Lumines Live! kicks off a new trend in games that I hope dies a quick death.
Lumines Live! is the new posterchild for this disappointing structure, but it also happens to be a really good game. The PSP version of Lumines was easily my favorite title for the system, and still is to this day. I have no problem paying $20 to $30 for a great game, regardless if it's a Live Arcade title, but I'd rather have the whole game at once.
And who wouldn't? Does anybody find it entertaining, or a value, to purchase little pieces of a game to make it complete? So now that you've heard this complaint for the millionth time, I'll give an honest opinion about the game itself.
I love it, plain and simple. To play Lumines on my widescreen tv in high definition is great. I'm glad I can get away from the confines of a portable's small screen, and play it big for once. I didn't think twice about downloading it, or the extra Advance pack for 600 points, since I've been looking forward to it's release since it was announced.
As a veteran player, I was pretty shocked when I blasted through the 12 skins in base mode in record time. I really had no idea that the game was cut that short, but I'm still finding it extremely fun to play. It's hard for me to not recommend this game, but it's also hard to recommend it in it's current state. If Lumines Live! reaches a point where you can download enough packs to make it surpass the PSP version in every way, while keeping it between $30 and $35, I would recommend purchasing everything. The music, graphics, and whole flow of the game create an environment that I keep wanting to go back to.
Oh, and don't be surprised if just when you paid to download every bit and piece to make Lumines Live! complete, they decide to release a retail version that has everything and more, making the whole marketplace a waste of your time and money.