Pid, by indie studio Might and Delight, has been in progress for a while. Early builds and images have shown a beautiful platforming game built around a unique core mechanic. D3 Publisher is slightly involved for the game's XBLA release in the form of being the official publisher. D3 provided a chance to check out the game's Xbox 360 version at E3.

Pid casts you as a young boy who finds himself on a strange, foreign planet. Forced to find a way off the planet, he learns that he has the ability to throw small objects that project beams off the surface . These beams, as their primary effect, push the boy away from their origin point and provide a partial tractor beam effect, keeping him moving in the beam's direction. With this ability — and its interactions with various objects — he must face a bevy of 2-D platforming puzzles in hopes of finding his way home.

The most striking thing about Pid, initially, is its graphical style. Environments are rendered almost entirely using single-shade polygons, which are them supplemented using lighting and gas effects to produce beautifully complex, highly stylized creatures, environments and hazards. The team has joked about the style being akin to "an HD remake of a game that was never made," and it certainly produces that sort of feel.

The gameplay also features stealth elements. Strange robots patrol many environments, assisted by mounted cameras, and if they spot or touch the schoolboy, he will be forced to restart from the last checkpoint. Cameras can be pushed by beams, and robots can be avoided, providing him a way to advance through the world — once the player figures out how to handle the puzzles.

A few other variations, including items that can be acquired, twist the game in the slightest manner. Other sources of variety keep the game fresh through an unclear length. The most basic of these are stars, which can be picked up based on your score. Cooperative play, which actively requires participation, also provides a competitive element, as the two players seek to gain the most stars.

Pid is a fine example of indie-game platforming, and it's armed with a unique twist, interesting plot and deep potential. D3 Publisher is bringing the game to XBLA, and Might and Delight is bringing the game to both PSN and PC, later this summer.