Though Zero looks flexible, he is not a limbo champion, so make sure to warp into something before being plastered to a wall by gun turrets.

Upcoming Xbox Live Arcade House Party title Warp is the alien equivalent of a lab rat in a maze. Luckily, lava lamp-y hero Zero has a much higher chance of escape thanks to a host of abilities that make puzzle-solving and bullet-dodging a breeze.

Like a ventriloquist from Hell, Zero can warp into the bodies of unsuspecting guards or doctors by tapping A. Once inside these hapless fools they can become your hideout, decoy, or, if you feel they wronged you in same way, a sacrifice.

These abilities also apply to the inanimate objects scattered around your labyrinthine prison. One of the new powers we got to play with was the ability to rocket occupied objects at other people and things. Simply warp into a barrel and hold B to charge up the amount of force you want to use to hurtle it every which way. This mechanic is key in puzzle solving. In one room, we warped into a barrel that started fuming as we anxiously waited for a crane to pick us up so we could shoot the barrel through a gap in a nearby wall, all before the barrel exploded with us in it.

Without his water wings Zero is not a strong swimmer.

During the adventure, Zero is his own best friend -- literally. Once you acquire the Echo power, hit X to take control of this ghostly copycat of Zero, but don’t wander too far, because Echo can only operate within a limited radius. Use your Echo to walk through walls, scare guards, and most importantly, switch places. To swap locations with something out of reach, warp your Echo into the desired object and press A to teleport Zero to its location. The teleportation animation is very satisfying as you watch Zero pop into existence a few feet away with a “bloop.”

Even though this game centers on Zero's kidnap and escape, this isn’t a dark tale. The lab rooms are as bright and pristine as any should be when trying to dissect something super classified. Doctors freak out in goofy ways and run for the doors when they catch sight of Zero or his Echo. Exploding guards may be the most gory part of this game, but it feels deserved when they take shots at the cuddly critter.

We look forward to helping Zero complete his escape when Warp kicks off the Xbox Live Arcade House Party promotion. Here’s to hoping it ends with him in a bicycle basket with some Reese’s Pieces in his pocket.

PUBLISHER: EA  •  DEVELOPER: Trapdoor  •  MULTIPLAYER: No  •  RELEASE DATE: February 15  •  FOR FANS OF: Portal, exploding humans