Review | Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet

Born in concept over dinner at a Thai restaurant in 2006, side-scroller Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, from boutique publisher Fuelcell Games, finally hit download service Xbox Live Arcade in early August. Its lengthy gestation is immediately apparent in the game’s unique feel and in the sheer quantity of engrossing details, executed in a style reminiscent of a hand-drawn cartoon.

Game developer Joe Olson partnered with animator Michel Gagné, a veteran of Disney, Nickelodeon and Pixar, to create Planet’s protagonist. It’s a cutesy, Batteries Not Included–style flying saucer with tools that navigates a labyrinthine world of silhouettes. What little there is in the way of soundtracking is pleasant; Andrew Scott, a colleague of Gagné’s from his Nickelodeon days, designed the witty clinks and clanks the saucer makes as it battles the planet’s spider ambushes and prehensile tentacles.

It’s not the longest-playing nor the most challenging game out there, but its rewards are numerous, especially the sly invitations to problem solving. Three dimensions may be all the rage these days, but this game proves there’s still plenty of new things you can do with two.

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet (1,200 Microsoft Points, or $15) is downloadable now for Xbox 360. Rated E (everyone).