Plot: What’s it about?
Sixty Second Shooter Prime is just what you’d expect, given the game’s title. You take control of a small spacecraft and you traverse an outer space environment, loaded with enemies and power ups. The game gives you one life and one minute to rack up the highest score possible, sounds simple right? The concept is simple enough, but of course, if you want to rule the leaderboards, you will need to perfect the game’s mechanics. Knowing when to collect power ups, when to take out enemies, and how to best use your missiles become important skills. Each stage offers enemies and power ups, but also a portal that transports everything to a harder stage. The motivation to challenge these tougher stages is a simple one, the higher level of the stage, the more points you can accumulate. That enemy is worth more points after you pass through the portal, so you have to balance survival against making the most of available point opportunities. If you are destroyed or the time runs out, then the game ends. The premise is so simple, yet the game keeps reeling you back in again and again. The more you play, the better you get and with only a sixty second window, it is easy to lose hours trying to one up your previous performances. You also earn unlocks at a nice pace, which makes it even easier to say “just one more game.”
I love twin stick shooters, so I couldn’t wait to check out Sixty Second Shooter Prime. The action isn’t as “bullet hell” as some other games of this kind, but the challenge is still intense. And with a focus on scoring instead of level progression, the challenge is more creative than simple survival. I found the controls to be razor sharp, which eliminates the frustration of deaths caused by poor controls or similar concerns. You will perish and flourish in Sixty Second Shooter Prime based on your own skill levels, not on cheap mechanics or design flaws. I mentioned some unlocks above and while you never access permanent upgrades, you earn access to multiple temporary power ups, new visual designs, soundtracks, and the ability to start on a higher level. The benefit on starting on level five is that you can earn higher scores right off the bat, instead of having to navigate through lower scoring levels first. You also unlock an Infinite Mode, which allows you to keep collecting time extensions and that lets you hone your skills and makes you a better overall player. I found Sixty Second Shooter Prime to be an excellent game, one that once I started playing, it was tough to end the session. That is what you want from a game that is fueled by a high score chase, so I feel that Sixty Second Shooter Prime earns some high marks all around.
Video: How’s it look?
A nice visual upgrade over the Vita version, but the retro style graphics aren’t going to impress everyone. At the same time, the game has moments of visual brilliance, such as the chain reaction effect that really stands out. So while the game looks rather old school, enough visual flourishes are present to keep your eyes entertained. You can also choose between several color and design schemes, so you’re bound to find one you prefer.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The sound design is simple, but effective. You can toggle between soundtracks, but the music remains similar and that’s not bad in this case. The music suits the tone of the game and never annoys in the least. After all, sixty seconds of music at a time is hard to grate on your nerves too much. The sound effects are old school, but that works here and fits the visual design perfectly. I’m sure some players will pine for a deeper sound design, but the basics are more than covered here.
