Planet Alpha is a running and jumping game. You're a wounded hero hobbling across an alien planet, but how did he get into this state? Travel across beautiful, mysterious and often deadly landscapes, you unfold the story of your marooned astronaut. Manipulate time and space in unusual ways to progress through difficult terrain and avoid the unwanted and violent attentions of the resident robots and giant beasts that live on this world.

Planet Alpha is played over 10 chapters featuring slightly different terrain, puzzles and enemy encounters. The gimmick is that the world contains ancient contraptions that allow you to manipulate time. By doing this you manipulate the environment to your advantage. Reposition massive machines or allow flowers to bloom so you can jump on them.

Play involves working to the right with wall climbs and huge leaps in gravity altered areas. There are stealth sections, puzzles to complete and difficult terrain. There are regular checkpoints so when you die you are not returned to the start, which is very welcome as some sections are pretty devious.

The result is a beautifully designed planet with magical flora and fauna and challenging gameplay. The time manipulation mechanic is cleverly designed and adds a unique element to an otherwise straightforward obstacle course game and makes it more of a puzzle.