Parents' Guide to Chariot

Chariot presents itself in such a spritely, colorful way, you really never think about the fact that the heroine is lugging around a dead body on a cart. Instead, you focus on the beautiful and varied levels full of glowing plants and craggy rock formations rendered in gorgeously saturated color. Plus, the art style is well supported by the amusing nagging of the dead king's ghost and the whimsical Renaissance Faire-like soundtrack. Still, Chariot is more than just a great-sounding game and pretty facade. It's physics are handled so well that you'll quickly get the hang of how to drag the cart around whatever's in your way.

The first few levels are fairly straightforward, but things quickly become so difficult that you'll need a second pair of hands to simply get through sections. In fact, some areas literally require it, with a sign indicating where these cooperative segments begin. Although these areas can be really fun, they prevent solo players from obtaining rewards for special gadgets that make later levels a whole lot easier. Without these items, play can become an exercise in hair-pulling frustration. Even with this cooperative bias, Chariot is a fun little game that's well worth a chunk of your interactive entertainment budget. It's pretty, witty, well-made, and a great way to spend a few hours, especially if you can enlist the help of an agreeable friend.