PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate

Overall this game really is the complete package and is very addicting due to its satisfying puzzles and tight controls. It really makes you appreciate the digital landscape as excellent titles like this would probably never see the light of day as physical releases. PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate is without question one of the very best games on Vita, especially considering the amount of content you get for the price.

56%Game Brain Score

gameplay, music

stability, grinding

86% User Score Based on 236 reviews

Critic Score 0%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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About

PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate is a thrilling, action-packed game that combines shooting and puzzle-solving elements. Players navigate through treacherous underwater caves, rescuing trapped scientists while battling menacing creatures and avoiding hazardous environments. With stunning visuals and updated features, this ultimate edition offers a seamless blend of challenge and fun.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 238 reviews

gameplay26 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game features enjoyable fluid physics and diverse level design, making for a fun and engaging experience.
It combines elements of puzzle-solving and action, with a charming aesthetic and a catchy soundtrack.
The local co-op mode enhances the gameplay, allowing for collaborative problem-solving and entertaining interactions.

The latter half of the game introduces frustrating mechanics and difficulty spikes, particularly in boss fights.
There are persistent audio bugs and technical issues, including crashes and resolution problems, that detract from the overall experience.
The requirement to collect hidden gems to progress can lead to tedious gameplay, forcing players to replay levels unnecessarily.

gameplay
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
59%
4%
Gameplay in the reviewed game is generally praised for its smoothness, engaging mechanics, and variety, with many players enjoying the elemental puzzle design and the introduction of new gameplay elements throughout. However, some criticisms arise regarding certain mechanics in the latter part of the game that disrupt fluidity and introduce frustration, alongside simpler puzzles that lack depth. Overall, the game offers a satisfying experience, especially when played with a controller, and features well-designed levels that gradually increase in complexity.
- “The levels are really well designed, and there's a huge variety of mechanics to spice things up, so it rarely gets boring.”
- “Pixeljunk Shooter Ultimate boasts elemental puzzle gameplay that makes for very interesting level design and storytelling through each unique area you explore.”
- “Gameplay feels satisfying, the controls handle well, the graphics look good, the presentation is really bold and engaging.”
- “Unfortunately, the latter part (or the second game originally) introduced mechanics that make the experience significantly worse: a 'power-up' that halts your movement presenting no challenge, just frustration, and new environmental hazards that also break the fluidity of the gameplay.”
- “The second half of the game looks and sounds better but has some pretty annoying mechanics which increase rather than alleviate frustrations and ups the number of cheap deaths.”
- “The second half started feeling like Dig Dug or similar arcade games, which aren't my thing and the mechanics were trickier and clunkier.”
music
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
35%
10%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its quality and atmospheric qualities, likening it to a blend of indie space music and energetic beats. However, a significant number of players have reported persistent audio bugs, including skipping and desynchronization, which detract from the overall experience. While the soundtrack is often described as fantastic and integral to the gameplay, these technical issues have led to frustration among users.
- “A classic game from the PS3 library, bundling both the first and second game into one with upgraded visuals and an amazing soundtrack to boot!”
- “High frequency bandwidth (the composers of the soundtrack) did a fantastic job, the soundtrack is filled with funky beats with energetic samples, a sort of Jet Set Radio style sound but more ambient and alien.”
- “Gorgeous art style & music, polished controls with a twin-stick controller, and the gameplay starts off at a relaxed pace then gets very challenging and inventive later on.”
- “Unfortunately, this game has a skipping audio/music bug that they were aware of back in 2016 but never fixed.”
- “It is jarring when the music intermittently cuts out at different points, and I can't recommend it for this reason.”
- “As much as I wanted to like it, there are far too many frustrations and annoyances to truly enjoy the game, such as terrible music quality with inconsistent audio levels, overlapping tracks, and sections repeating too often.”
graphics
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
46%
6%
The graphics in Pixeljunk Shooter Ultimate have received significant praise for their vibrant cartoonish art style and detailed environmental simulations, enhancing the overall visual experience. Players appreciate the option to toggle between the upgraded graphics and the original style, allowing for a personalized gameplay experience. While some users noted performance issues with the new graphics on lower-end systems, the remastered visuals and smooth frame rates (up to 60 fps) have generally been well-received, contributing to the game's engaging presentation.
- “A classic game from the PS3 library, bundling both the first and second game into one with upgraded visuals and an amazing soundtrack to boot!”
- “Graphics: fantastic environments with detailed liquid/gas simulations, water, lava, steam, stomach acid, whatever.”
- “The graphic remake is stunning, and the 60 fps are awesome.”
- “The new art style is garish, but thankfully you can toggle it.”
- “The new graphics make it harder to see what's going on.”
- “Update: so I ended up putting a spare discrete card in my HTPC, and the game still chugs a bit on the 'ultimate' graphics.”
story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
21%
21%
The story in Pixeljunk Shooter Ultimate is described as functional and characterful, with an interesting narrative woven through its elemental puzzle gameplay and unique level design. While some players find the fetch quests tedious, the overall storytelling is engaging, particularly as the sequel builds on the first game's narrative and difficulty. However, players must complete the first game to access the second, which may limit accessibility for some.
- “Pixeljunk Shooter Ultimate boasts elemental puzzle gameplay that makes for very interesting level design and storytelling through each unique area you explore.”
- “The only slight downside is that both are chained together into a single story, so that you can't jump into PJS2 without defeating PJS1 first.”
- “If playing with liquids and gases is your thing, while you dodge bullets, save people, and find an interesting story being told, this is your jam.”
- “Ultimate is twice as long, significantly better-looking, and significantly harder, with the new stages picking up both in story and difficulty where the first game left off and continuing to add new and interesting gimmicks with each set of levels.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted as surprisingly effective, with players finding it both simple and extremely funny. Failures during gameplay are described as hilarious rather than frustrating, largely due to the emphasis on teamwork rather than difficult levels.
- “I was surprised how this game was so simple and at the same time so funny to play.”
- “This is one of those games where failing can be utterly hilarious rather than aggravating, especially since most of the challenge comes from the need for teamwork rather than the levels being particularly hard in themselves.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While players have reported issues such as achievement bugs and game freezes, the game does not feature any game-breaking glitches. Overall, it remains a worthwhile experience for fans of classic 2D shooters, despite some recurring audio problems.
- “Regardless of the achievement bug and game freezes, this game is still worth checking if you're a fan of classic 2D shooters.”
- “I didn't come across game-breaking glitches, but I did have a recurring music outage.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game; while some find improvements that reduce tedium, others still feel that the treasure-hunting mechanic remains tedious, especially with the increased difficulty of levels. This has led to a lack of motivation for some to pursue missed collectibles.
- “Unfortunately, that's not me - I felt the treasure-poking was tedious in the original, and with the significantly harder levels, I'm very uninterested in trying to get the 26 I missed.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with several users expressing disappointment in its performance. While they still recommend the game, they emphasize the need for potential players to be aware of these performance issues.
- “What's disappointing is the performance.”
- “So I'd recommend the game, but with the performance caveat.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by its atmospheric indie space music, which complements the smooth and natural gameplay. Players appreciate the engaging 2-player co-op dynamics and the variety of physics-based puzzles involving elements like lava, ice, and magnets, enhancing the overall immersive experience.
- “Atmospheric, indie space music; great 2-player co-op dynamics, interesting physics-based puzzles, lava/ice/rock/magnets/gases, gameplay feels super smooth and natural.”