Where do you go next if you are already Game of the Year? In the case of Jets�"n�"Guns, you go GOLD. The popular shooter franchise is back with an expansion from Rake In Grass. The design process of the developers definitely heads directly for the “more is better” jugular, which in some cases can sometimes threaten to derail a successful franchise. How does this one stack up?

The first thing you will notice when playing this game are the explosions. There are a LOT of them. In fact, compared to most other shooters, there are a metric ton of them. In some areas of the game, there were so many that it would block me from spotting incoming shots making my ships�" death an almost certainty. Drool factor for sure.

As in the original, you earn points and money during the levels for the sole purpose of being able to afford weapon and other technology upgrades purchasable between areas. This added a lot of variety to the mix making it quite fun to experiment with different weapon tech to see the impact on the enemies. Though extremely difficult, however, it was possible to last quite a long time using the default weapons you start with which was a pleasant surprise. It�"s a nice change to start a shooter without being gimped with a crappy weapon.

My only real difficulty with some of the levels was that in certain situations it became impossible to visually spot the enemy laser fire. There was just so much stuff on the screen, combined with the fact that the bullets would blend quite well with the background. From a technical standpoint I was impressed though, that with all the action and music, there was no noticeable drop in framerate. If you die, it will be because of your own sloppy bullet dodging and not because the game became choppier than an Asian kitchen.

While we�"re on the subject of the graphics though, it has to be pointed out that this title sports some gorgeous artwork. The production values are very high in this game, which really pays off in spades when flying through space. The rock music soundtrack accompanied the action perfectly and sets the tone for the gameplay; this isn�"t your momma�"s 2D shooter!


Graphics:
The graphics are rich and involving, which pull you right into the maelstrom. The screen is just constantly littered with carnage, shrapnel and explosions making it sometimes difficult to spot approaching enemy fire. I rated the graphics high for this game, because for all the eye candy that�"s presented, I didn�"t notice any slowdown or stuttering on my own less-than-stellar machine. In one word, the graphics are gorgeous.

Sound:
Nothing too far-reaching or boundary pushing in terms of the sound development, but considering how far the original game pushed the music envelope this is a compliment. It seems to match the same tone as the first game, making this a “seamless” expansion in terms of audio.

Gameplay:
Spam your fire button and try not to die. That about sums up the gameplay. I did like how the player was given some options in terms of firepower and bomb / shield technology in between stages. My only complaint is due to my personal dislike for only getting a single life. Gah!

Concept:
While presented with a very professional “clean” look, the concept almost matches the original game completely; shoot, make money, don�"t die.

Value:
The game was difficult but not downright impossible to progress through. A common “complaint” about the first Jets�"n�"Guns was that it was too short, so this is up to the player to decide if this expansion has the same problem.

Recommendation:
If you are a fan of a good, frantic shooter type of game, then this one should be a near automatic buy.
In fact, even if you have the original Jets�" N�" Guns game then this expansion is a must-have. After all, when it comes to Jets�" N�" Guns, how could you *not* want more of the same?