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PixelJunk Shooter 2 short ruminates on cheese
What are your thoughts on cheese? Seems like a strange question to ask a (fictitious) survivor rescued from deep within a planet in PixelJunk Shooter 2. Then again, this entire live-action clip -- filmed by Q Games boss Dylan Cuthbert -- is just plain strange, in the best possible sense.
PixelJunk Shooter 2 spills onto PSN March 1
If you're ready for a second dose of subterranean aviation and fluid dynamics, you'll be delighted to hear that PixelJunk Shooter 2 is rapidly approaching its release date on PSN. Q-Games just announced that the sequel, which adds an online versus mode and three new worlds, will be released on March 1. In the announcement on the PlayStation Blog, Q-Games president Dylan Cuthbert teased "very interesting things" the company plans to announce in the next few weeks. It's likely to be good news for fans of HD games with tiny, tiny sprites.
PixelJunk Shooter 2 producer details multiplayer, promises launch date 'soon'
We've caught a glimpse of PixelJunk Shooter 2's multiplayer, but a new video interview with producer Matt Morton goes into greater detail. Though the game is now in the certification phase, Morton doesn't have a launch date yet, but promises we'll know "soon."
PixelJunk Shooter 2 trailer previews cat-and-mouse versus mode
As it turns out, the greatest foe in the PixelJunk Shooter universe isn't the ever-present danger of being consumed by one of many hazardous elements -- but rather, the danger presented by the cunning of your fellow man. A new trailer for the sequel to Q-Games' underground action title shows off some of the game's high-tension, cat-and-mouse competitive gameplay, as well as some of the special abilities you'll be able to use while either hunting or hiding from your foes. (Lava tsunami? Don't mind if we do.) If that sounds a little too intense for your frayed nerves, there's quite a bit of single-player footage in the trailer as well, demoing some of the new liquids, solids, gases and hideous mutants you'll be tasked with surviving this time around. We suggest you start preparing for battle by checking out this new trailer after the jump.
Test PixelJunk Shooter 2 in LA this Friday
Sony has announced another LA playtest event for a PSN game, this time PixelJunk Shooter 2. If you're accepted to one of the testing sessions, you'll get to play an unreleased game -- and you'll get a free Move starter pack! Also, if the game is bad when it comes out, you'll be blamed.
Q-Games' Dylan Cuthbert considering PixelJunk Monsters 2
Q-Games has retooled, tweaked and enhanced nearly every game in the PixelJunk series thus far. However, PixelJunk Shooter 2 is the first true sequel in the franchise. Considering the vast amount of new features thrown into the upcoming PSN game, Cuthbert argues that it merits a numeric bump in the title. (We'd agree!) But would he consider making a true sequel to one of the earlier PixelJunk games? The answer appears to be yes. "We want to make a PixelJunk Monsters 2," Cuthbert said during a Tokyo Game Show meeting. However, even if the team began working on a Monsters 2, it would likely be a long time coming. Cuthbert said a sequel could be part of Q-Games' envisioned "Series 2, so it will be 3D in some way." (Series 2 would be a second set of PixelJunk games designed with 3D graphics, as opposed to the studio's current set of games, "Series 1," which are all 2D games.)
PixelJunk Shooter 2 preview: It's a gas
It may not have had an official presence at TGS this year, but I had a chance to see an updated build of PixelJunk Shooter 2 behind closed doors. Q-Games' Dylan Cuthbert was mum on when we can expect the PSN sequel, but he did showcase a bevy of new features we can expect in the Shooter follow-up. Like its predecessor, Shooter 2 is all about elements. Whereas the first game explored more traditional elements like water, lava and gas, the sequel expands upon the concept with new gimmicks: light and dark, acid, foam and sand. Whilst in foam, you'll lose control of your ship, requiring the use of a grappling hook that can swing you around obstacles. Sound familiar? Perhaps it's because it looks a bit like Q's platformer, PixelJunk Eden. There are a number of games that offer inspiration for the sequel. Shockingly, Dig-Dug is one of them. In areas with sand, you'll be able to don a new suit that lets you dig through the earth. Your movement is restricted, just like in its arcade inspiration, and you'll have to navigate carefully to make sure that you aren't crushed by any rocks. PixelJunk Shooter 2 takes more direct inspiration from classic hardcore shmups as well, with a new enemy type that sprays out complex bullet patterns that require pixel-perfect movement, timing and reflexes. As in the best shmups, these segments are all about dodging: You won't be able to shoot these enemies. Instead, you must grapple them when close.
PixelJunk lifelike: Two men in a forest demonstrate it for us
Q-Games' Omar Cornut and musician Baiyon put on identical tight pants and pink beanies for this trailer for the latest PixelJunk product, lifelike. This Move-based music visualizer was announced this March, though that previous announcement offered no title and much less dancing slash Move-sniffing.
Point your pupils at this PixelJunk Shooter 2 trailer
We're not big on ordering folks around here at Joystiq, but every now and then, you've gotta. Like with this PixelJunk Shooter 2 trailer, fresh from GamesCom: if you don't watch it, we aren't bros, muchachos or even acquaintances any longer. We hate to draw lines in the sand, but on this one thing, we will not budge. So not only save our relationship by checking out the trailer past the break, but do yourself a favor and watch some footage of a sequel to an awesome game.%Gallery-99779%
PixelJunk Racers 2nd Lap available today for PlayStation Plus members, free to existing Racers
PlayStation Plus users will be able to get a headstart on PixelJunk Racers 2nd Lap -- not in the actual races, which would be incredibly unfair, but in terms of access to the game itself. The updated, mercifully easier version of Q-Games' puzzle/racing/party game (now with Trophies!) will be available to PS+ members today, and to everyone else on August 24. If you already have PixelJunk Racers, the update will be free, and will allow you to play the new version without overwriting the original content. If you're new to the game, 2nd Lap will be $6.99 in the PlayStation Store, with an extra 25% discount thrown in for Plus members. Accelerate past the break to see a new trailer.
Report: Pixeljunk Racers' 2nd Lap hits the PSN track on July 1
We spent some time with 2nd Lap -- the it's-not-just-a-PixelJunk-Racers-add-on for PSN -- back in March. We enjoyed ourselves and it would appear that Pixeljunk Racers fans will get to try out 2nd Lap themselves on July 1 for ¥500 ($5.50), andriasang reports. We've contacted Sony for confirmation on the potential release date. 2nd Lap builds upon PixelJunk Racers with all-new tracks, mini-games and full Trophy Support -- there's even YouTube integration for you showboats out there who crave internet stardom. %Gallery-88551%
Preview: PixelJunk Shooter 2
Who knew the inside of a giant subterranean monster would provide such a great setting for a shooter? The first PixelJunk Shooter was abruptly ended by the awakening of a giant beast, one in which you happen to be trapped in the first numbered sequel in the PixelJunk franchise. Acid, light and darkness -- in addition to lava, water and gas -- are just some of the elements you'll get to play with in this PSN exclusive for PS3. The short demo I played gave me a chance to play with some of the new elements. Acid works almost exactly as you would expect: it raises the temperature of your ship considerably. However, unlike other fluids, the acid will cling to your ship, continuing to damage it until you rinse yourself in water. It's definitely one of the simpler elements (for now, at least), but the levels do force you to swim through the substance, meaning you'll have to play even more cautiously than in the first. Far more interesting than acid is the play on light and dark. As in the first Gears of War (or Pitch Black), staying in darkness for too long will summon a swarm of creatures that instantly destroy the ship. To rescue any marooned scientists, you'll have to figure out ways of getting light into darkened passages: whether it's by flipping switches, destroying rocks, or playing with the other elements. The mechanic lends itself really well in crafting complex puzzles; fans of the first game should be ecstatic.%Gallery-95871%
NintendoWare Weekly: X-Scape, Ben 10, Wild Guns
Even though it's a holiday here in the US, Nintendo has released a plethora of new downloadable titles for the Wii and DSi. It's a great thing, not simply because OMG moar gamez, but because it gives us a distraction from the day's festivities. There's only so much of Aunt Linda's trip to the Grand Canyon we can listen to, you know? %Gallery-86442%
PixelJunk Shooter 2 'in full production,' demo of Shooter 1 next week
Q-Games released some welcome news for those of you eagerly anticipating PixelJunk Shooter 2, as well as those who don't know whether or not they should be eagerly anticipating it. The sequel to the PSN shooter is "full steam ahead, anchors away and all that ... commotion to that order," Q-Games president Dylan Cuthbert said in a PlayStation Blog post. He promised that not only will Shooter 2 be larger than the original game, but that "it will have some features that are new to the PixelJunk series in general." If you are not intrigued about the sequel simply because you haven't experienced Shooter, Q-Games has something for you too. On May 25, Cuthbert said, a demo of the original PixelJunk Shooter will be released on the PlayStation Network. If you like that, you can buy PixelJunk Shooter, like it, and then join us all in waiting for 2. %Gallery-93253%
PixelJunk Shooter 2 revealed in July PlayStation: The Official Magazine
While Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood may hold the cover spot of the next issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine, the July 2010 issue will also feature a "lovefest feature" on PixelJunk Shooter 2, Q-Games' not-yet-announced-but-very-real PSN sequel, according to a Tweet from EIC Gary Steinman. Considering the numerous hints of a sequel, we're unsurprised that the game's existence is confirmed by an uneventful preview of a preview. (It seems Sony is intent on making this a trend.) If Sony shows this off at its E3 press conference, just try to act shocked, okay?
Interview: Q-Games and Nintendo on X-Scape
Click to N-Ter the galleryDylan Cuthbert's Q-Games has returned to the world of X, a Game Boy game designed by Nintendo and Cuthbert's Argonaut Software. Q-Games and Nintendo have created X-Scape, a DSiWare sequel to the 3D space tank game (coincidentally, "3D Space Tank" is the Australian title for X-Scape). Shortly before the announcement of the DSiWare title's May 31 release date, we spoke to Cuthbert, along with Assistant Director Kazushi Maeta and Kazuyuki Gofuku, in charge of Development Coordination for the title at Nintendo, about resurrecting the old franchise, the freedom of downloadable software, and, yes, the secret "Totaka's Song" first heard in X. %Gallery-86442%
PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe on UMD in North America this April
For that cross-section of the PSP audience that likes both PixelJunk Monsters and tangible objects, Q-Games's Dylan Cuthbert has announced a UMD release of PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe, due to launch in North America at "participating retail outlets" on April 27 for $19.99. The tower defense title has been available digitally since last fall. Interestingly, Cuthbert originally cited piracy as the reason for the lack of a worldwide release for the UMD of Deluxe, previously released in Japan and elsewhere in Asia. Try not to pirate this one, so we can see more nice discs like this in the future.
PixelJunk Eden's Baiyon creating music visualizer for PS3
Q-Games is teaming up with Japanese artist Baiyon once again for another PSN collaboration. Baiyon, who created the visuals and sound for PixelJunk Eden and Encore, is directing an interactive music visualizer for the PS3, to be distributed via the PlayStation Network. Unlike Q-Games' Earth visualizer, this upcoming project will not be built into the PS3 operating system. Instead, this will be a standalone application, akin to .deTuned. This is terrific news for Trophy hunters, as they should be familiar with how easy it is to get PSN XP with these standalone art applications.
Hands-on: PixelJunk Racers 2nd Lap (PSN)
As the first PixelJunk game from Q-Games, Racers was largely misunderstood by most. Now, after the success of Monsters, Eden and Shooter, Q-Games is ready to go back to its first concept and give it a second chance. PixelJunk Racers 2nd Lap isn't just an add-on to the original PSN game, but a new game (with new features like Trophies) that warrants a second look from fresh PixelJunk fans. Like the original, 2nd Lap is a unique interpretation of classic top-down racers of yore. However, Q-Games' take on the genre makes it more of a puzzle or rhythm game, rather than a racing game -- an easy mistake for players to make, considering both the game's look and title. While some modes do require "winning" a race, most are about achieving rather specific goals. For example, you may need to complete a number of laps in a constantly-accelerating vehicle, while avoiding all the other cars on the road. "Sunday Drive" will have you trying to get past as many slow-driving cars as possible. It's a frustrating recreation of being stuck in traffic, yet it's oddly compelling. In its second iteration, PixelJunk Racers remains essentially a collection of car-themed minigames, with the ultimate goal of scoring as high as possible on the leaderboards. Thankfully, 2nd Lap has been made considerably easier and more accessible than the first game, easing players into a much easier single-player experience. The addition of YouTube recording support should appease the show-offs, while the presence of PSN Trophies may make the overall package far more rewarding. (Don't worry Trophy hunters, Q-Games' Dylan Cuthbert told us that they've learned from PixelJunk Eden and Monsters, and will make the Trophies much easier, akin to PixelJunk Shooter.) %Gallery-88551%
DSiWare First Look: X-Scape and Metal Torrent
Two DSiWare shooters were on show at Nintendo's Q1 Media Summit -- X-Scape (left) and Metal Torrent (right). Both hail from different dimensions (of gameplay and graphics). I played them both, and you'll find my impressions beyond the break.
