Review: Lumines Supernova (PS3)
Since debuting on the PSP in 2005 with Puzzle Fusion, the Lumines series has built upon its core game play. Gamestyle will always have a soft spot for the franchise, not for our past misdemeanours but the involvement of Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s Q Entertainment. For those unaware Mizguichi-san was responsible for two of Sega’s most sparkling of releases, namely Rez and Space Channel 5.
This Supernova instalment takes the Lumines formula to the high definition era of the PlayStation 3. Of course we’ve already had a glimpse of the possibilities with Lumines Live! via the Xbox arcade service. Yet that was in 2006 and frankly we’re surprised that it has taken so long for the series to debut on the PlayStation Store. For the uninitiated Lumines takes the Tetris ethos but provides it’s own twisted vision based on a square containing four block pieces. There is no need to worry about shapes. Instead the focus is on colours and matching these with the blocks already lined up onscreen to create at least a block of four matching colours.
Things are kept simple with only two colour schemes to concern yourself with. However a multitude of skins will come and go, with some proving to be more troublesome than others. Match this against the increasing frequency of the squares being dropped and you know you’re on a one-way ticket to Tetris hell, or its nearby Lumines bad fire. All of this played out to a disco inferno soundtrack, which is modernistic and matches the onscreen lights and bright visuals. Not since Perfect Dark’s disco setting have we had so much fun under flashing lights. Sadly there are no aliens here but the tunes are banging.
The development team have included a tutorial mode and a series of hints to enable new players to improve. Although Gamestyle’s demon Tetris skills have long since passed into the annuals of gaming history, each trip on Lumines Supernova sees a modest improvement. It is certainly a release that you will keep coming back to again and again.
There is more to the game play than we’ve laid out, that’s part of the appeal as you form your own tactics against the cascade of squares. While addictive, it is an experience that you can just play and enjoy at your leisure. An immediate flaw with the main challenge mode is unfortunately unavoidable. As you grow as a player, to reach your previous high scores will require considerable effort as you build towards the summit. Thankfully the download is bundled with more options and tools than before. A two-player challenge more is included or a more demanding single challenge mode. Also available is a series of puzzles for you to overcome as you attempt to create predetermined shapes onscreen, or remove certain blocks in a limited number of moves.
Time attack remains a fiendish hypertension inducing joy. Against the clock you must rack up as many squares as possible. Partially down to luck of what block comes next, the quick reactions of the player are pushed to the maximum. The next three squares are always visible onscreen if you are able to find that moment to quickly look across. A twist on the time attack dynamic comes in the shape of the Dig Down mode. Here you already have a screen complete with blocks, its up to you to reach down to the bottom of the screen before the clock runs out. Set across twenty stages, you may only have to clear a column two blocks wide but as is always the case, Lumines lulls you into a false of security. Soon those easy stages give way to heavily populated screens and a fast torrent of blocks.
The game features PS3 trophy support, and some of the tasks will challenge experienced Lumines players. A huge assortment of skins is included (around forty in total), with these being unlocked for good performance. You are able to set these into a preferred order of appearance, enabling you to keep favourites for later on in your points quest. Supernova also harbours the Sequencer mode, where you are able to create your own background music. This is much improved from the previous release of this feature on the PSP. Although Gamestyle was quite content with the default music, it is possible to build your own tunes with ease, with plenty of preset sounds included.
Unfortunately the two player mode is offline only, which given the time its taken to reach the PlayStation 3 comes as a disappointment. Q Entertainment has tried to compensate for this with several new modes and abundant content. Online leader boards are supported but despite all of these extras there isn’t anything to match online competition, especially when you’ve conquered most of the game.
Despite this criticism for only £8.99 you’ve got a title that will continue to challenge and entertain long after many other purchases have been deleted. Lumines Supernova also looks and sounds great. For Gamestyle it may be a one-way ticket to addiction, but in the best possible sense.
Rating: 8 / 10
The graphics and sound are excellent by the standards of a third-party Wii game.
Although Heavy Rain is entertaining from the start, there are several flaws that hamper the enjoyment.
A very endearing entry in the series, and another that is well worth checking out.
The first thing you notice when you get this guide in your hands is the quality.
The control gripes aside, Aliens vs Predator is a good game.
Another great competition.
