Where to start with this one? It had sort of passed me by but came through by a glowing recommendation from my best mate who had just played through it with his girlfriend.

We went in with no real knowledge and no expectations beyond how much they enjoyed it, and I’m so glad we did. What an absolute treat.

It’s honestly like playing a Pixar movie or something. I mean look:

It is probably the most imaginative and joyful games I’ve played in years. Each level has its own completely distinct, vivid and gorgeous theme complete with its own set of characters and game mechanics. The mechanics in particular are fantastic. There are few basic moves carrying over between each level, but beyond that each level plays completely differently. I don’t want to spoil much because a big part of the joy of the game is in the unexpected turns and the surprising and varied mechanics for each level. Suffice it to say that alongside the 3d platforming you’ll experience everything from rhythm game sections to 2d side scrolling mario style levels and so much more besides. The amount of imagination in this game is absolutely extraordinary.

Unfortunately on PC with a keyboard and mouse the controls are a little fiddly and when playing online you still play in split screen. This was really quite painful for the first couple of levels but after a while I kind of forgot about it. It makes sense in the broader context of the game but it felt like a very odd decision at first. A couple of the puzzles are pretty opaque too, and there’s at least one that I still don’t really understand how we solved, we just kind of managed it. That is pretty much the sum total of my issues with the game.

I really can’t come up with enough superlatives for this game. Visually it is an absolute delight on a high end machine, with beautifully crafted and utterly distinct levels. The character design is fantastic as well with a wonderful tactile art style, slightly reminiscent of Little Big Planet. The voice acting is fantastic, the story is short but touching and poignant. Everything, in terms how the game is put together is absolutely on point. I wish I could tell you more but, honestly, it wouldn’t be fair.

Go and buy it. Now. If you’re on PC only one of you needs a copy - the other can just get the free ‘Friends Edition’ which, while useless on its own, will let them play the full game as the co-op partner of somebody who owns it. So do that and then come and talk to me about it because, honestly, this was one of the most fun gaming experiences I’ve had in a very long time and definitely at the very top of my list of co-op games.