Lumines Live! - Xbox Live Arcade review

Brilliant puzzler brings the first AAA game to Xbox Live Arcade

12DOVE Verdict

Pros

  • +

    The simple-but-nuanced gameplay

  • +

    The mod

  • +

    artsy style

  • +

    The tunes

Cons

  • -

    Paying extra to get the rest

  • -

    Panicking when the skin switches

  • -

    That you can't stop

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The best puzzlers are simple games, with a twist. In Lumines Live!, you need to remove two-tone blocks from the screen by creating squares or rectangles of like pattern, but the blocks only disappear when an EKG-like vertical timeline moves over them. The twist is that the timeline’s speed changes depending on the current "skin" - meaning the game's actual appearance - you’re on. Different skins alter the art style and also speed up or slow down the timeline, which can drastically alter your strategy.

More info

GenreOther Games/Compilations
DescriptionThe puzzle aspect of the game remains brilliant. The hitch is that the game's pricing is a little screwy...
Platform"Xbox 360"
US censor rating"Everyone 10+"
UK censor rating""
Release date1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK)
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