Here at OXM, resident veggies Vanessa and Ben L (the rest of us are all ardent carnivores) are positively disgusted at the thought of animal testing, but the rest of us concede it's necessary for the furthering of medical science and, more importantly, the development of better cosmetic products.

What's not acceptable, however, are wild experiments involving the frighteningly titled Genetic Recombinator on over-the-hill, post-laboratory animals, whereby new species are created from two existing ones. This predicament is the ominous fate that awaits the two intrepid heroes of Eidos's new platformer, Spanx the weasel and Redmond the wise-cracking rabbit. They've been chained together, caged and are sadly destined for an unsightly end in the laboratories of the evil Genron Corporation, but manage to escape at the last minute.

Both characters are introduced through comical bullet time sections in the opening cutscene (which is cleverly styled like a corporate promo vid), and this is the first evidence of the warped, totally off-the-wall humour underlying the game. Poor old Spanx has had a bit too much electro-shock therapy, and Redmond sports some permanent remnants of cosmetic testing. However, the tethered twosome manage to use their arrangement to their advantage, as the overuse of the experimental DuraSpray on Redmond has turned his fur harder than Watership Down's Fiver, making him rather handy as a makeshift mace.

Players must navigate the huge Genron Corporation building, all the while guided by a mysterious, ethereal voice that, as Redmond remarks, sounds remarkably like the guy from movie trailers. While Spanx stays completely mute throughout the game, it's the frequent quips from Redmond that keep things interesting, as the alternative humour gets cranked up a notch.

We assume the standard platforming routine from here on in, of running, jumping, whacking, collecting, ad infinitum, back to start and repeat. The levels are both expansive and make good use of available space, but there does still remain a 'flick switch in room A, go to room B, flick another switch, return to room A, flick different switch, go to room C...' mentality. This can become a bit tedious, but is countered with the well-measured escalating difficulty of each puzzle, though your omnipresent guide is never far away should you get stuck.

Combat centres around attacking enemies with the aforementioned (albeit constantly protesting) Redmond. X and B, when used in conjunction with jump (A), enable Spanx to unleash numerous whips, smacks and beatings. This provides a humorous and very effective method of fighting which adds a bit more variety to the gameplay. But his usefulness doesn't stop there, as Spanx can employ Redmond in a number of ways. The rock-hard rabbit can be a grappling hook, or used to clog up machinery and block toilets, all in the interest of both characters’ freedom. This skewed sense of humour really makes Whiplash stand out from its platforming peers.

Another novel idea is the concept of each character levelling up, as for every enemy defeated, they'll give up small bags of treats, or Hypersnacks. By amassing totals of these, and deciding precisely where to assign them (between Spanx, Redmond and the reserve pool), players can increase the strength, stamina and attack capabilities of one or both characters. Completing all the goals on each level will garner you a bonus Boon, or level-up option. This definitely adds a strategic element to the title, more akin to an RPG than a platformer, but significantly increases both the depth and replayability of the game.

However, why is it so often the case that developers obviously put a lot of time and thought into the development process (as here) only to let a frustrating, unpredictable and hindering camera ruin the experience (definitely as here)? So many titles feature random zooming in during combat and the obscuring of certain angles that results in blind leaps of faith. Unfortunately, Whiplash is guilty of both. Certain levels require players to hop aboard giant gun turrets (that fire flaming chickens, naturally), but the camera suddenly decides to invert. And not only on the vertical axis, but on the horizontal axis too. Which is very, very frustrating.

Whiplash could have been an outstanding game were it not for the glitchy camera but, if you can see past that, it's one of the better platformers out there and whips its contemporaries into shape.

Power
Large, expansive environments but nothing here to tax the Xbox too much.

Style
Comical characters, very funny voiceover and warped humour. It's a platformer with a difference.

Immersion
Easy to get into, but incredibly addictive once you do. Assigning abilities makes this quite deep.

Lifespan
A massive game, with a respectable amount of replayability thanks to character customisation.

Summary
A comprehensive and involving platformer with an off-the-wall sense of humour that makes it stand out. Great fun.

1. Great sense of humour
2. Novel combat method
3. Good character customisation

1. Frustrating camera
2. Levels can become a bit repetitive