The original PixelJunk Shooter was a fantastic puzzle-filled voyage, which involved piloting a small craft through a variety of hazardous underground passages in an attempt to rescue as many marooned survivors as possible. The premise was simple, and the execution was virtually flawless. However, the short run left many hungry for more. If you’re unfamiliar with why, then check out our review here. With the sequel right around the corner, we had some time to test out the game and some of the new features at a recent Sony event.
PixelJunk Shooter 2 is set to hit the PlayStation Network in the near future, with a soon-to-be-announced release date that is tentatively set for spring 2011. Q-Games is aiming to improve upon the original in what seems like every possible way. They’re bringing us more levels with more bosses, which will be filled with various new fluids and environmental elements, such as acidic fluid, foam, sand, and pitch black areas that the player needs to fill with light in order to navigate and survive. The acidic fluid sticks to the player’s ship this time around, continuously heating it up until the ship can be rinsed off with water, or until it is destroyed. The darkness isn’t a walk in the park either, since spending too much time in it can cause creatures to come out and destroy the ship. New ship suits and abilities will also be included, such as a suit that allows for digging through sand with ease, and a grappling hook attachment that will help control the ship as it slips through foam.
Along with all this comes an all new online competitive multiplayer mode, in which the new weapons will be especially handy. The mode has been described as a cat and mouse type game, where one player is hunting the other. The hunted will be busy trying to rescue survivors and return them to their goal area to score points. In the meantime the other player chases them down and tries to kill them. Upon successfully doing so, their roles reverse, with the hunter becoming the hunted, and trying to steal back any points their opposition may have scored. As matches are won players will gain experience, ranks, and new weaponry for use in custom load outs they can use when entering a match. Players will be able to select up to three weapons or abilities for their loadouts. Among those weapons are various missiles, but also unique ones that summon a wave of water to crash through the level, or even invert gravity. A camouflage weapon was also described that allows players to disguise themselves as a rescue victim, only to surprise their opponent as they approach.
PixelJunk Shooter 2 really looks like Q-Games is upping the ante as much as possible. Want to know more about Pixel Junk Shooter? Stay tuned for an exclusive interview with Dylan Cuthbert founder of Q-Games coming very soon.
