Although Every Extend Extra has been available in the US and Japan for many months now, Europeans have had to wait ever so patiently for this strange puzzle-shooter game. The game is finally releasing this Friday for European audiences, and it comes highly recommended. Every Extend Extra contains all of the gorgeous visuals, fantastic soundtrack, and interesting gameplay of other Mizuguchi-produced games (such as Lumines).

So why hasn't the game amassed the sales and fan following that it deserves? Although the game's technical merits are outstanding, the gameplay is certainly not as accessible as Lumines. The game's premise is rather unique, turning around a traditional videogaming convention on its head: unlike other shooters, you'll have to blow up your ship.


Yes, you'll have to intentionally kill yourself in order to progress through the game. By pressing a face button, your ship will explode, and any ships caught in the blast radius will explode. Those ships, in turn, will cause other ships to detonate, potentially causing massive chain reactions. Your limited lives become a precious commodity, where each sacrificial detonation should impact as many enemies as possible.

Of course, this is easier said than done, as the game will start sending dozens of ships and bullets on the screen. The overwhelming amount of visual information in the game will undoubtedly make the game too difficult for the casual gamer. While simply chaining enemies is one mechanic of the game, other factors must be taken into consideration.

To get extra lives, one has to collect enough points to get an "Extend." Obviously, larger chains of enemies will produce greater amount of points: but green orbs that are left behind by certain enemies can be collected for a massive amount of points. Each successive orb collected multiplies the amount you receive, meaning you'll have to make a strategic choice between attacking enemies, and collecting orbs.


If that weren't enough to think about, there's another gameplay mechanic that players must manage: the "Quickens." Purple enemies release these special orbs that will increase the speed of the game. While this may sound perilous, they are the most important collectible in the game. Increasing the speed of the game not only affects the music, but also affects how many enemies appear, and how quickly they move. It's true that the experience will be more difficult, but having larger amount of enemies on screen will increase the possibility for lengthy chains of enemies.

You'll want more enemies at your disposal, especially once a boss appears. Each level, which features a distinct musical selection and visual appearance, also features a massive, gorgeous boss. While the battles can be awe-inspiring, they are clearly the most frustrating aspect of the game. Each level has a specific time limit, and once a certain checkpoint is reached, the boss will appear and players are commanded to defeat the boss within the time limit.


The bosses can be defeated by chaining a specific number of enemies into it. At first, it may only be five enemies. But later, the number increases greatly, and it becomes frustrating having to avoid all attacks, and enemies, until the right opportunity reveals itself. This is where the Quickens' true importance is revealed: if one doesn't have enough Quickens, it becomes more than likely that a sufficient amount of enemies will not appear. The time limits are short, and it becomes distressing to have to repeat an entire level, simply because enough combo opportunities did not reveal themselves.

As frustrating as boss battles are, the compelling nature of the visuals and music will have you coming back for more. Over time, you'll become to appreciate, and understand, the importance of the various elements in the game. You'll see bomb orbs, which will help you create chains after your ship has been destroyed. You'll see time orbs, which extend the amount of time you can play through a level (and a boss). Finally, you'll see large enemies, which will become the focus of your runs through levels. These larger enemies unleash destructive projectiles, and tend to house precious time extensions.

Although the controls are simple, and the basic premise is easy enough to understand quickly, many find themselves confused by its unique, and somewhat counter-intuitive gameplay. The game's frustrating bosses certainly don't help in making the game any more accessible. Because the game is so challenging, the limited number of levels don't seem so small: you'll find yourself playing through the Arcade mode over and over again, trying to get further into the game each time. Unfortunately, there's no option to save progress between stages, which means gamers will need to get through the entire game in one play session. If players can somehow manage such an impressive feat, they'll be able to play individual levels and bosses, at their leisure.


Conclusion
While it's true that Every Extend Extra will be too difficult for the casual gamer, hardcore gamers will find a lot to appreciate about Mizuguchi's latest. The game is both simple and complex at the same time: it's a simple concept with simple controls that will allow any gamer to jump in. However, gamers must be prepared to appreciate the subtle factors of the gameplay in order to get the most out of the game. Those that put a little bit of investment into the game will get a lot in return: great graphics, great music, and wholly addictive gameplay that will leave you entranced for hours.

PSP Fanboy Score: 8.0

See also:
Exclusive Every Extend Extra fan pack