Lumines 2 Review
From LoveToKnow VideoGames
Easily one of the best Puzzle Video Games for the Sony PSP is Lumines, and now the franchise is back with an incredible sequel, appropriately named Lumines II. In this Lumines II review, we will look into what changes, if any, were made to the gameplay, what new innovations were thrown into the loop, and ultimately whether or not Lumines II is worth your hard-earned PSP money.
Lumines 2 Review
One of the knocks that people have against the PSP is that it lacks enough original games in its library, getting bombarded instead with a bunch of ports and re-hashed classics. A PSP original that wasn't particularly well known when it launched but very quickly gained in popularity was Lumines. It had a ridiculously simple gameplay mechanism and it was for that reason that it was so addicting. Lumines II keeps this core gameplay untouched, but it tosses in a few extras that just might make it worth adding to your PSP collection.
Improving on the Original
Like the original, Lumines 2 gives you a huge grid on which to play, with a series of slowly dropping blocks, consisting of a 2 x 2 square of multicolored boxes. Depending the "skin" or graphical look of the particular stage and song you are on, you will be presented with a particular pair of colors. In the in-game screenshot which you can see above, the two colors are burnt orange and white. The goal is to create matching squares (or rectangles) that are at least two blocks by two blocks.
There is a time line that sweeps from the left side of the screen to the right. The matching squares that you created will only be cleared from the screen when this line passes over it, adding in an extra little bit of strategy. You see, the more squares that you clear in one pass (these square can be overlapping), the more points you will receive. You can also glance at the far left side of the screen; you will see the upcoming game pieces so you can plan your Lumines 2 strategy appropriately. That said, as the pace picks up, you probably won't have time to plan that far ahead.
So, what's new in Lumines 2? One feature that music lovers will really enjoy is that the skins are now composed of full-on music videos from a wide range of popular artists. There are songs from such people as Missy Elliot (Lose Control), Gwen Stefani (Hollaback Girl), Beck (Black Tambourine), Fatboy Slim (Gangster Trippin), and Hoobastank (Born To Lead). Lots of heart-pounding tunes, right? Better yet, the backgrounds are animated. For some, you get to see the official music video! Easily one of the biggest appeals to the original Lumines was the music mix, and Lumines II is no exception. And because nowhere near all the songs are available right off the bat (you have to unlock them by achieving certain milestones), Lumines II offers a heck of a lot of replay value. Good thing, considering how addicting it is.
Game Modes
The main mode was and always will be "Challenge", wherein you are given an empty slate and you must make as many squares as you can before the screen fills up. As you get past certain milestones, the skin will change (unlocking it for later use), and the pace will pick up. You'll also get fewer "easy to use" game pieces and more of the diagonally-oriented ones that may be more difficult to place. Challenge Mode has three difficulty settings: Class B, Class A, and Class S.
In addition to Challenge, there is also a versus mode where you challenge a computer-controlled opponent. The game field is split in half and by creating squares, you can push the dividing line toward your opponent's side. When the CPU makes squares, it gets pushed back. Sort of like a backwards tug-o-war. Each successive challenge is progressively harder, but most matches don't take much longer than a minute or two to complete. It seems that the CPU is either way too slow or way too fast.
Other niceties include a Puzzle Mode, Time Attack Mode, Skin Edit Mode, and Mission Mode. This last mode is of particular note as it gives you a number of very specific tasks to complete. Clear all the pieces with just one move, for example. Or erase 12 or more blocks in a single pass of the timeline.
PSP Lumines II: Wildly Addicting All Over Again
If you liked the first Lumines, you'll love Lumines II for the PSP. It's familiar, yet there are enough extras that will re-captivate your interest all over again, getting you staring at those skins for hours on end as you frantically try to form matching sets of four. Highly recommended for any puzzle game enthusiast.
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