MATTER FALL

Resogun dev aims for another hit

Format PS4 ETA 15 Aug Pub Sony Dev Housemarque

Housemarque is an awesome studio. Resogun was easily the best game you could buy for PS4 on launch day, while subsequent ET-blaster Alienation was no slouch either. Like Resogun, the dev’s latest effort is utterly obsessed with screen-filling explosions. Matterfall is a Contra-inspired 2D blaster, where an exo-suited hero spends most of his time pirouetting around a pulsating cacophony of fiery neon debris. In simpler terms, a lot of kipple goes boom.

The game’s armour-clad ninja leaps and slides through levels that appear to run at a super-smooth 60fps, and with so many enemies going kablammo, you’ll need every frame you can get. He also appears to kill said baddies with a fancy arm cannon, though it’s not his party piece. That distinction belongs to the sci-fi warrior’s ability to manipulate the ‘smart matter’ that envelops his suit and enables him to harness energy to murderise all manner of artificial evil-doers with ease.

While there are rarely any big surprises in a new Housemarque shooter, it’s still clear that very few studios manage to deliver on such a consistent level. If Matterfall can capture even half of Resogun’s monstrously addictive charm, we’re all in for quite the explosive late summer treat. Check back next issue for our review.