without a knob spin control i wouldnt even remotely amuse hte idea of a purchase .. magic ball works becasue its more of a strategy brick breaker .. arkanoid type play without a spin knob would be useless...
I've never had trouble with breakout/arkanoid type games with analogue or digital left/right control.
well no offense then but you cant be a champion at the game then .. you need that quick spin for the crazy deflections .. im not saying you cant play it without one .. but the true arkanoid champs cant play it without one .. its impossible to replicate that quick spin diagonal cut of the ball with a analog/digital control ... the colecovision had a trackball for centipede ( which rocked BTW ) so i dont see why someone cant make one ..
Man, somehow we missed the incredibly cool upcoming PSN game, Shatter, at E3. Thankfully, the kind folks at developer Sidhe agreed to participate in the PSB’s first-ever video interview using the PlayStation Eye. And considering the company resides down in New Zealand (insert generic Flight of the Conchords quip here), it’s just about the only way to get them talking in-person.
Shatter is like Arkanoid on steroids…and we mean that in the most positive way. Here, Managing Director Mario Wynands talks about the game’s slick graphics, power-ups and unique push/pull gameplay that makes this PSN game the real deal.
And what do you think of the PS3 Video Chat format via the Eye? Drop a comment and let us know…it could be a great way to conduct interviews with folks from across the globe.
US, June 29, 2009 - Today, I had the pleasure of sitting down and getting some quality hands-on time with a little game from Sidhe (pronounced "she") titled Shatter. Shatter is a downloadable game that's coming exclusively to the PlayStation 3 and everyone should be excited about it. Before I saw Shatter in action, our own Daemon Hatfield described it as a Breakout-style game, as he went hands-on with it at this year's E3. Although Shatter is, as its roots, a "Breakout-style game," this downloadable wonder is so much more.
Even after a mere twenty minutes of play time, I was already hooked.
Shatter begins in the kinetic energy harvest zone, where an everyday paddle is used to perpetually bounce a ball back and forth in a small cell... until something happens and the paddle begins to move on its own, breaking free from the cell and flying through various cybernetic areas in an effort to escape. Along the way, this paddle will face stages of all shapes and sizes, massive boss characters and some of the sweetest music around. And that's just the start of the fun.
In case you're extremely late to the party, the original Breakout tasked the player with keeping a ball in play in a rectangular arena with a sliding paddle that moved back and forth across the bottom of the screen. The objective of Breakout was to clear all the bricks from the top of the screen by hitting them with the ball. If the ball passed by the paddle and hit the button of the screen, you lost.
At its core, Shatter is the same as Breakout, but the entire game is built with some incredible visuals and fresh game mechanics. For starters, your paddle will not always be oriented in the same manner. You'll often be on the side of the screen as opposed to the bottom, or you'll be skimming the edge of a circular stage. Besides these differing environments, you have a lot more control over your paddle in Shatter than you do in other Breakout-style games. Not only can you activate a shield which protects your paddle from harm, but you can also "Blow" and "Suck." Yes, those are the names of the mechanics in place, but more explaining is in order.
By using the L1/L2 buttons, you can suck in objects towards your paddle and steer the ball while it's in play. Alternatively, the R1/R2 triggers blow objects away, so using both the repulse and attract mechanics give you much more control of the game than just moving your paddle back and forth passively.
In the world of Shatter, there's more to keep track of than just your ball. Destroying blocks fills the stage with Shards, which can be collected by sucking in air with your paddle. These Shards fill up a gauge on the top of the screen and can be used to not only deploy the aforementioned shield but also to unleash a super destructive force known as the Shard Storm. This technique causes a hail of bullets to pour out of your paddle, which can make quick work of bricks and bosses alike.
Speaking of bosses, there's plenty of nasty critters to defeat in your epic brick-breaking quest. The first boss fight I came across was a snake like creature with a weak point on its head. In order to defeat it, you need to bounce/steer the ball into the weak point, or unleash a Shard Storm on it. Other bosses include a Bloctopus (guess what animal that one is modeled after) and a clockwork boss that really blew my mind. This digital creature is essentially a super-powered clock that has bricks revolving around it. As the hands sweep around, bricks are launched at your paddle and the action gets very fast. This confrontation was easily the highlight of my play session.
There are plenty of power-ups too, including an unstoppable ball that breaks through multiple bricks at once, a more maneuverable ball that can be easily controlled with the suck and blow mechanics, as well as a rocket move which can be executed by launching a second ball into play at the exact moment the first ball hits your paddle. That's right, you can launch as many balls as you want simultaneously, but each ball represents one life, so you're only making the experience harder for yourself if you decide to go the multi-ball route.
Shatter is the kind of game that needs to be played. It's an experience that's built off classic mechanics but it approaches the formula in a totally invigorating way. It'll be hitting the PlayStation Store later this year, so my wallet will be at the ready.
Shatter is a delight from beginning to end. The new ideas it brings to the table for this aging genre will make it hard to go back to Arkanoid. A multiplayer mode or something more substantial to do after completing the story would have been nice, but those minor disappointments don't keep this from being a must-play game. Shatter stands right up there with Breakout and Arkanoid as one of (if not the) best brick-breaking games ever made.
8.5 Presentation
Shatter sits right alongside the greats in the genre like Breakout and Arkanoid.
8.5 Graphics
Flashy effects and a slick, robotic design.
9.5 Sound
Catchy, energetic electronica. Many sound effects have a retro, lo-fi aesthetic that pays homage to arcade classics.
9.0 Gameplay
The new gameplay mechanics Shatter brings to the table revolutionize the brick-breaking genre.
7.5 Lasting Appeal
Ten worlds to play through and they're fun from beginning to end. Beyond the story mode, though, there isn't a whole lot to do. 9.0 Outstanding OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)
TSA: Hi Mario. So, how difficult was it to take on a very well known style of game and be confident that you could give it enough of a twist to make it relevant to a new market?
Mario: Hi. Well, when we first decided to see if we could revamp the brick breaking genre, we weren’t at all sure that it could be done. Certainly we knew we could raise the presentation, graphics, and sound dramatically, but there have been hundreds of games in this genre over the decades, and you would expect that if the core gameplay of the genre could have been modernized then it already would have been done by now.
Our approach was really to break the game down to its component parts, examine those elements and the issues independently, and then rebuild it for a modern audience. We isolated problems like the limited interactivity, static playfields, the “last brick issue” etc and experimented with possible solutions for each. It wasn’t really until we had undertaken a lot of prototyping that we knew we were really onto something.
The graphics are gorgeous and the physics look great from the trailers; what can you tell us about the game engine used here? Was it developed in house? Connected with Gripshift in anyway?
The game uses a recent version of PhyreEngine combined with our own technology and tools. PhyreEngine is developed by Sony and made free for developers to use, so it's a great solution for download products where budgets are lower and every dollar counts. We also used an earlier version of PhyreEngine for GripShift on both the PSN and XBLA versions as we ported the engine over to 360.
Quote:
Is there a boss battle at the end of each World?
Yes, each world has a Boss guardian at the end which is themed to that world. We have many different bosses including those which look like a snake or octopus, bosses that have special attacks, and even those that can use the attract and repel mechanic themselves. The bosses really add a colourful element to the game, and to defeat them the gamer will have to use the various abilities they will learn and master throughout the title.
Quote:
Any parting tips for gamers who want to climb to the top of the leaderboard?
We are working on a Tricks and Tips video to be released in the future, but the key tip is to keep as many balls out there as possible to keep your multiplier up and really max out your score. In the Boss Rush time attack mode, think carefully about when to use your Shard Storm attack as holding off on one boss and using it on the next may let you complete the mode that much faster.
All countries
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Chile
China
Colombia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Denmark
Finland
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
India
Latvia
Lithuania
Malaysia
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Shatter – OUT NOW! (IGN 9.0)
)
Linear Mode
