Shatter: Preview And Exclusive Screenshots
Sidhe's amazing looking brick-breaker is just two days away.Published 21/07/2009 at 9:00 by nofi
Shatter To Get New Play Modes [9]
Shatter Coming to XBLA? [9]
Shatter Soundtrack: Listen For Free [4]
When we did our little retrospective on the PSN’s first 10 games, one of the stand-outs from those early weeks was Gripshift, a supremely confident and cohesive racer/platformer which still looks great today. It’s suprising then that it’s taken two years for the New Zealand based Sidhe to come up with a second PlayStation Network title, and whilst this week’s Shatter will release alongside Killzone 2 DLC, Wipeout HD Fury and Crystal Defenders we’re sure that fans of retro-inspired shooters will take great pleasure in knowing that Shatter could be the best of the bunch.
What at first appears to be a vectorised horizontal brick breaker soon changes into a physics-based shooter with not only varying arenas full of tumbling blocks but also a deep weapon system with multiple balls and a cool distortion beam that lets you subtly bend the projectiles to your will. The game won’t just be battling cuboid lumps, either, Shatter features boss battles and various score challenges. The team at Sidhe wanted to go back to basics after Gripshift to try to create something accessible and familiar, and although break breaking games are popular, merely emulating the classics wouldn’t be enough.
Taking the best gameplay mechanics from titles like Arkanoid and Pong, visual cues from Pac Man Championship Edition and Geometry Wars and natural trigger happy influences from shooters like Xenon 2 and R-Type, the guys at Sidhe appear to have come up with a winning formula. The game is never overly complex but offers a surprising challenge and the boss encounters change the game from being something of a me-too to a masterful exercise in game design whilst providing a limited but welcome element of exposition.
At TheSixthAxis we can’t wait to get our hands on the final version when it lands – whilst there’s no multiplayer (yet) the game will support a full raft of Trophies and online leaderboards, runs in 60fps 720p and features an original 90 minute soundtrack too. Future DLC is planned (as are ports to other platforms if the game is successful) but nothing is in concrete yet. If you’re familiar with Gripshift then you’ll know what these guys can do with the PlayStation 3, if not cast your eyes over the video above, check out these three exclusive screenshots, and then get ready for Shatter which releases Worldwide this Thursday exclusively on the PlayStation Network.
Comments
Please note that all comments are the opinion of the individual author and not TheSixthAxis.
AddictedAndy | 21/07/2009 09:08
PS3Addict
489 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
Looks pretty cool. Don’t think anybody can complain about this weeks store update, I feel spoilt, I’ll be buying KZ2 and WipEout HD Fury without question, but Shatter too? Hmm, Maybe I’ll save this for one of those riany days when I want a new game to play??
colmshan1990 | 21/07/2009 16:30
Member
1102 TSA Points | Member since: Apr 2009
Wait for it: Where is MGS/ Fat Princess/ Trine/ Resident Evil/ substitute game title here.
colmshan1990 | 21/07/2009 16:31
Member
1102 TSA Points | Member since: Apr 2009
By the way, I’m not complaining. I’m just saying what others will complain about.
TheDoctor | 21/07/2009 09:11
Member
21 TSA Points | Member since: Apr 2009
This looks great. Definitely a day one purchase for me. I’ve been getting loads of PSN titles lately.
cc_star | 21/07/2009 11:19
Team TSA: Writer
7854 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
PSN games are better than retail games, but then again many iPhone games are better than PSN games (and only about 10% of the price)
Sevchenko | 22/07/2009 19:28
Member
164 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
cheers
Gastos84 | 21/07/2009 09:12
Team TSA: Writer
3888 TSA Points | Member since: Apr 2009
That looks mental!! Looking forward to that.
I seem to be getting more excited by PSN titles these days than actual games. Uncharted 2 and GoW3 not included of course!
PSN Games (or at least the ones I’m buying) constantly provide great entertainment and hours of fun. Just wish they would sort out thr pricing on some of them though!
pOOpInFlames | 21/07/2009 09:17
Member
851 TSA Points | Member since: Apr 2009
Oh nooooooooo…another game I wont be able to put down…beeing really hooked on Bejeweled 2 and I dont like that lol.
Seriously though,It looks like great fun
TyphoonEx | 21/07/2009 09:18
Member
206 TSA Points | Member since: Jun 2009
There goes my money, again. I will be getting Wipeout HD Fury pack and this as well. How much will it cost?
deepmenace | 21/07/2009 09:23
Member
264 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
this looks really good.
one of them concepts that has me thinking “why had never thought of this before ????”
*patiently waits for someone to show me it already has…*
3shirts | 21/07/2009 09:28
Member
2486 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
I agree, looks like a fresh take on an established idea.
BTW (and off topic) I noticed your avatar, have you played the new Special Edition of Monkey Island 1? The original game remixed in lovely funky updated graphics and audio (with speech from the existing voice cast)
Severn2j | 21/07/2009 09:36
Member
1553 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
Hmm, intriguing.. Not sure if Ill get tho, anyone know if theres a demo as well? If so, I might be buying more than just the KZ2DLC..
nofi | 21/07/2009 09:36
Wants a custom tag.
4302 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
No demo.
Severn2j | 21/07/2009 10:05
Member
1553 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
Ah well, Ill just have to wait for a TSA review…
Tuffcub | 21/07/2009 09:41
Team TSA: Writer
4070 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
Not exactly high on my list of buys as I already have Magic Ball for some ball..er. action.
Shlomi1995 | 21/07/2009 10:02
Member
488 TSA Points | Member since: Jun 2009
PSN is getting a great amount of supreme content, nowadays.
Let’s hope SONY can further improve it by integrating HOME more firmly and anouncing the Video STORE & VidZone worldwide.
jonny_bolton | 21/07/2009 10:25
Chooses The Impossible
1986 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
I’m quite looking forward to this. I might have to move some money around so I can get it
spooner_22 | 21/07/2009 11:00
Member
1167 TSA Points | Member since: May 2009
Hmm, this looks interesting.
I’m usually no good at these types of games but might give it a go.
dyer69 | 21/07/2009 12:40
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21 TSA Points | Member since: May 2009
Any idea of the pricing?
hannes_truce | 21/07/2009 13:12
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2919 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008
one word: SOLD.
CrazyKrissZ | 21/07/2009 17:00
Member
552 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
Looks cool! It was shown on the last Pusle video. Don’t you have Pulse in EU PSN Store?
kassatsu | 21/07/2009 17:15
Member
267 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009
Nope, that is a NA store only thing.
Michael | 21/07/2009 21:29
Team TSA: Development
2211 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
That trailer is awful. It jumps around so much that I can’t get a proper handle on the game. I hate trailers like that. Still, what I did see was actually kinda nifty.