Written by: Alex

 

 

 

Over the course of three titles Q-Games has managed to build the Pixeljunk brand into one of the most recognized in the downloadable console space. Every game in the series has been to all outward appearances disparate, each with its own visual style and gameplay. But underlying each title is a single common thread; stylish and inventive two-dimensional gaming.

 

 

Their latest title, 'PixelJunk Shooter', on the surface seems easy to pigeonhole as a twin stick shooter. Even its name 'Shooter' could lead players to believe that this is a simple 'Smash TV'/'Geometry Wars' clone.

 

This assumption had the advantage of allowing me to quickly grasp the control mechanics, but that is where the comparison ends. Yes, I had to shoot, but this is not the swarming enemies, bullet hell of other titles, this is a paced experience with a focus on its fluid based physics puzzles.

 

 

 

Starting with a text scrawl PixelJunk Shooter quickly establishes it's loose narrative. After reviving a distress call you descend down to a planet from your mothership (the ERS Pina Colada) to the on a rescue mission. Rescuing key scientists reveal the rest of the plot, and while it stands separate from the sublime gameplay it is an intriguing addition, bringing with it humour and an environmental message in a similar fashion to World of Goo.

 

 

Armed with a gun, homing missiles and a grappling hook you have almost everything you need from the outset. Left stick is thrust while the right stick controls the direction your ship faces. I quickly learned judicious use of my shots as I accidently killing the very people I was intended to rescue thanks to an over exuberance with of my trigger finger.

 

The few enemies I did experience in each area were usually placed to encourage accuracy or as an element in puzzles rather than as direct antagonists. They seemed almost deliberately placed to ensure that my missed shots result in the accidently destruction of some off screen scenery that was holding back a flood of lava, or picking off one of the scientists I was intended to rescue.

 

 

Each of the games three environments has it’s own challenges to throw at you including a boss that must be bested before you can progress. These fights supplied the only real chance in the game for me to use my weapons without fear of unwanted consequences. Boss arena’s span several screens and requires the use of a number of skills learnt through the preceding level to master. They proved well-placed breaks from the rest of the games more cerebral play, but given the rest of the games reliance on fluid manipulation to progress I did feel it was a missed opportunity that in these areas fluids were only used against you as weapons rather than as tools to aid.