Bat
and ball games have been around since the very start of video games.
Atari's Pong is the game everyone will probably think of when asked
to name the first computer game (they would be wrong of course –
but it's a good guess) as its simplistic gameplay is an iconic image
of early gaming. Breakout came soon after, way back in 1976, and
added bricks to destroy with the ball, giving the game more of a
single player focus. Taito came out with their own take on the format
a decade later with the excellent Arkanoid. Taito added power-ups
that granted treats such as multiballs, a laser for destroying the
bricks, and one that would increase the size of your paddle. Enemies
were also added and would move around the screen, getting in the way
of your brick busting efforts. After that the genre didn't really
expand much. New games such as Breakout 2000 on the Atari Jaguar and
Breakout on Sony's PlayStation added a 3d perspective to the mix, but
only made the experience slightly more confusing on the eye. There
were also sequels to both Arkanoid and the original Breakout, but
that was about it. After all, how can you really expand on such a
simple formula? Well now we have the answer with Sidhe Interactive's
Shatter. Released on PS3 first back in 2009, and on PC a year later,
Shatter is a modern take on the most aged of video game staples. And
it is bloody brilliant.
Blue fragments can be 'inhaled' to increase your power bar
Assuming
the role of a paddle again, this time one that has escaped from a
huge matrix-like computer system, you are again tasked with relieving
the screen of all its bricks in order to progress to the next stage,
or wave in this case. Shatter shakes things up by flipping the screen
90 degrees to the right, resulting in a horizontal affair that looks
wonderful on modern widescreens. Some stages go back to the old
formula of vertical brick breakin', and some take place on the
circumference of a circle, but for the most part this is a horizontal
affair.
Hitting the bricks with the radioactive symbol causes a large explosion
Graphically
the game is superb. From the intro sequences showing your escape and
the hypnotic and fast paced links between waves, to the actual
in-game graphics themselves, Shatter looks wonderful. It has an
extremely crisp, colourful, and futuristic look, a cross between a
visualisation plug-in for a music player and a horizontal
shoot-em-up. Everything is very stylish indeed, from your robotic
paddle that rotates and spins as he deflects the balls, to the many
different blocks and enemies that you face along the way.
Special
mention must go the soundtrack which is simply sublime. It is,
honestly, one of the best video game soundtracks I have ever heard,
and my favourite since Cold Storage's amazing Wipeout soundtrack blew
me away back in 1995 (and still listen to to this day). It is a
fantastic blend of techno, breakbeat, and electronica, often
featuring exceptionally catchy guitar riffs or 80's synth melodies.
It is actually worth playing the game to listen to the tunes, and it
is no wonder the soundtrack is available to buy separately, something
I urge you to do.
The visual effects are stunning, and the amazing soundtrack
compliments the on-screen action perfectly
Many stages flip the perspective to the old school vertical
style as seen in the original Breakout and Arkanoid
The
newest gimmick, and Shatter's main selling point, is the ability to
blow and suck air using the triggers on your controller to manipulate
the trajectory of the ball, as well as some of the less stable
bricks. Using this airflow is vital to directing the ball and keeping
bricks at bay as well as sucking much needed fragments and power-ups
towards you when you need them the most. Power-ups add power to your
ball, allowing you to destroy the more stubborn bricks with less
hits, score multipliers and a more manoeuvrable ball. The fragments
are unleashed upon destroying a brick and when inhaled are added to
your power bar, which is used up each time you use your shield. Fill
the bar up and you can activate your special move, which slows down
time before unleashing a barrage of gun fire to take out multiple
bricks or administer a load of damage to the bosses. Yes, bosses.
Shatter features a massive robotic guardian at the end of each world.
These monstrous machines include an octopus, an evil doppelgänger
called Bad Bat, and an evil clock with a regenerating protective
shield. These bosses will require some extreme accuracy as well as
nifty airflow manipulation to defeat, often requiring inventive means
to reveal their weak points. Defeating the boss, and thus completing
the world, takes you to a bonus stage which tasks you with simply
deflecting the 3 balls that bounce around the screen at ludicrous
speed. This is more akin to Pong than Breakout but is a fun diversion
and will put your reflexes to the test.
The first of many large mechanical bosses you will face
over the course of the game
Variety
is the spice of life of course, and luckily Shatter doesn't get too
repetitive thanks to the new mechanics, boss encounters, and the
switching perspective over the course of the waves. It is a tough,
but fair game that never feels overwhelming, though sometimes the
bullet-hell style visuals (especially when there are hundreds of
collectable fragments on-screen) can make the ball hard to see, but
this doesn't happen often and certainly doesn't spoil the enjoyment.
Shatter is addictive, fun and blessed with great presentation and an
amazing soundtrack. It won't take you that long to finish, and there
is no multiplayer, which is a huge shame, but you can always come
back to beat your scores and rank up on the online scoreboards.
Shatter
comes highly recommended and is an inventive and brilliant new take
on one of the oldest game genres around.
The
Good
- Excellent presentation
- The best soundtrack I have heard for a long time
- Enjoyable and addictive arcade style gameplay
- Online scoreboards
The
Bad
- No Multiplayer
- More modes would have been nice
Developer
: SidHe Interactive
Availability
: PS3, PC and Mac
Price
: £6.49
