Exit - DS/DSi

Square Enix's Exit centres on a character named Mr Esc (short for Escape, of course), a professional escapologist. Esc is a self-styled "get-you-out-of-a-jam man" - think less David Blaine and more Harry Houdini. He's ready to hire himself out for those all too frequent moments in life when one finds oneself in dire straits. Fire, ice, crumbling walls and debris can't deter Mr Esc from the one thing he's really good at - saving lives.

Exit is a game as simple as its title. Using the DS's touch-screen players take control of Mr Esc and aim for the exit, along the way negotiating numerous obstacles while rescuing victims from ever more dangerous situations. Find the fastest route to the exit before the time limit expires and the stage is complete - running, jumping, climbing onto ledges and sliding down ropes is all in a days work for the ultimate escape artist. Need to make a super fast exit? No problem, some stages can be cleared without bringing the rescued companions, so all that's needed is to find the shorted route.

Exit is a novel hybrid of puzzler and platformer, and one that could well attract a big following - a bit like Mr Esc himself.

Like any escapologist worth their salt, players can do a spot of showboating - upload mission completion times via Nintendo Wi-Fi and get on with some good, solid "fastest escape artist on the planet" gloating. more