The last time we saw Q Entertainment's Lumines II was at the 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo. At that time, the game looked like it was going to be a dependable sequel that would stay faithful to its unique and addictive predecessor. The ensuing months have seen the game bulk up considerably as development has continued, and our initial impressions seem to be about half right. The game will, as before, serve up addictive puzzle action set to funky club tunes and dressed up in crazy visuals. However, Q has gone the extra mile and addressed the few odd rough spots that were called out by fans of the original. It has also added a hefty amount of new content for players to discover.

　　Get ready for another edition of Lumines, this time with more puzzles, more music, and more trippy visuals.

　　The game now features five game modes--challenge, vs. CPU, time attack, puzzle, and mission--and the always appealing multiplayer ad hoc support for up to two players. Challenge, vs. CPU, time attack, and puzzle should be familiar to anyone who has tried out the original Lumines, though the puzzle mode has been beefed up with roughly 100 challenges that range from manageable, such as creating a simple shape, to satanic, such as making a series of numbers in succession. Mission mode presents you with a new type of challenge: clearing blocks within a set number of moves. It seems dead easy at first but then surprises you.

　　The game mechanics stay true to the first game's addictive simplicity. You'll be required to arrange falling groups of blocks into like-colored masses that are wiped out by an overhead sensor that runs across the top of the screen in time with the assorted tunes in the game. Using combos and special blocks in tandem with careful playing will ensure a long and storied career in the game. As before, your progress in all the game modes will help unlock content such as new skins and their accompanying music tracks. The skins will play a larger part in the game, thanks to a new feature that lets you customize your skin order, essentially letting you create your own play list in the game, which is an awesome way of dealing with the repetitive nature of the original game.

　　Besides the core game content, the team at Q is working on other elements, such as a play-history feature that will track your overall performance in the game. The team is also experimenting with some data-sharing features that will let you send information to friends. One element that is definitely in the game is a demo of Q's other upcoming PlayStation Portable game, Every Extend Extra, another unique fusion of gaming and music.

　　Lumines II's presentation offers up a unique blend of eclectic sights and sounds that dwarfs its predecessor in both scope and depth. This time out, the game will include music videos and more-dynamic imagery on the PSP playing field as you work to solve puzzles. The videos are a slick bit of technological flashiness that plays to the PSP's multimedia strengths, and the dynamic backgrounds are a smart showcase for the game's trippy art style. Some may find that the new backgrounds will take some adjusting to, as there are sudden shifts and general movement that may throw off your block-gathering game. Once you get used to everything, though, it's smooth sailing. Though the version of the game we played was a work in progress, it was looking good except for the odd bit of inconsistency during some of the video playback, which is one of the issues the team will be ironing out as development continues.

　　Our guess is you won't be hearing anything from 'Sea Change' here.

　　The audio borrows some of the familiar sound effects we all became used to in the first game and tosses in some new ones as well. The centerpiece of the experience is the game's funky soundtrack, which is poised to be more eclectic than its predecessor. Though the inclusion of mainstream American tunes from the likes of Gwen Stefani, Beck, and the Black Eyed Peas may be surprising, the music reflects the unique tastes of those involved with the game.

　　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. Lumines II should have the appeal and content to retain the original's fan base as well as attract newcomers to its unique puzzle experience. As fans of the original, we're anxious to get our hands on the game for a much longer period of time to poke around and see how this all comes together. Look for more on Lumines II in the months leading up to its fall release.