GAME OF THE WEEK: TRINE 212 cert, Atlus Games, Xbox Live (also Playstation Network, PC, Mac ) ****

Corny as it may sound, there are few lessons in teamwork more effective than a good co-operative videogame (unless you play team sports, of course, which I don’t).

Trine 2, an action- adventure/puzzle game makes great use of its diverse heroes. There's Amadeus, a wizard who can levitate objects; Pontius, a knight, who provides the brute force, and Zoya, whose appearance and playing style are probably the most familiar.

Zoya's stealth and dress sense echo Ezio in Assassin's Creed, and her grappling hook and agile swinging are in the great platform game tradition.

The plot involves each adventurer being summoned to depose an evil king. Mostly, though, the game involves 2D platform action that alternates between combat and puzzle- solving.

You can play co-op multiplayer with up to three players (local or online), or on your own, alternating between each of the characters, and each gets a chance to show how useful they can be. In a typical scene, Amadeus moves a box for Zoya to jump on and reach a new ledge, and then Pontius appears to attack the waiting goblin.

Trine 2has its share of awe and wonder, diluted with a sense of dread. It's an attractive game, made up of hazy colours, glowing embers, glistening rainbows and fun creature design – all done in the style of a classic fantasy book cover.

The puzzles are often tricky, sometimes infuriating, and frequently have more than one solution. Thankfully, the game drops you a hint after a few minutes, and you can choose in the menu how long it waits before telling you the answer.

Puzzle-solving in Trine 2is an emotional experience – optimistic curiosity can make way for frustration, reflection, and ultimately, fulfilment, sometimes with a dash of smugness. Heady stuff!