Disappointed with Lumines II

Yes, you've heard that right. I am not pleased with Lumines II.

From the first time I have heard about music videos getting incorporated in the game, I was sceptical about it. I reckoned you would neither get to watch the video since you concentrate on the gameplay nor be able to focus on clearing levels with the background flashing with animations. I hoped that Mizuguchi-san would somehow make it work, but was uneasy about the whole concept.


Unfortunately, I was right.

Generally, the skins with video playing in the background are too flashy and it's hard to see what is happening at times. They also lack slightly trancey and deliriously addictive feel to it that the original Lumines had. Some of the music doesn't fit the mood at all and it creates strange sense of mismatch and maladjustment. I was in fact just waiting for those levels to end while playing through the challenge mode.

The characters on the bricks are moving, the bricks are moving, the characters in the background are moving... ARGH!

There is also a lot of recycling of the music and skins from original Lumines - granted, they are changed and have more futuristic look to them (or not - "Take the dog out to walk"), but generally the effect is very annoying (at least for me). In some cases I stumbled upon the skins I already played through a thousand times and didn't like ("no! not again!"), in some cases I noticed that some of my favourite skins have been altered in a way I don't like ("what have you done with my beloved skin?").

Sure, there is a lot of skins, there is a new mode, generally there is more of Lumines in Lumines. But the delicate balance of the original that made it so good, its magic, its eerie feel - it is gone. Instead of being a unique experience, it is now just a solid puzzle game.

I will give it a second chance before I write a definite review, but for now I am simply disappointed.

PS. I was able to beat the Vs mode on my first attempt and I haven't played original Lumines for at least two months or so, therefore it means it is also a whole lot easier.