Posts tagged Q at PSP Fanboy

Posts with tag q? entertainment

Mizuguchi launches in style

Posted Feb 17th 2007 5:00AM by Andrew Yoon
Filed under: News, Lumines

While the rest of the world has had the ability to enjoy Mizuguchi's Lumines II, Japan only recently got access to the puzzler. Unlike America and Europe, where the game was published by Buena Vista Games, this Q Entertainment effort is self-published in Japan, marking it as a huge milestone for the once-smalltime developer.

To celebrate the launch of Lumines II, Mizuguchi held a massive party in Air, a famous hot spot, a few blocks south of Shibuya station. Famitsu was on hand, offering tournaments, and the alcohol flowed freely. Check out IGN to see more pics and details from a night of puzzle-inspired debauchery.

See also:
PSP Fanboy review: Lumines II

Exclusive: Every Extend Extra fan pack

Posted Feb 4th 2007 1:11PM by Andrew Yoon
Filed under: Downloads, Every Extend Extra

While America has been able to enjoy Every Extend Extra for months now, Europe will be getting Mizuguchi's latest PSP-exclusive effort this Friday. This unique game fuses an interesting shooter-like concept with Q? Entertainment's trademark music synestesia.

In preparation for the game's European release, Buena Vista has prepared a new trailer and a few new wallpapers for you to download to your PSP. You'll learn how to play this puzzling game, and find some sweet designs for you to plaster your system with. Expect our full review of the game in next few days.

Download

See also:
Heavenly Star fan pack

PSP Fanboy review: Lumines II

Posted Nov 18th 2006 1:15PM by Andrew Yoon
Filed under: Reviews, Lumines

Lumines II is the hotly anticipated sequel to Lumines, a fan-favorite launch game that won the hearts of gamers and critics. The stylish combination of music, art and gameplay made for a truly surreal experience that was perfect for portable gamers on the go. The gameplay was brilliantly simple: a 2x2 block falls from the sky, and the player must rotate and position that block to create a solid 4x4 square of one color.

The simplicity of the game allowed anyone to pick up and play, and as with all great puzzle games, players started to learn more techniques and secrets to improve their performance. A typical Lumines session for a skilled player can easily span longer than an hour, but with changing backgrounds, songs, and tempos, the player constantly feels motivated.

The original introduced such a great formula, and Q? Entertainment's sequel doesn't stray too far from it--and that's a good thing in many ways. Lumines II offers a plethora of new content, and a great refinement in the user interface. However, is the game enough to warrant a purchase from those that already have the original? How about gamers that are new to this Lumines craze?

Continue reading PSP Fanboy review: Lumines II

Gunpey PSP versus Gunpey DS

Posted Nov 11th 2006 3:30PM by Andrew Yoon
Filed under: Gunpey

DS and PSP fanboys can never agree about which Q? Entertainment puzzler is the best. PSP owners love Lumines' stylish looks, kickin' music, and mellow gameplay. DS owners love Meteos' wi-fi multiplayer, intuitive touch screen controls, and hectic gameplay. Now, the DS and PSP Mizuguchi fans will be able to argue about the same game: Gunpey. The two handhelds take two very different approaches to the game, and according to 1UP, the DS gets the better version:

The PSP version is the purest taste of Gunpey you're likely to receive anywhere. The skin collecting is addictive, and as long as you don't mind the brutal, linear, hours-long grind needed to collect them all, then this is probably the version most older gamers will go for. But if you're looking for a more full-featured game, with greater variety -- and don't mind the cartoony milieu of Gunpey DS -- then you will find this version not only a superior value, but a superior game.

Although the DS version is more cartoony (and looks like it's for kids), it features one important feature the PSP version lacks: game sharing. I loved playing Meteos multiplayer with just one cartridge, and it's a shame that most PSP games don't seem to take advantage of this incredible feature. It's sad to think that maybe the PSP version would've outclassed the DS version if it bothered to include game sharing. Gunpey comes out November 14th.

Metareview: Every Extend Extra

Posted Nov 10th 2006 3:00PM by Andrew Yoon
Filed under: Every Extend Extra, Metareview

Every Extend Extra started as a freeware PC app that was transformed by the music-loving Q? Entertainment folks. With flashy skins, and groovin' music, does Every Extend Extra continue the music puzzling legacy of Mizuguchi, or does it fall flat on its face? Let's see what the critics have to say:

CVG (90/100) thinks the game is just as good as its Lumines predecessor: "With all the impressive music and visual tech pushing Every Extend Extra, its easy to forget that when you strip it all away there's a unique and addictive shooter lying underneath. As with Lumines, E3 is a game for those who appreciate a simple yet brilliantly-realised, score-driven experience - otherwise you might just be put off by the limited amount of raw content the game has to offer."
IGN (81/100) thinks the game's a bit too short-lived, but its pretty looks keep it coming back for more: "Nine stages may not sound like a lot, and truthfully, it's not. But for some cosmic reason it satisfies nonetheless. Each one provides such a distinct arena, complete with unique musical tracks and background animations, that moving through the game gives players an actual sense of accomplishment."
The Mizuguchi-worshipping 1UP (60/100) gave a surprisingly low review, saying the game's flashy nature is a bit too distracting: "It's extra flashy, extra chaotic, extra confusing. Q Entertainment's unique sense of style is in full effect, but for once that's maybe not such a good thing. All of Mizuguchi's trademark flash and pizzazz actually detract from the experience."

With the exception of 1UP, it appears that the critics enjoy the E3 experience. And although it might be too short, or too flashy, the original Every Extend is included as a nice bonus. The game is now available for the budget price of $30. I'm buying it just for the awesome box art.

Behind the Music: Q? Entertainment

Posted Jul 29th 2006 11:45AM by Andrew Yoon
Filed under: Interviews, Every Extend Extra, Lumines, Video

1UP's continuing coverage of Q? Entertainment has been awesome. Yesterday's update provided us a look into the musical talent behind Lumines and Every Extend Extra. The video chronicles musical legends, including Mondo Grosso. Here's a sample:

1UP: Mizuguchi, what sort of special persuasion did you have to provide to Osawa in order to reassure him the music would be used well?

Tetsuya Mizuguchi: Well, the first occasion that we met was in a café like today, and, going back to when we were talking about demonstrating the game on laptops since we didn't have an office, I showed [him] my bio and what I was trying to make of this upcoming game. So I showed it, and [Osawa] was like, "Oh, this could work." But it wasn't an instant stamp of approval; he made a face, because it wasn't quite clear how it all worked together. But at the same time, as a musician, even though Osawa-san doesn't completely exist in the videogame industry, a lot of the visual styles in his videos look like [they] could blend together in this interactive world. So to me it wasn't like he was a complete outsider to the interactive arena, [and] I felt like this could still work even though there might be some challenges we still had to overcome.

This is a MUST-READ and watch for any Lumines fan out there!

More Mizuguchi previews on Gamespot & IGN

Posted Jul 29th 2006 10:33AM by Andrew Yoon
Filed under: Every Extend Extra, Lumines, Video

Q? Entertainment is just everywhere these days, huh? As if the astonoshing 1UP coverage wasn't enough, Gamespot and IGN both have extensive hands-on and new videos with both Every Extend Extra and Lumines II.

Every Extend Extra
Gamespot: Preview | Video
IGN: Preview | Video
"From what we've played, Every Extend Extra has all the makings of another Lumines-style piece of gaming crack. The gameplay is accessible, with just the right hooks to be addictive, and the visuals are clever and interesting."

Lumines II
Gamespot: Preview | Video
IGN: Preview | Video
"Given how well the original Lumines came together and how promising Lumines II already looks, we're confident that Q's follow-up will stand as one of the better PSP games this year. The gameplay is as addictive as ever, and the presentation has benefited from the new multimedia approach."

Also check out:
Q&A with Q? Entertainment

The other music puzzler: Gunpey

Posted Jul 26th 2006 11:34AM by Andrew Yoon
Filed under: Interviews, Gunpey, Video

1UP's weeklong coverage of Q? Entertainment brings us yet another PSP game, one which you might not be too familiar with: Gunpey. This new puzzler has (surprise) an emphasis on music, and psychadelic imagery. It might sound and look like Lumines, but the gameplay is pretty different. Your goal is to create a complete line from left to right by pushing and moving blocks that have lines in them. The video will show you how simple it is in theory: but in execution, it'll take practice to become an expert.

The PSP version of Gunpey features over 40 skins, which dwarves the skins found in Lumines. In addition, there's a Super Gunpey mode, which has to be "super." You might want to check out DS Fanboy later in the day to see how the DS version compares.

Every Extend Extra exposed

Posted Jul 25th 2006 12:25PM by Andrew Yoon
Filed under: Interviews, Every Extend Extra, Video

Every time I see Every Extend Extra, my desire for it increases. 1UP continues their expose on Q? Entertainment by revealing their upcoming ~~shooter~~ bomber. The article reveals key gameplay elements, such as the "Quickens" which increase the pace of the game, increasing both the difficulty, but potential to create massive chains. There are massive bosses in each stage, similar to classic shooters, and using a limited number of lives and a limited amount of time, it is your goal to create chains that destroy the boss. Interestingly, there appears to be an intense ad-hoc only multiplayer mode, which looks to be as fun as Lumines' not-often played multiplayer mode. Check out the video above, and don't forget to read the complete 1UP article for more details, screenshots and an interview as well. The game comes out in November.

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Mizuguchi launches in style

Exclusive: Every Extend Extra fan pack

PSP Fanboy review: Lumines II

Gunpey PSP versus Gunpey DS

Metareview: Every Extend Extra

Behind the Music: Q? Entertainment

More Mizuguchi previews on Gamespot & IGN

The other music puzzler: Gunpey

Every Extend Extra exposed

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