At first glance, Elysia looks pretty much like a standard platformer. The main character Quiff, a little furball who could quite possibly be a remote relative of Kirby, can hop from platform to platform, run, kick and jump on enemies' heads while collecting hundreds of orbs. But developer Whisper Game Studios has spiced up the classic formula by adding a sidekick called Whisp, a flying cloud that serves as a platform to help Quiff get to out-of-reach places. The fun part about this is that the player can take control over Whisp at any time and will even be able to control both characters at the same time, probably via a dual stick control scheme. This partnership will not make things too easy though, as Quiff is a rather heavy furball and can only be carried by Whisp for a limited time. Also, Whisp will not be available in all sections of the levels, but a lot of puzzles will require his cooperation and special abilities. For example, he can be "charged" with fire which enables him to melt away icy blocks that obstruct the path.
The gameworld features sceneries expected from the genre such as crystal caves and snowy mountains, but Whisper's art department has done a great job so far, giving the beautifully drawn levels a dreamy character complemented by an atmospheric soundtrack. Hopefully, the gameplay can keep up with the remarkable audio-visual polish already present in early footage of the title. The release of Elysia is intended for this summer and Whisper are currently working on implementing further features such as local and Xbox LIVE co-op, time trial and multiplayer modes, unlockable costumes and a medal system to keep players occupied. As a platformer addict, this package makes my mouth water, so I recommend keeping this title on your radar.