WelcometoExtremeGamer

Reviewed by Jimmy | 12.21.06

Intro
Mumbjo Jumbo brings their popular PC puzzle action game Luxor to the handheld market for the Playstation Portable. Luxor: The Wrath of Set is sure to be an instant classic for all you Zumaholics. Check out our review of Luxor: The Wrath of Set for the PSP.

Game
If you've had the chance to play Luxor on the PC then you know exactly what you are in store for with the Playstation Portable version. Mumbjo Jumbo was smart not to mess with an already proven formula which means new gamers will be treated to a fun and challenging action puzzle game. Luxor is simple in concept, rules, and controls, but it can get intense and challenging even for experienced gamers.

Luxor is very similar to another popular action puzzle game name Zuma. If you know Zuma and you want to have an easy description of Luxor, put the Zuma target toad on the bottom of the screen instead of in varies places around the screen. It's kind of like the classic Arkanoid except with moving coloured balls to destroy instead of blocks. Who says we still need originality when you can just re-wrap Zuma in an Egyptian setting with a few new options. It might not be the most original idea, but Luxor still remains fun.

Luxor's name is taken from an Egyptian City in Southern Egypt and also an Egyptian themed hotel in Las Vegas. The Egyptian lore is represented in every square inch of the playing screen with references to Pharaohs, Hieroglyphs, and Pyramids. If you're a fan or follower of ancient Egypt this aspect will intrigue you a little more then the average gamer. The title also mentions the ancient Egyptian god Set, who has set his magical wrath of coloured balls against your player.

Graphically Luxor: The Wrath of Set looks sharp and crisp on the PSP. The colours are a little more vibrant then it's direct comparison of Zuma. All the objects have a nice glare on them and are easy distintable from each other. The backgrounds are all solid, non-moving with Egyptian themes. These are kept basic so you can focus on the gameplay. Also I like the idea of the beam glowing the same colour as the ball you are about to launch, this spices it up a fair amount and makes Luxor graphically appealing for the type of game it is.

If you need a challenge, Luxor can provide a fair challenge even for Zuma, or puzzle game experts. The forced aiming contributes to a large amount of the games difficulty because you'll have take short breaks and time your shots more effectively. Plus the levels are long, maybe three or four times as long as a Zuma level and the balls keep pouring out at a relentless rate. I found my self zooming through the first half of the game and then it's like I hit a brick wall. Luxor gets tough and the levels become tricky snakes with multiple ending zones. I felt the levels progressed at a good sense of difficulty until I reached just over the half way mark, then Luxor really amped up and made me work for those combos.

Luxor really doesn't offer more than that besides a few power-ups that are like all other games of this nature. There are two other modes Time Attack and Survival which are the same deal as the 'adventure' mode. Luxor ends up being a one trick pony, but that's not so bad that Luxor because that's all it needs and really the PSP doesn't have a game like this for the system.

Lowdown
Luxor despite being obviously influenced by Zuma is a fun and addictive game for your PSP. Luxor provides the only Zuma like experience on the handhelds right now, so if you want some ball blasting puzzle game fun, this is your answer. I would definitely recommend Luxor: The Wrath of Set because it's an easy and fun pick up and play styled game that can still provide a challenge.


Good
Fun and Addictive, Pick Up And Play, Short Load Times, Crisp Graphics
BadDiffuculty Jumps Up in Later Levels, Unoriginal

Gameplay: 7, Graphics/Sound: 7, Innovation: 4, Mojo: 7. Final: 7 / 10

  • Luxor for the PSP offers the same addictive and easy-to-learn, yet difficult to master game play which made the original award-winning Luxor franchise such a smash hit. And now, being introduced to a whole new audience, Luxor is setting a new standard for action-puzzle casual games on the PSP system.
  • Journey across the lands of ancient Egypt with Luxor, a thrilling action-puzzle adventure. Play 124 exhilarating levels, through 20 challenging stages, using your mystical winged scarab to shoot and destroy the approaching magical spheres before they reach the pyramids at the end of their path. Unleash awesome powers through electrifying and unique power-ups such as explosive Fireballs and thundering Lightning Bolts.
  • Experience three thrilling and challenging play modes, fast-paced bonus levels and loads of action-packed, pulse-pounding excitement that test your skill in Luxor.



Luxor:
The Wrath of Set

 
Publisher
Mumbo Jumbo
 
Developer
Mumbo Jumbo
 
Genre
Puzzle
 
Released
Nov 2006

Platform
PSP
 
ESRB
Everyone