With hits like
Rez, Lumines, Space Channel 5, and Meteos under his
belt, one would think that Tetsuya Mizuguchi could do no wrong, and for the most
part this is correct. Lumines provided the best puzzler since Tetris,
Meteos was almost as brilliant only slightly less addictive, Rez
is one of the best Dreamcast games ever made, and Space Channel 5
convinced us that while slightly embarrassing to play in front of others,
character-based rhythm action games do have a place in our hearts. However,
will Mizuguchi and company (Q Entertainment) strike gold once more with Every
Extend Extra? Or, will it go the way of the samurai, or more specifically,
end up like Ninety-Nine Nights?
To be fair to all
involved, a few facts need to see the light of day before we impose our
judgment. Every Extend Extra was formally known as Every Extend
(without the Extra), which is a homebrew game offered free online.
Mizuguchi apparently like what he saw, swooped up the license for the game,
reworked it a bit, and has decided to release it on the PSP. So in a sense, EEE
isn’t his own creation and therefore cannot be judged against his other
smash-hits, but it should definitely be noted that it’s Mizuguchi’s own
additions that are the cause of any problems to be found.
Since the original
version was actually quite a blast to play, it’s fairly easy to decipher what
works from what doesn’t. The Extra portion of the title represents all
new material that Q Entertainment is responsible for, and to be honest, it’s the
only part that really hinders gameplay. This Extra can easily be narrowed
down to the flashy visuals that fill the screen while playing, since they are
the only thing that wasn’t available in the free online version. Before we get
into why this particularly doesn’t work, it should be known that what Mizuguchi
added to the game looks stunning. The mesmerizing, trippy, and downright
gorgeous graphics are seriously top-notch, and would do wonders to help most any
game reach the next level; it is just too bad that EEE is not your typical game.
Instead, it is
likely farther away from the mainstream than most people have ever ventured.
Even fans of Lumines and Meteos will agree that Every Extend
falls into a category of its own, which is likely the reason Q Entertainment was
so willing to scoop it up. Problem is that it was already a very busy game,
complete with enough flying objects and onscreen dangers to make Ikaruga
jealous. However, instead of avoiding these hazards as you would normally,
Every Extend makes you destroy them by self-destructing. This is achieved by
detonating yourself in hopes of taking out large groups of enemies. The more
enemies you chain together in explosions, equals the more lives or “extends” you
receive, which lets you advance farther into the game. The end result may sound
a bit weird, but I assure you, it is an addictive time-consumer in disguise.
So combine all the
onscreen madness with Mizaguchi’s flare for visuals, and you can see why it may
be a little too much sensory overload. The effects are certainly mind-blowing
and are so pretty they might even send you into a seizure, but when you’re
having trouble telling the difference between enemies and power-ups, things can
get a little frustrating. Thankfully, the original version has been included on
the disk as well, so you can pick the version that is best for you. Both are
somewhat brilliant in their own right, but most gamers will likely prefer the
original, which can now be taken on the go, thankfully.
Review Scoring Details Every Extend Extra |
Gameplay: 8.0
A shooter like you
have never seen; so much so that no shooting of any kind is done. Describing EEE
is almost impossible because it is so unique, and topped with Mizaguchi-style
visuals, that dilemma increases ten-fold. Just know that it is extremely
addictive in both forms, but the original will likely be better suited for the
average gamer.
Graphics: 8.5
Saying this game
is pretty would be an understatement, but unfortunately a lot of the visual
flare makes the new version hard to play.
Sound: 8.5
The music in
Extra isn’t as good as Lumines in my opinion, though I certainly know people
who disagree. It will come down to your taste in music on this one. All you
really need to know is that this game packs some serious punch in the sound
department, and will have you just as mesmerized as the eye-candy onscreen.
Difficulty:
Medium/Hard
Concept: 7.5
Since it wasn’t Q
Entertainments game to begin with it’s hard to reward then too much in this
department. However, the visual layer and sound upgrades did wonders to improve
the game, but if it weren’t for the daunting layer upon layers of objects and
colors flying before your eyes, EEE would nearly be perfect.
Multiplayer:
8.0
Playing against a
friend is very well done, and every time you set off huge chain-reactions, your
buddy is affected by it. Much like what Tetris offered in terms of
multiplayer.
Overall: 8.0
A wonderful
puzzler that is only slightly compromised by its visual makeover. A must have
for any PSP owner.
