The PixelJunk series on the PS3 has included some of my favorite downloadable titles on the system. PixelJunk Monsters and PixelJunk Eden are both amazing games that I still play well after their respective releases. The latest from Q-Games, PixelJunk Shooter, continues down the path of classic gameplay melded with crisp graphics and music you want to listen to over and over.

Shooter is, at its core, a dual analog shooter with additional elements branching off to vary the gameplay. The premise of the game is that you are tasked with saving scientists stranded on a remote world who were looking for new resources. Along the way you encounter various creatures that want to destroy you all, hence the scientists being stranded. The fluid dynamics employed in the game are utterly fantastic. Your ship needs to stay cool to operate, so getting close to lava can cause you to overheat and explode. A quick dip in a pool of water will cool you down and get you back on your way. As you progress through the game, you’ll encounter various other fluids to interact with, such as a magnetic fluid with attracts and repels from your ship depending on different scenarios. Each of the game’s three episodes culminates in a solid boss fight that is very reminiscent of old school gaming.

There is virtually nothing wrong with PixelJunk Shooter. Even though the game only lasts 4-5 hours, there is tremendous replay value as you can collect gems, access hidden areas, or try to best your own time and score either alone or in two player local co-op. You can even rock out with Remote Play if you don’t want to sit in from your of HDTV. I haven’t mentioned the soundtrack much yet, but I really want it on my iPhone. The beats from High Frequency Bandwidth will have you nodding your head as you take down lava shooting monsters. It’s right up there with Baiyon’s soundtrack from PixelJunk Eden.

I have a feeling we’ll be seeing PixelJunk Shooter Encore in the coming months to continue the gameplay, but every PS3 owner needs to jump on this game right now. PixelJunk Shooter is my favorite of the series and worth every penny of the $9.99 asking price. Don’t think twice about buying it. Just do it. There is zero chance of being disappointed.