Everyday Shooter

It is very rare that a single man is responsible for a video game. You have to go back to the days of Atari, Palm games and some PC games for evidence of that. Jonathan Mak, a talented young developer, got the green light from Sony to release Everyday Shooter on the PS3 and its PlayStation Store. It is a stunning visual piece of art, both colorful and trippy. The sound work, done by Mak as well, are guitar notes played from exploding enemies. Everyday Shooter makes the case that video games are art.

The game mechanics are very much like Geometry Wars. You play as a dot that fires at enemies using the left analog stick to move around and the right analog stick to shoot in every which direction. Defeated foes will leave behind little dots that you can collect to obtain new points. These points can then be used for both high score and to unlock things such as new lives, levels to unlock in Single Play mode, meaning you can play individual levels as opposed to having to complete the entire game.

This is a very simple game to pick up and play, yet difficult to beat. The biggest flaw I find with the game is the point collecting. You can combo and create chain attacks, yet you will not gain points unless you pick up the dots each enemy leaves behind. They are oftentimes spread out across the screen and disappear rather quickly. Unfortunately, even though they are supposed to come towards your ship if you are near them, this does not always happen.

If you are in need of a quick game to play, Everyday Shooter is just your title. It is simple, fast and fun. The graphics will mesmerize you while the guitar sounds will keep you in a daze. I have not seen a video game that was as stylish as this developed by a single person. The people at Sony have an under-rated hit on their hands, and equally important, a future star in the industry in Jonathan Mak. If you are to download any game on PSN, I would recommend Everyday Shooter.