Lumines II

[Korly]

There's no street date on those.

Most stores just shipped them the cheapest way possible, so they're showing up whenever they show up.

[1CCOSA]

Well that and the lack of 2.8 firmware emulation will keep me from it.

Current lack anyways.

And I'm hoping they will be able to make a 1.50 emu for 2.8 as they did for 2.71 users.

[1CCOSA]

Review from IGN is up. Jeff haynes gave it a 9.0.

http://psp.ign.com/articles/744/744677p1.html

Some key highlights:

Tetsuya Mizuguchi and his team have remixed modes from the first game with features that weren't ever included before. As a result, Lumines II is easily two to three times larger than the original title thanks to the amount of content included. In fact, while there were only four separate selections for the original title, Lumines II comes packed with nine separate sections, each packed with content.

Let's first take a look at the single player mode, which holds the beefed up Challenge Mode that makes a return to Lumines II with one of three initially selectable classes. Class B is for beginners that are starting to learn how to play the game, while A is for intermediate players and S is designed for advanced puzzlers. Just like before, players attempt to clear as many stages as possible to unlock new skins and earn new music. For the exceptionally good player, you can also unlock an endurance challenge runs through every skin in the game.

....this time around it also comes with a licensed soundtrack including songs and music video skins from artists like Beck, Missy Elliott, the Black Eyed Peas and Fatboy Slim. Unlike other skins, players can't "fast forward" through music video skins by clearing lots of blocks or creating combos, so you'll be stuck with them playing entirely through till the end of that particular song.

However, if you find that there are some songs that you simply can't stand hearing or playing through, you can reorganize any unlocked skins thanks to the newly included Skin Edit mode. This mode has one of two separate options: the first one, Single Lap, lets you create a customized playlist of up to ten separate skins to play through, giving you a top score for completing the entire cycle. The other one, Endless Lap, lets you select or exclude whatever skins you want to play as long as you'd like. So if you get tired of hearing Gwen Stefani or Hoobastank during challenge mode, you can make sure that you never have to play their skins ever again. Just be prepared to play through their skins once again if you're trying to unlock new music, as the Skin Edit mode won't give you access to later songs.

At least they met us halfway with track edit. But being forced to sit through the videos in their entirety even when your combos are good is unacceptable. That little misstep seals the deal for EE getting my money instead for now.

[Frogacuda]

This is more like Lumines deluxe than Lumines 2. It's like and expansion of the original that plays EXACTLY like the original.

E3 is amazing. A friend of mine got it today and it's everything I had hoped and more. Almost a perfect game for what it is. I think you made the right call.

[1CCOSA]

^^^

Thanks, Frog. Good to hear more confirmation on EEE being a solid purchase.

It'd also be interesting to see what Q would do with traditional shmup gameplay (whenever they're done milking EE )

[Therum]

...god damn you.

I chose to get a book instead of EEE, and while I'm satisfied with my purchase, damn do I wish I had EEE.

[Korly]

I got EEE today, but is Lumines II ever coming out? It's still nowhere to be found in MD.

[Tain]

EEE is definitely one of the top PSP games.

[B-Ri]

yeah wtf i went to EBgames no lumines II, D=

[Joust Williams]

EEE is awesome. I played it today, and it smokes Lumines (which I find overrated). I just hope they port it to Live Arcade. What bothers me is how EEE won't sell but this will (of course, I am not helping by not buying it, but you could damn sure I would if it was on a system I still play).