“We need more power, captain!”

By Tom Hodgson

The PixelJunk name is to downloadable content on the Playstation Network what the Cadillac name is to the car industry. I’m the biggest proponent to some of modern gaming’s best titles being found as DLC, and it all started a few years ago when PixelJunk Monsters found its way onto my PS3 hard drive.

Addictive, attractive, and peerless, the implementation of such a simple premise wrapped in a gorgeous aesthetic won me over instantly and changed my perspective on what it meant to be a video game. Q-Games have built themselves into a developer synonymous with success by designing accessible games that transcend demographics. With everything in their favor, it came as some surprise to me that their latest title, PixelJunk Shooter 2, arrived without much fanfare.

Players advance through a world map which details the innards of a giant monster, eventually piloting their spaceship out of the belly of the beast and onto the maniacally-industrious surface. A dynamic host of 15 stages, boss battles, and environmental puzzles stand between you, stranded scientists, hidden treasures, and your chaotic escape.

Creatures exposed out of the beast’s stomach lining shoot acidic projectiles, turrets shoot nails in seemingly unavoidable patterns, gaseous elements expand to surround your every exit, and liquid elements stand between you and your closest exit. When coupled together, you have some frenetic moments that not only require you to fend off oncoming attacks, but manipulate your surroundings to prevent being overcome by them.

The HD graphics pop in true Q-Games fashion, like a Paint-by-Number on acid. Rounding out the presentation are the trip hop stylings of High Frequency Bandwith, who compose an ambient soundtrack that faithfully accompanies your exploration of alien environments with soundscapes just as strange and colorful.

There was never really a time though throughout the campaign where the difficulty seemed just right. Some levels were cold in their approach and too simple, while others would burn your tongue with their trial and error. Some areas are clearly meant to see you fail, where inopportune enemy spawns hinder your path and appear too quickly for you to put the brakes on your ship to avoid them. Some parts require exacting controls while you try to maneuver a ship with a distinct mechanic that always feels like it’s a split second behind. Add to that the kickback of the ship when firing in its different modes and it’s just another variable in the equation of your constant destruction.

Shortcomings aside, PixelJunk Shooter 2 is just south of sublime. While there are segments as tumultuous as your travels, it inherits all the charm and visual pop you’ve come to know and love from Q-Games. Don’t confuse a simple approach for a lack of detail and enjoyment just because there is little to master with your pew pew rocketmobile; the joy is in the picturesque accessibility. In truth, the “PixelJunk” name couldn’t be further from the truth, because much like the diamonds you collect in-game, this title is an absolute gem for the $9.99 price.

Rating: 87%