Lumines II

"A great follow up to a solid game"

It's no secret that I loved the original Lumines. It was a highly addictive puzzle title with some awesome music. Is there anyway that a more mainstream version could be better? Read on!

It's a puzzle game so the graphics aren't here to impress but man, some of the block combos are really pretty. The blocks match the song so the colors and designs mix up for each song. Nicely done. This time around you get more motion based backgrounds, some are even music videos. I was highly distracted at first but after a while it all felt natural.

Sound in the game is amazing as well. Who knew a puzzle game could have some of the best sound effects. Each puzzle placement and clearing adds new sounds and things to the music. So by advancing further into the stage by making combos you advance the music. Not as noticeable on the music video stages but the other ones this is easier to notice. The music is a mix of mainstream (Black Eye Peas, Gwen Steffani ECT) but it also some the music we've come to love from the original game.

Control in the game is simple and while I could ask how could they mess something so simple up, look at the 360 version of Lumines for reasons. All you do is move the blocks around with the nub or d-pad and spin them around with the face buttons. Not sure which is which but it all felt natural to me.

The game play is simple. Build blocks of four of the same color. This will make it a solid block. At the top is a bar that runs across the stage at a specific rate of speed. Once it hits that block it will take it away. So you're not just building but comboing with this meter. It makes things interesting. While all blocks are squares they are made up of four separate blocks and they each will be one of two colors, depending on the stage.

What I like this time around that I don't think was in the last game is that there are difficulties of play. I didn't really notice a difference besides they have different music. While this limits those who aren't good at the game to not play some great songs but after a lot of practice I think anyone could advance in this game.

The replay value is very high here. Why? Because I can't stop thinking about this game. How if I put it in again I could unlock one more thing. The game is full of unlockables. New skins and other things. There are also different modes of play like time attack, puzzles, missions and the best new feature, wifi play so it's all good here.

Lumines II is the best puzzles to come out in 2006. Sadly it's the only one I know of that came out in 2006. Either way it's one of the best PSP titles and is just as good as the original, if not better due to the new features.

Story - N/A
Graphics - 9/10
Sound - 10/10
Control - 10/10
Game Play - 10/10
Replay Value - 10/10

Final Score - 10/10

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/01/07