"Enter the world of Frequency and let your senses take control". The tag line on the back of the box sums this game up a treat.

With so many games out there that follow similar themes, it's really nice to see one that dares to be different. This is a truly excellent example of originality. Now stick with me, because when I explain how this works it's going to sound odd. And that's because it is. But then, so was Albert Einstein.

Gameplay wise you are taken on a visually and sonically impressive journey through a psychedelic, three dimensional, octagonal tunnel. Six of its sides represent the various instruments that make up a song (bass, vocal, guitar etc.) and scattered across these sides on either the left, middle or the right are diamond shaped objects that represent the notes or beats. These are activated by pressing square (Left), X (Middle) or circle (Right) as you pass over them.

Once you have successfully activated 2 bars or eight beats of music on a particular side, it begins to play automatically, so you then move left or right to begin activating the next instrument. Provided you're accurate and quick enough, you'll eventually get the whole track playing. You can now use the two remaining sides of the octagon for free styling. This is represented by a stylus that you control with the analogue stick to scratch and doing this takes your points through the roof.

Told you it sounds odd. However, after a few clumsy attempts you'll soon be making sweet music and although the choice of music wasn't to my particular taste, it really didn't matter; you get so lost in what you're doing that you grow to appreciate every song in the game, probably because you realise how much work went into each one. The list of titles is impressive and they're all by major artists including Orbital, Paul Oakenfold, No Doubt and Roni Size, to name just a few.

The various tunnels and backdrops are all visually stunning, not that you have much time to appreciate them while you're actually playing, but it's colourful, smooth and, like the rest of the game, slightly bizarre.

There's a definite puzzle quality to Frequency, as scattered across the tunnel are multipliers and bonuses, essential to you securing an excellent score and progressing through to the expert difficulty mode. It's these puzzle elements that make the game a cut above your usual rhythm action game. It also has that "just one more go" quality that made Tetris and Bust-a-Move so appealing. The puzzle element comes into its own when competing with a friend; which is done on a split screen and easily competes with the aforementioned puzzle games in terms of addictiveness, charm and an overwhelming urge to beat your opponent.

The game doesn't end there though; there's also a neat remix mode where you choose a song and are presented with a blank tunnel in which to place your own diamonds, thus creating your own unique version of the song. The process is ingenious in its simplicity; you lay down some beats and if you're happy with them you activate the channel to loop them and move on to the next one (this can be done simultaneously with a friend). You can then save these remixes and either just play them back and admire your handy work, or alternatively play through them as you would any other song, even in multiplayer, which makes the lifespan of this game endless. This ingredient is ideal for those who want to make their own music but wouldn't know where to start with most of the music creators out on the market. That said, if you want something more detailed and are more interested in making music than playing games, you should probably go for something like MTV Music Generator.

So are there any bad points? Unfortunately, yes. Firstly if you have no rhythm you've got no chance - I found this when playing this with my friends; they could either do it or they couldn't and there was no in between, much like Parappa The Rappa. Also the game gets extremely tough as you get through to the later stages and it tests your patience as much as your ability. Don't let this put you off though, as there are literally hours of fun to be had from exploring the other parts of the game should you hit a brick wall doing the single player. Oh, and the intro video is awful; it looks like an advert for the worst nightclub in the world.

Niggles aside, I really like Frequency and if you want something different from a game then this is spot on, it's unique, fun, addictive and an excellent addition to any collection. This is also one game you won't be trading in, great for when your mates come round and ideal to dip into when you've run out of cash and completed everything else on your shelf.

Reviewed by Mark Hayhurst for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).