PS3 and PSP echochrome demos

My name is Kumi Yuasa and I am the Associate Producer for the upcoming PSN game echochrome. This is my first post on the blog, and I’m excited that my debut here on the blog is to announce that free PS3 and PSP echochrome demos will be available for download tomorrow on the PlayStation Store on the PS3. The PSP demo version will also be available for download on the PlayStation Store for PC.

Perhaps you have read about echochrome here, here, here or even here. There is a lot of excitement for it - N’Gai Croal of Level Up even wrote, “…as of last E3, the 2008 game we’ve been looking forward to the most is echochrome.”

It’s a fun and addictive puzzle game with really elegant and simple graphics. The concept is inspired by the famous MC Escher artwork, which explores infinity, architecture and impossible constructions. In echochrome, you control the camera and perspective on an infinite canvas, guiding a mannequin figure by carefully tilting and turning the level to create a continual pathway, allowing your character to walk safely through the design. Puzzled?!? Check out this video and you’ll see what I mean!

There is no single way to get through a level in echochrome. You and your friends will find different ways to clear levels so each time you play will be different.

The demos you can download tomorrow will take you through a brief tutorial and give you the basic idea of how to progress through the puzzles, but I wanted to also tell you what to expect when the final game is available for download in May. In addition to the 56 exclusive levels for each of the PS3 and PSP versions of echochrome (112 unique levels overall), you will be able to create your own puzzles from scratch and share them with your friends, or even the world!

On PS3, you can upload your created levels to the developers through the game’s interface. Once uploaded, your creation will be considered by the developers for a future downloadable content release. In other words, if selected, people around the world could be playing your level!! Additional content will be available from Day 1. Initially, however, these levels will come from Japan or Asia since the game has been out there for a while already. We’re not exactly sure when we’ll start including US players’ levels, but we’re excited and waiting for customized levels from all of you!! You can also share the levels with your friends by sending your creations directly to them over the PlayStation Network. Stumping your friends is REALLY fun!

And for the PSP version, you can share the levels you create with other people in your area via wireless Ad Hoc. Cool, right?!?

Well, there will be more to come on echochrome soon, including some great wallpapers for your PS3 and PSP. But in the meantime, be sure to download the free demos tomorrow and give them a whirl! And let us know what you think!

from Playstation Blog