PixelJunk Shooter 2 Review

Q-Games has finally released their very much anticipated sequel, PixelJunk Shooter 2. Their latest shooter begins exactly where your adventure ended in the original, and there’s all-new levels to explore and more survivors to rescue.  Can PixelJunk Shooter 2 offer enough new content keep the experience fun? We think so and we’ll tell you why!

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HERE’S WHAT’S GREAT ABOUT IT…

COOL NEW LEVELS

Now inside a giant monster you’ll be battling new hazards and you’ll be forced to overcome various new challenges. Displayed as a top-down shooter you’ll encounter hazards such as acidic build-up, molten lava, and various bacteria’s, and using your ship along with various extra ‘suits’ for it, you can overcome these hazards and rescue survivors, collect gems, and progress through the game.  Hit switches to access new areas, and use the hungry suit to eat your way through block puzzles. The gameplay excels in the PixelJunk games, and PJS2 expands on the original to keep the experience fresh, while keeping all features that made the first game a great title.

Q-GAMES HAVE GOT STYLE!

The level design in PJS2 is quite intricate, and although it’s primarily considered a top-down shooter by genre, it has a heavy puzzle influence as well. Although it’s typically straightforward on what you’ve got to, some levels can have you searching different pathways because there’s sometimes an order in which tasks must be completed. The visual style of the game is what really brings PJS2 to life though, and the moving parts in the levels combined with pools of water, molten lava and more add to the already vibrant aesthetic of the game. Each set of levels varies wilding from the next so you really never know what to expect, and that’s a huge part of what keep you saying “I’ll play just one more level before stopping.” Expect to play for awhile once you pick this game up because it’s very addictive.

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COMPETITIVE ONLINE MULTIPLAYER!

Brand new to the PixelJunk Shooter 2 is an online competitive multiplayer mode that acts sort of like a Capture the Flag-style game. Admittedly I was unimpressed at first, but I didn’t realize how to play or what to do. After reading the basic tutorial and running a few matches with a friend I began to understand how it worked. Players have two turns on both an offensive run and a defensive run. One player will use a widespread radar to find the otherwise invisible opponent who is trying to retrieve survivors and return them to their base. Your goal is to destroy your opponents’ ship and retrieve the icon left behind. If you’re killed you’ll spawn another ship, but I recommend taking out your opponent quick to keep him from scoring! The roles switch back and forth after each turn allowing you to try and score more points and win the match. There are seven maps which each come complete with various hazards that you can use to your advantage, and each is set in a different type of area from the single player campaign.

MORE ON THE MULTIPLAYER FRONT

You can play matches with a friend, or take on the League Battle that pits you against other players from around the world and you can you earn experience to travel to other planets, and you’ll also earn cash for some sweet upgrades. You can purchase twenty items including weapons, power-ups, disrupters, and hazards to help you against your opponents. Some of the items include wall-bouncing missiles, proximity mines,  speed boosters. You can also use items to reverse your opponents’ controls,  or swap places on the map with them, and when used at the right time these can be extremely helpful in winning the match.  There’s a basic leaderboard, and a ton of cool specs to view on here, but you won’t have time to read that because the multiplayer can be extremely addictive once you begin unlocking some of the better items.

LOST IN THE MUSIC

The sountrack for PJS2 is one of ones where you just become lost in the music while you play. The sound flows along with the level and will often infiltrate your head and have you humming along even when you’re not longer playing the game. After while you may find that some tracks blend too much with others though, and you find yourself wanting just a little more. Basic sound effects for missiles and gunfire mixed with the flowing sounds of water, acid, lava and more blend well and help bring the levels to life.

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AND THE NOT SO GREAT…

TOO TOUGH, OR JUST SKETCHY DESIGN?

My only complaint regarding the game relates to the difficulty at certain times. Though each level is split into sections, there are no checkpoints within each section. If you’ve collected everything you need in the level and the gate is open, but you die on the way to gate you’re going to have to start that section over. It can be rather unforgiving at times because something as small as a drop of lava can destroy you.  Without the challenges you may not feel as rewarded when you do succeed in your mission, but sometimes you just want to strangle the game.

LET’S WRAP UP

PixelJunk Shooter 2 definitely expands on the original on every way, and the online multiplayer is a fantastic addition to the game.  If you’re a newcomer to PixelJunk games, you’re definitely in for a treat, and if you’re returning you won’t be disappointed because there’s more than enough new features to keep your attention. The single player will take the average player at least ten hours to complete, and the League Battle online could last light years. Q-Games will never cease to amaze us, and their ingenuity lives on in PixelJunk Shooter 2.