"Every Extend Extra" for PSP

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Mon May 15, 2006 6:08 pm

benj wrote:You can download the PC version here and check it out yourself.

Thanks for that, man!

Definately fun, but I'm still not entirely clear on how chaining works, or how the time system works.

ghibli99 · Post by **ghibli99** » Tue May 16, 2006 8:28 pm

infamous lunchbox wrote:I downloaded the demo at E3 it's pretty good. They changed the voices and what not, but it plays very well. A must own title once it comes out. They had other downloadable demo's, but I left this one on my PSP and put in sleep mode so I don't lose it. It is incredible.

Same here. Makes it impossible for me to play anything else on the system right now, but it's a fun little demo.

Dylan1CC · Post by **Dylan1CC** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:17 am

New preview from IGN. Sounds like it's shaping up nicely.

http://psp.ign.com/articles/721/721835p1.html

Game has 3 modes: Arcade mode, Boss mode, Caravan mode (let's you play stages as you please) Also...

Wireless multiplayer in Every Extend Extra plays really well at this point. You can play against one other person, in only one mode, but it's damn fun. The objective is simple: earn higher chains than your opponent. For every high level chain, you move a giant orb close to the second player. Once it gets into the middle of the screen, they're toast. It's possible to "hit" the orb back and forth for hours, depending on how you play.

Stay tuned for more.

angrycoder · Post by **angrycoder** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 3:28 am

I just put in my preorder today for this along with Ghosts and Goblins. Should be here on friday from ncsx. I'll be sure to post some impressions.

Dylan1CC · Post by **Dylan1CC** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 4:38 am

^^^^

Excellent, lookin' forward to hearing about it.

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 5:02 am

Wow, I didn't know this would be out soon, but I think I might pass on this, at least for now :\

Middlemoor · Post by **Middlemoor** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 6:56 am

EEE Multiplayer Video:

http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/4728

I wasn't really excited about the original game, but versus mode looks great!

Dylan1CC · Post by **Dylan1CC** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 3:05 pm

^^^^

Just found the video, looks like hectic fun. Wonder if it will support game sharing mode at all?

The interview with Reo Yonaga was funny. "My friend was absent from work because he said he was playing this game. I said get back to work! Then I started playing too. So I thought, let's add some new elements to this and also so we don't get busted for not working."

Soldato J · Post by **Soldato J** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 5:02 pm

Pre-ordered along with SD Gundam G Gen PSP from PAsia....impressions to follow when it gets here

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:36 pm

How is Q integrating rythm into the gameplay? I'm interested in knowing because I have the gameplay of the original down (simple, but hard to master!), and can't imagine how they would use rythm.

Dylan1CC · Post by **Dylan1CC** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:10 pm

dave4shmups wrote:How is Q integrating rythm into the gameplay? I'm interested in knowing because I have the gameplay of the original down (simple, but hard to master!), and can't imagine how they would use rythm.

Based on the video I'm guessing it's the same as in Lumines, the rhythm is pretty but mainly superficial, ie: accomplish something in the game and the lights/music will subtly change in some way.

DavidHolliss · Post by **DavidHolliss** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 10:23 am

Your right yes, the PSP version far exceeds the PC demo and lives up to the hype superbly. Anyone getting this won't be disappointed

angrycoder · Post by **angrycoder** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 6:11 pm

So my import copies of Every Extend Extra and Ultimate Ghosts and Goblins arrived today from NCSX. I haven't had a chance to play GnG yet, but here's my thoughts on EEE.

I spent about 2 hours with Every Extend and its definately a winner. The core gameplay is essentially unchanged from the original PC version. Its a shooter/puzzle game where you don't shoot, you blow yourself up. Formations of enemies float across the screen and you try to explode yourself at the right moment to net you the largest chain. Every time an enemy is caught within your circular blast radius, they explode and inturn trigger their own blast radius and detonate any enemies within, and so on and so forth. The larger the chain, the bigger the score. Scoring is not optional in this game, it is essential. Every time you blow yourself up, you loose a life. You earn extra lives (extends) by scoring points via chains and gems.

Once you have survived the stage long enough, you get to fight a boss. They are all varied and creative, but the basic pattern for destroying them is the same. Hit them with a small chain, hit them with a larger chain, then hit them for x damage over any number of chains (each point in the chain is worth one point of damage). Once the boss is dead, its onto the next stage. Stages are like skins in Lumines, each has its own graphics and soundtrack.

There is a nifty player controlled in game difficulty as well. Picking up the pink gems that some enemies drop will increase the game speed. You speed up, the enemies speed up, the tempo of the music changes, everything. When your speed is maxxed out, picking up the pink gems will give you a 10k bonus

The game does a good job of escaping Lumines marathon playing sessions. Instead of facing all the stages in succession you travel on a branching path depending on how well you did. So unlocking new stages isn't a matter of playing the game for an hour long session, you just have to get better at scoring. In the coarse of a single game you will see 7-8 levels, each lasting 2-3 minutes.

Once you beat the game a single time caravan mode (basically a score attack mode on a single stage) and boss mode are unlocked. Boss mode will let you fight all the bosses in succession or just practice against a single boss. There is also a souped up port of the orignal PC game included.

I would say this is Mizuguchi's best use of sight and sound so far. Playing with headphones is near orgasmic if you are into his special brand of insanity. If think Synaesthesia is a gimmick, this game probably won't change your mind, but much like Lumines, the core gameplay is solid enough to still recommend it.

I'll try to put up some impressions of GnG later, but between this and the Dead Rising demo I haven't gotten any work done today.

Now someone needs to go start a high score thread!

angrycoder · Post by **angrycoder** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 9:19 pm

I was just able to 'rank up' into the 3rd bracket of levels. I guess they aren't new skins, just more difficult versions of the existing skins, disappointing. The higher brackets are very hard, there are more enemies and new patterns of enemies. Every set of enemies destroyed also leaves behind suicide bullets. However, the biggest challenge is trying to hit the long initial chains on the boss before time runs out.

When you get an A rank on a level, you move up to the next bracket of levels. From the way the level grid is laid out, it looks like it is possible to level down as well if you aren't able to maintain your rank. If you die and get a crap score, your rank is Dot Eater, funny nod to ikaruga. Although the dot eater rank in ikaruga was a challenge in and of itself, here its used as a badge of shame.

It seems like the key to scoring and getting the A rank is filling up on purple gems as quickly as possible. This makes everything go faster, allowing more enemies to flood the screen for greater chain possibilities. Its a nice risk verses reward system. Also, grab the yellow power ups whenever you can, they give you an extra 10 seconds. Kill all the large shooting enemies as well, they drop yellow gems when they die. I think when the timer clicks down to about 55 seconds, that is when the boss is triggered.

Hopefully when this game comes out in the US it won't feature full motion video of madonna and backstreet boys prancing around while you blow things up.

Dylan1CC · Post by **Dylan1CC** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 11:18 pm

^^^

Thanks for the impressions, angrycoder. Sounds like the chaining, intensity and length of the game are nicely balanced out. Almost definite purchase now (and seconded on the cruddy FM radio lineup of Lumines II)

btw, does it feature any game sharing mode at all?

edit: Ah, never mind. I just read the updated preview on IGN and it indeed has game sharing with average download of 1 minute, nice.

angrycoder · Post by **angrycoder** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 1:56 am

yep it has gamesharing and 2 player mode. Sadly I don't have any friends.

Dylan1CC · Post by **Dylan1CC** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 4:03 am

^^^

Most of my gamer friends own the DS, but one has a PSP so...win.

DavidHolliss · Post by **DavidHolliss** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 1:09 pm

angrycoder wrote:Now someone needs to go start a high score thread!

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?p=164200

MovingTarget · Post by **MovingTarget** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 6:40 pm

I would buy a psp solely for this game and star soldier, problem is at play asia its stated that they cannot ship these games to the eu! How can I get these games?>!

DavidHolliss · Post by **DavidHolliss** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 7:09 pm

you can also import from

www.ncsx.com (USA based)
www.lik-sang.com
www.yesasia.com

all three come recommended

DavidHolliss · Post by **DavidHolliss** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 7:05 am

Has no-one else here picked this up ? cracking game and much more polished than the PC demo of EEE.

Soldato J · Post by **Soldato J** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 12:11 pm

I got it. It's pretty f-ing hard so far (I suck). Getting a little better as I am able to make bigger chains. Overall a nice package--have to play a bit more for a real report though. So far, no regrets

KennyMan666 · Post by **KennyMan666** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 12:45 pm

I will probably pick this up - Every Extend is great, and the indie scene shall be supported. :D

Tychom · Post by **Tychom** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 1:15 pm

Does it support the analogue nub as well as the dpad?

the dpad on my psp blows

Soldato J · Post by **Soldato J** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 1:16 pm

Nub support-->Yes

PS the D pad on EVERYONEs PSP blows...get one of those Capcom/Tekken/generic HK d-pad cover thingies--they work wonders man!

DavidHolliss · Post by **DavidHolliss** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:23 pm

I found the d-pad impossible to use on EEE (not tried a d-pad cover), the nub is a must for the precision control required imo.

Soldato J · Post by **Soldato J** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 3:52 pm

Man, I suck at this game! can someone give some pointers/basic strategy tips? I found the thread that tells you how to get the secret boss to appear in EE....but I am finding that I can't make much progress in this game for some reason

DavidHolliss · Post by **DavidHolliss** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 4:01 pm

Hi, take a few minutes to read through the posts in this thread, should help you

http://ntsc-uk.domino.org/showthread.php?t=62300

most simple explanation is post no 102 on that thread

"no problem, tapping X gives a small bomb, if you hold X (you can still move) and then let go the bomb increases in power and the area it covers (you can hold it for about 8 seconds before it detonates automatically).

The idea of the game is to chain destruction of enemies, destroying enemies gives points, the bigger the chain the more points you get. When destroyed green enemies drop green gems which when collected between bombs give an increasing number of points. Destroyed Pink enemies drop pink gems which add to your quicken bar (at top right of screen), the more quickens you have the faster the enemies appear and move across the screen (essential for big chains). Every so often bigger bosses appear mid-level, destroy them and they drop a yellow gem which adds ten seconds to your remaining time.

You gain more bombs by increasing your score, down at bottom left is a guide as to how many more points you need to get your next bomb (extend).

It's not the easiest game to explain on paper - IGN explained it quite well in a preview few weeks back, if your still stuck just ask, but have a play around and everything should fall into place ...

Alternatively watch a few videos on youtube, that might be more self-explanatory game-mechanics wise."

If your still stuck post again

Cheers.

Soldato J · Post by **Soldato J** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 4:24 pm

Thanks man, I will report back once I try some of this out

Dylan1CC · Post by **Dylan1CC** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:12 pm

So, anyone buy the U.S. rev of EEE yet?