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Lumines: Electronic Symphony – Review

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Lumines: Electronic Symphony - Review 1Title: Lumines: Electronic Symphony
Developed By: Q Entertainment
Published By: Ubisoft
Console: Playstation Vita
Genre: Puzzle
Classification: This game has been classified G for General Audiences
Review Conditions: This review was done on an Australian Playstation Vita version of the game. There should be minimal differences between the games.
Special Thanks: Ubisoft Australia who kindly provided a sample of this game

Originally released on the Playstation Portable (and later other consoles) in 2005, Lumines has proven to be a long-running game series that I up until this point seem to have avoided. Puzzle games without another major element to them has almost always made me shy away from them… as depending on how the gameplay modes have been thought out, I could easily enjoy it for several weeks to just several minutes before getting bored and putting it down… However, I chose to check out this title as curiosity finally got the better of me…. and I didn’t stop playing for two hours after inserting the cartridge. Simple, addictive and creative…. all boxes ticked there, but how does the game review when placed under more careful scrutiny? Read on to find out!

Lumines: Electronic Symphony - Review 2

This game can be best described as a more modern version of Tetris and proved to be very rewarding to play. Your goal is to form squares or rectangles of same coloured blocks measuring dimensions of at least 2×2 and keeping the screen as clear from blocks as possible in order to progress through the levels and avoid reaching an inevitable game over. The core basics of the game are nothing unique, but what they choose to add to the mix really provides simple yet addictive gameplay. With a surprisingly limited number of block patterns with only two colour choices in total, you will be surprised how quickly the number of blocks on your screen fill up and to add a double-edged sword to the mix, the blocks only clear from the screen as a band of light sweeps across the screen to the music – allowing you to both build greater combos or reach a game over as you are unable to empty the screen quick enough. I am trying to avoid simply elaborating upon the rules of Tetris here and essentially the gameplay is an improved version of the classic game only with two colours, one shape blocks and blocks cleared to a beat and not instantaneously.

However the game does not just have two different coloured blocks but instead includes a number of other unique blocks that can have an affect on the course of your gameplay. For example, using a Shuffle block will result in every block that comes into contact with it (or another attached block) randomly switch colours or the Chain Reaction block which allows you to knock out all attached blocks of the same colour instead of forming specific shapes. A nice touch was a simple avatar system that allows you to choose one of several unlockable designs to represent yourself in game. While I believe in previous installments that is where the Avatar system ended, in this release each avatar is associated with a “single” and “dual” ability or block which allows you to alter the course of battle… for example stopping the line allowing you to build up combos or even using a shuffle on an enemy player. But you know what…. while this is the bulk of the game it was not this element of the game that made it enjoyable.

Controls are of course a big area of interest for Vita games as many companies attempt to include use of the front and back touchpads, gyrosensor support and so forth. Q Entertainment did choose to incorporate touch screen use into the menu systems which worked really well – along with being simple and easy to navigate. They also chose to include touchscreen use with the actual game controls but proved only limited use as while clicking buttons to use avatar abilities were fine, using the touchpad to move and rotate the blocks as they fell down the screen was more trouble than it was worth. It is something you would try a few times but then resort of using the D-Pad controls which were exactly what I would expect from the game…. easy to pick up and just work with no dramas.

Lumines: Electronic Symphony - Review 3

The title is Lumines: Electronic Symphony and therefore the music has equal important to everything else in this game. While I will be covering music quality specifically later on in the review, I would like to take a chance to discuss the means of which music is implemented into the game. The game has a sizable track list of 30-40+ songs, most of which are of the Electronica style of music… but are not called Songs, instead referred to as “Skins” – compilations consisting of a block design, background animation and a song. The gameplay itself isn’t affected by the choice of skin in itself, however the way you perceive and tackle the puzzle changes as the skins shift. These along with avatars can be unlocked through general progression of the game and with obtaining EXP from all game modes and increasing your level.

The primary game mode is “Voyage Mode”, which is essentially your generic Marathon Mode as you try to play for as long as possible without your blocks touching the upmost row while you run through a number of different skins, all of which are unlocked as you play them. This is the mode you will most commonly be playing if you had a spare half an hour or more because while they don’t do anything like clear the blocks for you between skins, once you Master the core gameplay mechanics you can easily find yourself progressing through song after song without too much difficulty. For those who do not have the luxury of time or would like a bit more of a challenge – the game also offers a number of side-games that might be of interest. For those who are after a couple of tougher playthoughs, “Master Mode” might be up your alley while you can also play with a friend in “Duel”, race against the clock to build points in “Stopwatch” and finally mix and match unlocked skins for a short of very long play session with the Playlist editor.

There is one game mode that I have been unable to play since I recieved this game and that is World Block, a collaborative online effort between players to break down a 2,000,000 block puzzle in a single day. Problem with this is that too many people seem to have mastered or are playing it that it usually only takes four hours or thereabouts to complete the puzzle, leaving those in specific timezones unable to enjoy this mode. To provide my judgement on the gameplay however… it is the perfect example of what portable gaming should be about – a mixture of complexity, easy of use and the ability to play for however long or short you want, and between the game modes I feel they have ticked all criteria in relation to this. Add in the fact the game wants you to boast your high score with friends means it encourages you to come back and try for Lumines Domination!

Lumines: Electronic Symphony - Review 4

Design was another area that was well done. The games menu systems were minimalistic and was easy to interact with using the touch screen due to the uncluttered mapping of buttons. The menu and for that matter everything outside of the core gameplay itself including avatar designs gave a very futuristic feel to it, which felt appropriate and was visually appealing to the eye. The game came with a sizable collection of “Skins” and with it different design themes and background animations. Most of them contributed well to the theme of the song and setting each of them apart – however perhaps one problem was that some skins were different enough that I found myself stumbling over what goes where… but it is a minor flaw and for the most part showcased the Vita’s potential for this genre and screamed CREATIVITY!

Lastly…. the quality of the music within the game was of a strong standard, and when you consider the game it is… really needed to be strong in order to not be a flop. There were a vast number of different tones and music styles included in the selection of music, however most would fall under the Electronica Dance theme, a genre I wouldn’t call a personal preference but did collaborate well with the core gameplay, designs and keeping the beat in order to keep your attention on the game. Unfortunately the music in the game with the exception of design features is just that… a song with minor if any variations caused when you build up combos in a single movement of the line crossing the screen.

On a personal level, I think this game has shown me that there is more to offer in portable puzzle games than meets the eye. While the price over here in Australia seems to place it in the more pricier category in terms of Vita games, basing my opinion solely on the gameplay I think this is one of the games that should be enjoyed by both causal and hardcore gamers after something a little bit different on the console. The gameplay mechanics were simple but offered some more challenging modes and high score tally’s for those after more complexity – and many collectible items for completionists.

Final Score
Storyline/Character Development: N/A
Design: A-
Music/Voice Acting: A
Gameplay: A-
Replayability: B+
Personal Opinion: A
Overall Score: A-

Sam
Sam
Founder of The Otaku's Study. I have been exploring this labyrinth of fandom these last fifteen years, and still nowhere close to the exit yet. Probably searching for a long time to come.

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