De Blob 2

7 cert, THQ, Xbox 360 (also PS3, Wii, DS) ****

GAME OF THE WEEK:Blob is back and this time he's multiplatform. THQ has taken Blob and his new sidekick, the robotic Pinky, and released them from the Wii.

At first glance De Blob 2might seem a little childish, but the makers have put a lot into the game's more subtle aspects. The result is a brightly coloured, absorbing experience that will keep you coming back, despite some repetition in the early scenes.

The monochromatic Captain Black has drained all the colour out of the world, bleaching buildings and trees and imprisoning the inhabitants – Raydians – in dull suits and a life of servitude. It’s up to you, as Blob, to repaint it, preferably as brightly as possible.

Rolling through colours makes Blob absorb a certain amount of paint (up to 100 “paint points”) and touching objects will paint them that colour. Black ink poisons you, while water washes the colour out of you and will counteract the effects of ink.

The developers have thrown in some side-scrolling levels every so often, which makes a nice change from the regular worlds. There’s also a certain amount of puzzle-solving. You are occasionally asked to paint certain buildings in certain colours, some of which you may need to create yourself. The slightest touch with the wrong colour can change the scene, so some thought is required.

The multiplayer modes are also fun. You can parachute a second player into the game as support, like Pinky, but there is also a local co-operative mode that is worth a play.