PixelJunk Shooter
DeveloperQ-Games[a]
Ultimate
Double Eleven
PublisherJP: Q-Games; WW: Sony Computer EntertainmentUltimate
Double Eleven[1]
ComposerHigh Frequency Bandwidth
Alex Paterson
Dom Beken
SeriesPixelJunk
ReleasedPlayStation 3
WW: December 10, 2009; JP: December 24, 2009Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux
November 11, 2013
PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate
PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita
NA: June 3, 2014; PAL: June 4, 2014; JP: June 18, 2014Windows
October 21, 2015
GenreMultidirectional shooter
ModesSingle-player, multiplayer
PlatformsPlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita

PixelJunk Shooter is a shooter video game developed and published by Q-Games for the PlayStation 3. It is the fourth game in the PixelJunk series. It was released on the PlayStation Store by Sony Computer Entertainment in December 2009,[2] and for Windows on November 11, 2013. A remastered version of the game, PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate, was released by Double Eleven for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in June 2014, and for Microsoft Windows on October 21, 2015.

Gameplay

In PixelJunk Shooter, up to two players can control their own subterranean vehicles to rescue a number of surviving scientists trapped underground.[3] Using their ships' missiles, players can defeat enemies and destroy weak rock to progress through the environment. In addition to rock and ice, players must manipulate three types of fluid (water, magma, and ferrofluid) in order to reach the survivors.[4] Once each survivor is rescued or killed, players may progress to the next part of the stage. If too many survivors are killed, players are forced to quit or restart the stage. The game has fifteen stages divided evenly among three "episodes", each episode ending with a boss encounter.[5]

Development

PixelJunk Shooter was formally announced during a 2009 pre-E3 press event on April 29, 2009. Originally referred to as PixelJunk 1–4, a 13-day contest was held in which fans submitted game title suggestions to Q-Games.[6] The official title, PixelJunk Shooter, was announced on May 25, 2009.[5] The simplistic name was received negatively by some fans to which Q-Games president Dylan Cuthbert explained that the name was chosen not only for its simplicity, but also because shooting is the game's central mechanic ("Shooting jets of magma, shooting streams of water, shooting enemies, missiles, lasers, plasma spread weapons etc.")[5] Several other titles were considered, including "PixelJunk Elements", the most popular submission. Ultimately, "Elements" was dismissed because "[it didn't] sound action-packed enough".[5] The fluid mechanics are based on a particle flow simulation calculated using the Cell's Synergistic Processing Element or SPE.[7]

PixelJunk Shooter is the first title in the PixelJunk series to offer a traditional narrative, conveyed to players through a series of speech boxes awarded upon rescuing certain survivors.[6] The game's soundtrack is made up of songs by High Frequency Bandwidth, composed by Alex Paterson and Dom Beken.[8]

Reception

The PlayStation 3 version of PixelJunk Shooter received "generally favorable reviews", just three points shy of "universal acclaim", while the PC version received "average" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[9][10] The former console version was described by Eurogamer as "part retro videogame, part chemistry set; part Geometry Wars, part Zelda",[11] while Game Informer called it "one of the best titles you'll find on PlayStation Network".[12] Similarly, IGN's review called it one of the best PlayStation Network titles of 2009, as well as Q Games' "best work yet".[13]

The same console version was praised by critics for its level design and unique physics;[11][12] 1UP.com lamented that said console version did not include a "sandbox" mode wherein players could experiment with its various fluid substances.[14] The music of High Frequency Bandwidth was also praised, described as "a funky, dynamic collection of upbeat trip-hop" by Eurogamer.[11]

Critics were not uniform in reception of the same console version's combat. While Eurogamer praised the enemies as "cunningly-designed",[11] GameSpy remarked that the combat experience overall "isn't all that interesting".[15]

Several reviews made note of said console version's brevity; GameSpot called it "ultimately too short for its own good, abruptly ending just when you're getting into a groove".[16] Other reviewers were less critical of its length, noting that the story concludes with a "To Be Continued" screen, suggesting an "Encore" expansion was likely (similar to those released for PixelJunk Monsters and PixelJunk Eden).[14][11] Rather than an expansion, a standalone sequel was announced by Q-Games.

Legacy

A PlayStation Home space for PixelJunk Shooter was added onto the existing Q Games "PixelJunk Museum" space on December 17, 2009. Upon entering the Museum, players receive articles of clothing unlocked by completing portions of PixelJunk Shooter. Completing the game 100% will unlock a complete scientist costume for players to equip their Home avatars with. The Home space features the virtual interior of the "Ers Piñita Colada", a space center seen in the main menu for PixelJunk Shooter.

PixelJunk Shooter 2

Main article: PixelJunk Shooter 2

PixelJunk Shooter 2 was formally announced by Q-Games on May 18, 2010.[17] The title is the first full-fledged sequel to any PixelJunk game. Q-Games' Dylan Cuthbert said of the title, "it will have some features that are new to the PixelJunk series in general and will be bigger than the first game."

PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate

PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate, developed by Double Eleven, combines both games into one continuous game. It was released on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in June 2014 and on the PC in October 2015[18][19] and was later released as a free title for PlayStation Plus subscribers for the month of June 2014.[20] The title features cross-buy, meaning that one purchase grants access to both PS4 and PS Vita versions[21] as well as cross-save, meaning that players can save progress on either PlayStation 4 or PlayStation Vita and continue on the other system.[22]

Reception

The Vita and PlayStation 4 versions of Ultimate received "generally favorable reviews", according to Metacritic.[23][24]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Additional work by Santa Monica Studio.

References

  1. ^ "PixelJunk™ Shooter Ultimate Game | PS4 - PlayStation". Archived 2020-08-05 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
  2. ^ Cuthbert, Dylan (December 2, 2009). "'Tis the PixelJunk Season...". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. Archived April 19, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  3. ^ Fahey, Mike (June 8, 2009). "PixelJunk Shooter Preview: Hot And Cold-Running Co-Op". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Archived April 19, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  4. ^ Mueller, Greg (April 29, 2009). "PixelJunk 1–4 Hands-On: Better Than a Lava Lamp". Shacknews. Archived April 19, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  5. ^ Cuthbert, Dylan (May 25, 2009). "PixelJunk 1–4: Drumroll Please...". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. Archived May 27, 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 26, 2009.
  6. ^ Cuthbert, Dylan (April 29, 2009). "Name the Next PixelJunk Game!". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. Archived May 2, 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 30, 2009.
  7. ^ "Go With the Flow! Fluid and Particle Physics in PixelJunk Shooter". www.gdcvault.com. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  8. ^ McWhertor, Michael (April 29, 2009). "First PixelJunk 1–4 Details, Hands On Impressions". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Archived April 19, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  9. ^ "PixelJunk Shooter for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived April 30, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  10. ^ "PixelJunk Shooter for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived March 4, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  11. ^ Welsh, Oli (November 25, 2009). "PixelJunk Shooter (PlayStation 3)". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived November 26, 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 25, 2009.
  12. ^ Miller, Matt (December 14, 2009). "Pixeljunk Shooter (PS3): PixelJunk Franchise Wins Again". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived April 19, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  13. ^ Roper, Chris (December 9, 2009). "PixelJunk Shooter Review (PS3)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived April 19, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  14. ^ Barnholt, Ray (December 10, 2009). "PixelJunk Shooter Review (PS3)". 1UP.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  15. ^ Gallegos, Anthony (December 15, 2009). "The Consensus: PixelJunk Shooter Review (PS3)". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived December 17, 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 16, 2009.
  16. ^ McShea, Tom (December 15, 2009). "PixelJunk Shooter Review (PS3) [date mislabeled as "March 1, 2011"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived April 19, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  17. ^ Cuthbert, Dylan (May 18, 2010). "PixelJunk Shooter 2 in Full Production!". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. Archived May 20, 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 18, 2010.
  18. ^ South, Mark (June 3, 2014). "PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate Out Today on PS4, PS Vita". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. Archived September 5, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  19. ^ Matulef, Jeffrey (October 21, 2015). "PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate is out now on Steam". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived October 22, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  20. ^ Sarkar, Samit (3 June 2014). "PlayStation Plus members get Trine 2, NBA 2K14, PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate free today". Polygon. Archived 16 March 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  21. ^ "Playstation Store: PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate". Sony. Archived 16 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  22. ^ "PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate Coming To PS4 and PS Vita". Just Push Start. March 6, 2014. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  23. ^ "PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate for PlayStation Vita Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived March 10, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  24. ^ "PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived April 29, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 19, 2019.