Author Topic: PSP--Lumines II is out  (Read 4964 times)

Offline Cobra951

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PSP--Lumines II is out
« on: Monday, November 06, 2006, 10:03:29 PM »
There's a bunch of new PSP games out, including some decent ones.  I guess that's why Lumines II, which I've been eagerly awaiting, sort of got lost in the shuffle.  The game is out today, and so far, is everything it should be.  Same formula, with different audiovisuals, and some added modes and extras.  I was giddy with excitement, playing my first time through.









I also tried Vs CPU:



This should be fun for those who can track music:




Didn't touch the multiplayer modes, which include several networking options.  What more could anyone want?

Offline iPPi

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Re: PSP--Lumines II is out
« Reply #1 on: Monday, November 06, 2006, 10:06:45 PM »
While I really liked Lumines, I probably won't be getting Lumines II.

However, I am very anxious to get Every Extend Extra.  I've been waiting for that for quite a while.  It's supposed to come out this week as well I believe.

Offline Cobra951

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Re: PSP--Lumines II is out
« Reply #2 on: Monday, November 06, 2006, 10:15:02 PM »
Yeah, it is.  There's a trial version included with Lumines II.  I've tried the game briefly, and had a tough time with the concept.  I don't think I gave it a fair shake, though.  I like how these guys do action-puzzle games, so a little extra effort is in order on my part.

Offline iPPi

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Re: PSP--Lumines II is out
« Reply #3 on: Monday, November 06, 2006, 10:25:23 PM »
Well from what I've read, EEE is very interesting... you sacrifice  yourself to try and chain as much crap together and hope that your chain is enough to net you an extra life so that you can do it again.

Just reminds me a bit like Ikaruga, so that's why I really want it.  Plus it looks cool :).

Offline sirean_syan

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Re: PSP--Lumines II is out
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday, November 07, 2006, 12:40:11 AM »
Funny how this is lost in the shuffle when Lumines really was the game that carried the system through it's launch and for a long time after.

So, the important question is: How's the music?

Offline Cobra951

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Re: PSP--Lumines II is out
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday, November 07, 2006, 07:07:14 AM »
In a word, catchy.  Even the hiphop stuff, which I typically hate, seems to fit in.  There's a lot more space devoted to audiovisuals this time around, and some of the background animations are downright brutal as you try to match up the blocks.  The most distracting one so far starts off with video of someone typing.  You hear an old typewriter ticking away.  Then everything gets all flashy in an inky sort of way, and you notice your blocks have letters and other characters randomly appearing in them.

One thing I like is that the normal singleplayer mode now has 3 difficulty levels right off the bat, and each one of them has its own sequence of animated skins and music.  Once you unlock skins, you can string them together in any order and quantity you want, then go through your "playlist" once, or loop endlessly until you die.  It's a nice evolution of the skins mode in the original.  Lots of stats and scores are saved.

I've played for maybe 2 hours total so far, so I still can't form a completely valid opinion.  But it seems to be perfect for anyone who got into the original, and is itching for more.

Offline Quemaqua

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Re: PSP--Lumines II is out
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday, November 07, 2006, 07:31:17 AM »
Awesome.  I might have to pick this up at some point.

天才的な閃きと平均以下のテクニックやな。 課長有野

Offline sirean_syan

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Re: PSP--Lumines II is out
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday, November 07, 2006, 09:09:55 PM »
Oooh. I was hoping they'd make something of a random mode, but a playlist mode is good enough for me.

I'm a little disappointed they went with full video for some of the stuff because it'd be distracting, but since you mention the block thing it seems they did more with it than just through a video up and not make it as interesting sorta adding a real new level to the visuals. That's cool.

I'm pretty sold then... I guess I'll get it once I settle into this place a bit more.

Offline Cobra951

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Re: PSP--Lumines II is out
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday, November 08, 2006, 10:35:52 AM »
Yeah, that's Beck's "Black Tambourine".  It's fairly unique in that the blocks have typing characters cycling in them.  I haven't run into another skin yet that animates the blocks themselves.  The background is a video with lots of very dynamic ASCII art in black & white.  It's constantly flashing and moving in a heavy contrast, and it can drive your eyes batty.





Edit: Also, I wouldn't worry too much about videos just "thrown in".  They're not.  The whole thing is nicely integrated together with the gameplay, its tempo and . . . "feel"?  I think they did a bangup job.  This is what a sequel should be: bring back what we loved in the original, and carry the concept a good deal further.  I'm sure the 7 mainstream tracks that are on here (in addition to a lot more tracks which harken back to the style of the first game) will generate mixed feelings.  (I wish I could make all hiphop/rap vanish from the world with the wave of a wand.)  But what filtered in here from top-40 is not gratuitous.  It's well used and adds to the experience.

Offline Cobra951

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Re: PSP--Lumines II is out
« Reply #9 on: Wednesday, November 08, 2006, 12:11:57 PM »
Well from what I've read, EEE is very interesting... you sacrifice  yourself to try and chain as much crap together and hope that your chain is enough to net you an extra life so that you can do it again.

Just reminds me a bit like Ikaruga, so that's why I really want it.  Plus it looks cool :).

Well, I tried it again, this time the USA version with a full tutorial.  I still can't get past the 1st boss.  I understand what I'm supposed to do, but it's all ending in frustration every time.  The concept is . . . weird!  I can't quite get into it.  Will keep trying now and then.

A general note about difficult puzzlers and arcade games ported to home systems:  Why the hell is the scoreboard out of reach in so many of them?  WTF do I care if some expert can outscore me 10-1?  I want to see my best efforts preserved in some list.  Even if they want to make, say, the top 5 positions only attainable if you're good, every player who buys the damn game should be able to see his best efforts somewhere on the list!  Let the internet scoreboards be out of reach to the average joe, but dammit . . .

Offline Quemaqua

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Re: PSP--Lumines II is out
« Reply #10 on: Wednesday, November 08, 2006, 06:40:58 PM »
I agree with you on the score issue.  That can be really annoying.

天才的な閃きと平均以下のテクニックやな。 課長有野

Offline sirean_syan

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Re: PSP--Lumines II is out
« Reply #11 on: Tuesday, November 14, 2006, 01:33:08 AM »
Well, I was planning on picking up the game the other day since I had a 10% off coupon and a $5 gift certificate, but Best Buy wasn't carrying any yet (so I did the next best thing and picked up Locco Rocco).

Maybe in a week or two once this moving thing settles down a bit more.

Offline Quemaqua

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Re: PSP--Lumines II is out
« Reply #12 on: Tuesday, November 14, 2006, 01:39:08 AM »
Honestly, I'd say LocoRoco is the more deserving title at this point anyway.

天才的な閃きと平均以下のテクニックやな。 課長有野