Lumines Arise Review

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It’s hard to make something perfect even better, and that was the challenge for Lumines Arise. Luckily, the team behind the critically acclaimed Tetris Effect – Enhance and Monstars – were the ones tackling it. They’re known for creating one of the best puzzle games ever, so if anyone could improve on a classic, it was them.

Interestingly enough, for a period, the game Lumines – a title released with the PlayStation Portable and made by Tetsuya Mizuguchi of Enhance – held that same reputation.

Mizuguchi and his team consistently deliver on their promises, so I was excited to try Lumines Arise, not worried. I still enjoy the original Lumines often, usually playing it on my Nintendo Switch 2 to relax before bed. That opening song is unforgettable.

And shinin’, and shinin’, and shinin’, and shinin’

Although the popular song ‘Shinin” by Mondo Grosso isn’t included in Lumines Arise, the game features many other great, upbeat tracks. Despite a few frustrating moments, it’s a visually and aurally pleasing experience from beginning to end.

Lumines Arise Feels Familiar, But There’s One Very Welcome Gameplay Addition

If you’re already familiar with Lumines, you’ll pick up Lumines Arise quickly. If this is your first time playing this musical puzzle game, here’s a brief explanation of how it works.

The goal of Lumines is to match falling 2×2 tiles on the board to make 2×2 tiles of the same color.

In this game, match at least two purple tiles together, or two silver disco balls. When a line sweeps across matching tiles, they disappear from the board, earning you points – similar to how tiles clear in Tetris.

Lumines is visually striking, with a beautiful style and unique presentation. However, these elements don’t always work perfectly, and can occasionally be confusing or pull your focus away from the gameplay.

Lumines adds a couple of unique elements to the familiar puzzle gameplay. You can create larger blocks – 3×3 or bigger – to clear more tiles at once. But the biggest difference is how the game connects to the music. The speed of the falling tiles directly matches the tempo of the song – faster music means faster-falling tiles!

What you do in the game directly changes the music. Rotating your tile adds new musical layers, and skillful play makes the song build and intensify. It’s a unique blend of music and action, creating a feeling like you’re leading an orchestra. Soon, you’ll find yourself not only enjoying the gameplay, but also completely immersed in the music.

Lumines includes two new features to help you clear tiles and keep the game going. Chain Blocks allow you to eliminate connected tiles of the same type, which is perfect for getting out of difficult situations and potentially changing the game in your favor. The other new feature is the Burst mechanic, which really speeds things up.

As you clear groups of tiles, you’ll fill up your Burst meter, shown as a percentage above the moving line. Once it reaches 100%, you can activate Burst, allowing you to stack tiles of the same color. This eliminates all other colored tiles, clears the board, and earns you a much higher score.

The new Burst mechanic is a great addition to Lumines, adding more strategic depth. While it’s helpful for escaping tough spots, the unpredictable nature of incoming tiles sometimes makes using Burst feel ineffective, which can be frustrating.

There Aren’t Many Games That Match Lumines Arise’s Style

Lumines Arise quickly grabbed my attention with its vibrant and dynamic style. Playing feels like being at a nightclub – the music is energetic, the visuals are dazzling, and it’s hard not to move to the beat while I play.

Then there’s this:

And this:

Lumines really shines with its beautiful visuals and unique style. However, the presentation doesn’t always work perfectly, and can sometimes be confusing or pull your focus away from the game. While the shift from energetic electronic music to the game’s sounds isn’t unpleasant, it does feel like a sudden change of atmosphere – going from a vibrant nightclub straight into bright daylight.

I appreciate the variety Lumines Arise offers – it definitely keeps things interesting. However, some of the visual themes don’t quite work, and I often found it hard to see what was happening on certain stages. This led to me accidentally wasting helpful items because I couldn’t clearly understand the blocks. When you add in occasional issues with the Burst mechanic, it’s frustrating to feel like your careful planning doesn’t matter, especially when the game’s difficulty feels unbalanced.

What makes Lumines Arise so enjoyable – quickly changing between levels – is also its biggest drawback. The game pauses during these transitions, which unfortunately breaks up the flow and can be frustrating.

I figured faster songs would be harder – that’s just how this game works. But some of them ramp up so quickly, it’s really frustrating when you suddenly lose control.

When Lumines Arise Clicks, There’s Nothing Else Like It

I’m being so critical of Lumines Arise because it’s a game I genuinely adore. I actually bought a PSP just to play Lumines (along with Darkstalkers Chronicles: The Chaos Tower!), and it’s the game I spent the most hours with on that console. It’s also become a favorite on both my Nintendo Switch and, so far, my new Switch 2.

Lumines Arise delivers exactly what you’d expect – more of the fantastic Lumines experience. Even the trickier levels are still captivating, drawing you in with the music and inspiring you to improve. The game keeps things fresh with plenty of different ways to play.

Lumines Arise offers more than just the usual campaign and survival modes. You can also create a custom playlist, choosing your favorite stages to build a truly personalized experience. For me, that just means enjoying the songs I love most – and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that!

The game also includes missions that offer a fresh take on classic Lumines. Even though I rarely try to fully complete games, I’m excited to tackle every mission here. It’s Lumines, after all – I enjoy playing it, so any extra challenges are welcome!

Lumines Has Never Looked Better

It’s strange to realize that Lumines Arise is the first game in the Lumines series not originally made for phones and tablets, but that’s the case!

Although different versions of Lumines have appeared on various platforms, they all stem from the very first version created for the PSP.

Lumines Arise is designed for PC and PlayStation 5, and the visuals reflect that. The original Lumines felt very immediate – you were right in the middle of the action, but it was hard to see the bigger picture. Arise changes that, fully immersing you in the experience. It’s like the difference between watching a movie in a regular theater versus IMAX – the visual impact is immediately noticeable, and it’s much easier to get lost in the music.

Before writing this review, I revisited Lumines Remastered on my Nintendo Switch 2, and I was surprised by how different it felt. The visuals seemed much closer, and the gameplay wasn’t as fluid as in Lumines Arise. I noticed this quite a bit during my 30+ hours of playtesting. It’s understandable, though – once you really get into the game, everything clicks. You become completely immersed in the music, the visuals, and the satisfying tile-matching action.

Closing Comments:

Lumines Arise continues the fantastic tradition of the Lumines series. It’s beautifully designed, incredibly engaging, and just as captivating as ever. Even with a few minor issues, like transitions that disrupt the flow, I anticipate playing this game for years to come. Lumines was unique when it first came out, and even with many similar puzzle games now available, it remains one of a kind. Any fan of puzzle games absolutely needs to own this.

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2025-11-11 17:13