Sidhe Interactive - 2009 - PS3/PC/Mobile
(On my Top 10 Game Soundtracks list)
I had already been listening to Shatter's excellent soundtrack for about a year before I actually tried playing the game. I actually found this game through its soundtrack and bought it during the Steam winter sale when it was super cheap. Shatter is an Arkanoid clone made in 2009 originally for the PlayStation network. If you think you've never played the original Arkanoid before, you missed a classic. Or if you're like me, you played Arkanoid, but never realized it had a name. Other than looking and sounding gorgeous, Shatter separates itself from Arkanoid by implementing a slightly more complex physics engine where the player can manipulate the ball via "blow" and "suck" mechanics. This seems like an easy spot for a lewd joke, but I'm gonna try to be mature here and just keep going.
Shatter has several game modes including a couch co-op mode, but the only one I've played as of this review is Shatter's "story move". In story move, you play through 7 or so stages of Arkanoid-like gameplay before being confronted with a boss fight. The boss fights usually consist of trying to guide the ball into the bosses' glowy weak point using the blow and suck mechanic. It was these boss fights which highlighted what I thought was the primary problem with Shatter. I found I was hitting the bosses' weak points accidently through luck or random chance just as often as I was while intentionally trying to guide the ball with the blow and suck mechanics. The developers presumably included the blow and suck mechanics to give the player more control over the ball and add more skill and precision to Arkanoid. But it really doesn't matter. The blow and suck mechanics are implemented in such a way that it's still pretty hard to tell where the ball is going to go after you incluence it. Plus the screen is so chaotic and the balls bounce off of objects so randomly that you hit your intended target just as often through accident as on purpose. In fact, I felt the levels that required the most skill and control were the bonus levels where the blow and suck mechanics were taken away from you and there were no other objects on the screen
Shatter has several game modes including a couch co-op mode, but the only one I've played as of this review is Shatter's "story move". In story move, you play through 7 or so stages of Arkanoid-like gameplay before being confronted with a boss fight. The boss fights usually consist of trying to guide the ball into the bosses' glowy weak point using the blow and suck mechanic. It was these boss fights which highlighted what I thought was the primary problem with Shatter. I found I was hitting the bosses' weak points accidently through luck or random chance just as often as I was while intentionally trying to guide the ball with the blow and suck mechanics. The developers presumably included the blow and suck mechanics to give the player more control over the ball and add more skill and precision to Arkanoid. But it really doesn't matter. The blow and suck mechanics are implemented in such a way that it's still pretty hard to tell where the ball is going to go after you incluence it. Plus the screen is so chaotic and the balls bounce off of objects so randomly that you hit your intended target just as often through accident as on purpose. In fact, I felt the levels that required the most skill and control were the bonus levels where the blow and suck mechanics were taken away from you and there were no other objects on the screen
Shatter's somewhat mindless gameplay is given a boost by its impressive futuristic abstract graphics and hypnotic neon bloom particle effects. But what Shatter really stands on is its soundtrack. Oh my God the soundtrack. Standout tracks are Amethyst Caverns, Freon World and Granular Extractor, but the whole soundtrack is top to bottom amazing. It's the kind of hypnotic electronic trancey sound that is a perfect compliment to Shatter's gameplay. It's also great to work to or to fall asleep to. I mentioned in the introduction I actually listened to the soundtrack years before playing the game and probably would never even have given it a chance if not for the incredible music. The entire soundtrack was composed by Jeremiah Ross (a.k.a. "Module") who, to my knowledge, had never composed a game soundtrack before working on Shatter. I'd love to see him get more work; the Shatter soundtrack is truly awesome.
Shatter Video Review
Shatter Video Review
Summary:
As I said before, Shatter's gameplay is kind of mindless, but I don't mean that in a negative way in this instance. It's can be a nice experience to put on the game, watch the pretty lights and colors and zone out to the amazing soundtrack with minimal interaction. If this sounds like it might be your thing, give Shatter a try. Or if you'd like to see a modern take of the classic Arkanoid, Shatter is your game
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