Review: Shatter
The “brick breaking” genre has been dominated by one game for upwards of twenty years, Arkanoid. Released by Taito in 1986, some thought this was the best you were going to get if you wanted to break virtual bricks. I’m here today to tell you that the best has been bettered.
New Zeland based developers, Sidhe, have created Shatter – a classic brick breaker with a modern twist. This PS3 exclusive is sure to grab anyone who plays it, keeping you enthralled for hours on end. It might sound like something you can play for five minutes then put down, but i’m telling you know, you won’t.
On the surface, Shatter is a simple brick breaking title. You hit an object against a wall a piece of the wall disapears. This isn’t all there is though. For starters, you have the ability to use wind to control the ball allowing you to blow the ball in any direction (something that comes in handy with one brick to go) as well as suck the ball, any fragments – the things you to collect to increase your power meter – and wandering bricks towards you.
Not only do you have the power of the wind at your disposal. You also have a shielding ability, this can deflect any of those pesky wandering bricks or attacks from bosses. It can certainly be a lot of help, but I found myself not needing to use it the majority of the time.
The final, and most deadly, power you have is the machine gun. Yep, you read right, a brick breaker with a machine gun. If you collect enough fragments, you gain the ability to fire at the bricks making some levels a doddle to complete. It’s especially effective in boss fights.
Besides these more modern additions you never feel overpowered and the classic brick breaking game mechanics work perfectly. They never feel outdated and with the high definition graphics and fantastic soundtrack you won’t feel bored at any point throughout the game’s ten, really well designed, worlds.
The gameplay might be classic but Sidhe have added twist. The first thing you’ll notice is that the design of the stages is different. In Shatter you’re not just playing the typical way. Alongside vertical stages, you also get to play in horizontal and circular stages. This is another way that Shatter changes up the way you play and, ultimately, keeps the game interesting.
Bosses are the second addition to Shatter, another element not seen in brick breakers of old. These bosses, like the change in level design, change the gameplay up again, giving the player something to attack rather than something that just sits there. It’s in these boss sections that you need to use all you have learnt in order to survive. Bosses are a great addition, they break up the traditional gameplay a lot, but don’t ever feel like they shouldn’t be there.
The icing on the cake here is that, not only does is the gamplay great, it’s graphically and sonically amazing too. The art is really vibrant and, even with the speed of the game it still looks great. The stage themes are really interesting and have a very futuristic design that suits the game perfectly.
The audio also adds to the futuristic feel. The music in most games of this genre can get boring after a while, not here. The electronia inspired tunes work perfectly and I actually had a couple of the tunes stuck in my head. The sound effects also add a retro style to the game, certainly paying homage to the games it has now bettered.
The only online features are leaderboards, however I didn’t see this as a problem.
The only major gripe I have with the game is the lack of modes. Outside of the main ‘story mode’ there’s two others – ‘Boss Rush’ and ‘Bonus Mode’ – these are pretty insignificant and won’t keep you coming back. The game’s lack of multiplayer is noticeable, but not that important. I think the addition of multiplayer would’ve made the game extra special.
Overall this game is as near to perfect it can get. Arkanoid has been the best in this genre for 23 years I think it’s now passed on the proverbial torch. The gameplay is great, the graphics are fantastic and the soundtrack never gets old. It’s got my vote for one of the best PSN games of the year. Good on you Sidhe, I can’t wait to see what’s coming next.
9.5/10
Secondary Comments - Chris Malley
Going into Shatter I didn’t know what to expect. Unlike Anthony, I hadn’t been following the game and shame on me. This game is awesome. I really enjoyed the PSN’s other brick breaker, Magic Ball but, in all fairness to Creat, this game trounces it.
The graphics are awesome. I love the futuristic feel and the speed of the game is fantastic. The audio is great too. Since playing the game I have gone out and bought the soundtrack. I couldn’t help myself. It takes a lot for me to do that too, the last videogame soundtrack I bought was PixelJunk Eden.
I don’t mind the lack of online features. Just trying to beat the scores of my friends is enough for me. The lack of multiplayer is also not an issue. I don’t actually think the game would work as well if it had been in there, but that’s just me.
At the price of £4.79/$7.99 this is one you can’t miss. Go and support Sidhe and buy this game now. You won’t regret it.
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