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.
The ghosts from the Mario series seem to provide another point of inspiration. In the levels that require you to manipulate light, these ghosts will appear, following you around throughout the level. The only way to stall their progress is to look directly at them whilst shining light at them. Sonic's spin attack is another point of comparison for yet another new feature. The vacuum spin from the first game has been enhanced. By hitting R3 while spinning, your ship will lock on to the nearest enemy and destroy it.
By adding all these various elements into the game, Shooter 2 feels far more expansive than the original. Even with all these new features, it's clear that there's much more to be discovered. Perhaps the biggest addition to the game is a new online multiplayer mode, the first for the PixelJunk series on PS3. Unlike Monsters Deluxe on PSP, the online mode isn't cooperative. Instead, it's a brand new fully-featured competitive mode, with XP, ranking and perks. As in Call of Duty and other online games, playing and winning matches will give you rewards that may give you an upper hand in later matches.
For example, some of the perks described to us included the ability to summon a tsunami. Another power lets you change the gravity of the level. The most devastating perk, however, must be the camouflage ability -- with this power-up, you'll be able to hide as a survivor in the level. As the other player attempts to rescue you, you'll reveal yourself as another ship and fire away. If you're not competitively inclined, Shooter 2 still retains a two-player co-op mode, as in the original. However, this will still be an offline-only experience. Why? Apparently, lag is far more difficult to overcome in cooperative play, as opposed to competitive play.
Unfortunately, Q-Games wasn't willing to offer an exact release date for the Shooter sequel other than "soon." Considering it's not out yet, that's definitely not soon enough.
