you in wonderful environments. First impressions are of a condensed "Little Big Planet".
There are three different level types to choose from, each with their own amount of worlds within. The game itself isn't massive, but the levels are long and often highly challenging. If you're like me you'll find yourself banging your head off the desk before the end of the first world.
To successfully connect the two characters, you use a number of blocks to create paths and cross bridges. Pressing X switches between the characters so you can view and traverse the level from a completely new dimension. The game is teamwork for singletons.
While single player delivers, multiplayer is a rather bitter disappointment. The first thing that sprung to my head when I saw the multiplayer option was "this should be great in split screen" because one would assume that a game like this would be naturally made for split screen, right? Wrong.
Instead you're stuck taking turns moving one character at a time, which essentially just makes it a much slower and more annoying version of single player. There are new things to collect, but the levels are identical so it's not really worth the time.
The game handles about as well as you would want, though sometimes the turning can be a little unresponsive. There are really no huge complaints though.
As you cutely wobble through each world, you come across more types of block or creatures that will either help or hinder you, my favourite being this chap"..."
Aside from the apple-gobbling whatevertheyares, you find backpack-stealing worms, expanding blocks, and cameos from other games that may bring a smirk to your face.
Overall, Ilomilo is a mind-bending puzzle game that is not only disturbingly difficult, but treacherously disguises itself inside a cute and bubbly world full of smiles and happiness.
For those worried about this being a run of the mill puzzle game, it's not. There's plenty to do, plenty to collect and its charm will draw you in and keep you there, softly nestled in its warm spongy arms.
You can view the full review with pictures at IloMilo Review
