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I love physics/fluid dynamics based games like these. In this 2D game you take control of a ship and go around levels collecting stranded miners. You must navigate these levels and once none of the miners are left you unlock the next to level. The thing most enjoyable is the fluid dynamics though.
You shoot rocks that are blocking some water for example and the water goes through and cools the lava that was blocking you path below. You then shoot the hardened lava and go through. Wuickly though because the water might not have been enough to cool all the lava , if you hit he lava you dead. You get other weapons to play with as well(considered suits) such as fire and water. You can make ice with the water or burn the ice with your fire weapon. You also have a grappling hook, this is used to take the miners to your ship. You can also use it to grab on the rocks/ice and pull it away.
Words dont do justice, you have to play it. Its 9.99 but totally worth it even though the story's short. Still i think i invested around 10-15 hours to finish the game 100%(getting all miners unharmed and all the crystals you can collect as well in each level.)

PixelJunk Shooter's name does not do the game justice. I'm sure that Q-Games wanted to keep it short and sweet, as they did with Monsters and Eden before it, but this new moniker seemingly lumps the game in with the glut of other dual-stick...shooters currently crowding the PSN. Space spelunkers who have already downloaded this treasure know that this label couldn't be further from the truth.

Of course Shooter takes its time working up to brilliance. The first few stages require players to navigate a ship through tight caverns to rescue stranded scientists. A few waterfalls may provide some pretty scenery and a quick way to cool down your missile launcher, but it isn't until you discover your first lava-spewing volcano that the game really picks up steam. Suddenly, the impressive fluid physics aren't just for show, as the lava and water combine to form a soft, destructible crust.

As paths that were once dangerous start to open up, more substances are integrated into the game. Ice, steam and a magnetic oil completely change the game in unexpected ways, forcing you to consider how all of these things will behave when combined. For instance, activating a water pump may clear out the scalding oil, but the resulting steam is fatal to exposed humans. The levels become increasingly industrialized as you progress, which may result in some careless deaths as you sit there marveling at the intricate machinery. Throw in some Super Mario Bros. 3 style suits, and you have a "shooter" with tons of explorations, experimentation and even puzzle solving.

Best of all, unlike Eden, Shooter doesn't overstay its welcome. $10 might sound pricey for a five hour game - well, only if you're really stingy - but every level forces you to approach an environment in a completely different way. None of it's filler, and no matter how maze-like the caves become, it always makes sense. PixelJunk Shooter's level designs are masterpieces, even after you've wreaked elemental destruction on them.

--Reviewed by Justin Hemenway

I've only had my ps3 for about 2 weeks now, and you know what's gotten the most playtime? PixelJunk Shooter. I read enough good reviews and watched a few clips, and I knew I'd like it right off the bat. It looks so simple, but is addicting. In fact, I can't remember the last time I was so eager to play a game that I'd be thinking about it while at work or doing other things. Do yourself a favor and just watch one gameplay video. If you think it looks good, just buy it. For the price it's at, you can't go wrong.

PixelJunk Shooter plays simply. You move with the left analog stick, aim with the right, catch objects and people with the left triggers, and fire with the right triggers. The object is to control your spaceship through a series of mines and save the miners trapped inside. There are enemies here and there inside, as well as some clever obstacles. The first ones you'll encounter are lava and water. The game has a great physics engine and uses it perfectly. Water, lava and other substances all move as they would in the real world. When you blast some land out from under water, it falls as it should. If it comes in contact with lava, the lava hardens and turns into breakable dirt. At the same time, the miners are in danger of this and the enemies, as well as your own fire- if you just keep shooting without checking the area ahead of you, you could kill a miner by accident.

Your ship can also overheat. If you get too close to lava, you risk catching on fire and sinking toward the lava or rocks and exploding. You can always either fly higher and gradually cool off, or fly into water and cool off instantly. And then there's the boss fights. I have to say, the first one caught me off guard, though I thought something big was going to happen because of how the level design changed. Man was I surprised. There's nothing bad I can say about this game aside from the slight nitpick that it's not long enough. But being what it is- a downloadable game that's not a huge budget release like a Metal Gear Solid, that's not a bad thing at all. I just wanted more! The main game will only take a few hours, but you'll have to go back and get all the miners, diamonds and of course the PSN trophies, of which there are some fairly challenging ones to get.

PixelJunk Shooter is a heck of a bargain and has a lot of hype for a good reason. While it does borrow game play from a few older games (Subterrania and Solar Jetman come to mind), it's the only game of its kind in this era of games, and that's refreshing. Get it if you love shooters and immerse yourself in that phenomenal soundtrack.

From [...] review:
Q-Games returns with another unique gameplay experience in its PixelJunk series with PixelJunk Shooter ("The Depths of Disaster"). In PixelJunk Shooter, you descend into the depths of Apoxus Prime. Several miners have become trapped and it is up to you and your little subterranean ship to pull them out alive. Avoid various hazards, both alien and the elements of Apoxus Prime, and learn the ways of your ship's special abilities to rescue survivors.

In PixelJunk Shooter, you control your ship using the thumbsticks. There's a temperature gauge you'll have to watch as you navigate through a stage, which acts as a regenerating health meter. Get too close to some elements or get hit by enemy projectiles and your ship will be the dust of Apoxus Prime. Once you find a survivor, you can eject a chained pod to capture them. Sometimes you'll have to act quick to rescue a miner, as environmental hazards and enemies can kill them. Lose five miners during a stage and it's Game Over.

Gameplay starts out simple and never gets boring. There's a lot of variation spread throughout the game, all the way through the end. This comes through the use of ship upgrades and new elements you'll come across. Enter a dock and get a ship upgrade to help you make your way through some dynamic elements which include magma, water, earth, ice, gas and magnetic fluid. Animation of the fluids look great and feel very dynamic. Pulling ice chunks with your grappling hook, manipulating magnetic fluid and spraying water with sponges all animate beautifully. Don't be deceived by the simple "Shooter" name in the game's title.

Replay value comes in finding treasures, rescuing all the miners and scoring. An online scoreboard gauges your ranking against other players across the globe. There is also a two-player option if you want to descend the depths with a friend. PixelJunk Shooter has a total of 3 main stages, which have 15 levels. At the end of each stage is a boss encounter. I felt the gameplay length and variety was balanced. PixelJunk Shooter also incorporates PlayStation Home item rewards for completing various tasks. You'll unlock parts of a survivor uniform that you can gear up with when you visit the PixelJunk Museum in PlayStation Home. You can also play PixelJunk Shooter via Remote Play on your PlayStation Portable or PSPgo. All of these are nice bonuses that extend the gameplay beyond the first playthrough of the game.

The soundtrack in PixelJunk Shooter is excellent. It is sometimes ambient, featuring some trance beats, but is never the typical fast techno you'd expect in a shooter. High Frequency Bandwidth provides the tunes, which features two seasoned electronic musicians, Dom Beken and Dr. Alex Paterson (The Orb). During a boss battle, I found myself calmed by the soundtrack. That helped in pulling off some carefully calculated moves. The soundtrack provides a trance-like experience and compliments the unique graphical style of PixelJunk Shooter.

PixelJunk Shooter is another great game to join the PixelJunk series by Q-Games, and is my favorite PixelJunk game to date. It will keep you coming back through at least your first playthrough and is well worth the $9.99 price from the PlayStation Store. PixelJunk Shooter is very different from your traditional side-scrolling shooter in many ways, all the way through the soundtrack. Don't miss out on experiencing PixelJunk Shooter, a refreshing game experience not to be missed.

The other two reviewers have said the bulk of this game. If you like games that are fun, innovative and easy concepts, then this game is for you. I enjoyed almost everything about the game and only have one negative thing to say about it. Too short. I know there will be an encore, but I wish it was 2-3 more levels. I will be picking up the rest of the Pixel Junk series because each one has great reviews, own unique style and challenges.