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Lumines Arise

Combining great gameplay that is easy to learn but challenging to master, with visuals that look great and music that always nails the tone, Lumines Arise suffers from only a few minor hiccups.
Lumines Arise Game Cover
90%Game Brain Score
music, gameplay
story, replayability
96% User Score Based on 600 reviews
Critic Score 84%Based on 28 reviews

Platforms

PCPlaystation 5Virtual RealitySteam DeckWindowsPlayStationPlayStation VR2
Lumines Arise Game Cover

About

Lumines Arise is a single player and multiplayer arcade puzzle game. It was developed by Monstars Inc. and was released on November 11, 2025. It received positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Lumines Arise ist eine fesselnde Neuinterpretation des Puzzle-Klassikers, bei der Musik, visuelle Effekte und Gameplay zu einem synästhetischen Erlebnis verschmelzen. Über 30 Level und eine neue Burst-Mechanik bieten vielfältige Herausforderungen, die strategisches Kombinieren von Blöcken erfordern. Im Einzel- und Mehrspielermodus kannst du dich mit Freunden oder Gegnern weltweit messen.

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96%
Audience ScoreBased on 600 reviews
music113 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions

  • Incredible sound and music, luxurious visual effects, and surprising new themes with every level.
  • The new 'burst' mechanic adds depth to the gameplay, allowing for strategic plays and larger combos.
  • The game provides a meditative experience, making it easy to get lost in the visuals and music.
  • Some levels have poor visibility due to overwhelming visual effects, making it hard to distinguish blocks.
  • The game suffers from performance issues on certain platforms, particularly with frame drops on the Steam Deck.
  • The multiplayer matchmaking can be frustrating, with significant skill gaps between players leading to unbalanced matches.
  • music
    310 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "Lumines Arise" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its eclectic soundtrack that blends various genres, including electronic and pop, creating a vibrant audio-visual experience. While some tracks are celebrated as standout bangers, others are criticized for being forgettable or not living up to the series' legacy, particularly in comparison to previous titles. Overall, the game's music is described as integral to the gameplay, enhancing the synesthetic experience, though some players express a desire for more memorable tracks and the return of classic songs from earlier installments.

    • “Incredible sound and music, luxurious visual effects, and surprising new themes with every level.”
    • “The music, graphics, accompanied by the tingling sensations from DualSense, it's definitely one of those that feels cozy but actually very intense.”
    • “The soundtrack is excellent and the visuals are trippy and entertaining.”
    • “And now for the worst part - in Tetris Effect Connected you could choose your BGM for the effect hub; but for Lumines, they chose the most obnoxious song in the game and you cannot change it; the flagship song of the game, if you will, is so awful and annoying, I just mute the game, it's that bad.”
    • “The biggest downside is that the music ranges from inoffensively mid to obnoxiously cloying.”
    • “For a music game, some of these songs are really bad.”
  • gameplay
    163 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Lumines Arise" retains the classic block-dropping mechanics that fans love while introducing a new "burst" mechanic that adds depth and accessibility, allowing for both casual play and competitive strategies. Players appreciate the engaging puzzle elements, stunning visuals, and the seamless integration of music with gameplay, although some note that the new visual transitions can disrupt the flow. Overall, the game is praised for its addictive nature and the unique experience it offers, blending music, visuals, and gameplay in a way that feels fresh yet familiar.

    • “The new 'burst' mechanic is a welcome addition in my opinion.”
    • “Gameplay is the same as before with a new burst ability which helps you create a bigger square for bigger points.”
    • “The gameplay is addicting, and many of the songs and skins are absolutely captivating and stunning.”
    • “They changed that instead of the board instantly morphing to the next scene minimally impacting gameplay; they went with a more stylized approach which adds very slick animations for the skin (scene) changes, this unfortunately disrupts gameplay.”
    • “As for gameplay, the transition between songs wears out its welcome very quickly by disrupting momentum, resetting block position if it was being moved at the time, and killing the flow state that previous entries in the series excelled at.”
    • “The only complaint that I have is that sometimes the visuals become far too distracting from the gameplay itself.”
  • graphics
    134 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in "Lumines Arise" are widely praised for their stunning and imaginative design, often described as breathtaking and visually captivating. However, some players note that the heavy animation and flashy effects can be distracting, occasionally hindering gameplay clarity. Overall, the combination of vibrant visuals and an engaging soundtrack creates a unique and immersive experience, reminiscent of the acclaimed "Tetris Effect."

    • “The visuals are absolutely astonishing.”
    • “Gorgeous visuals and great sound design!”
    • “The visuals are stunning, and the audio design is on another level.”
    • “Putting all the graphics settings to low, with 'handheld mode' on, and turning all the special effects to 'very subtle' didn't even help with some stages that have animated backgrounds/pieces.”
    • “Most people complain about the visuals being 'hard to read' because they are so heavily animated.”
    • “The themes and graphics of the level are inventive and delightful, but many of them are nearly unplayable because of too many effects or indistinguishable blocks.”
  • story
    23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story aspect is minimal, with many players noting a lack of narrative depth and a focus on gameplay mechanics instead. While the missions and modes offer some variety, they often feel repetitive and disconnected from a cohesive story experience. Overall, the game is more about personal achievement and gameplay than delivering a compelling narrative.

    • “I completed both journey modes on normal, and I've not touched much else besides a few missions and a few rounds of burst battle.”
    • “So far I've played through the first area of journey on hard, did all of the training missions and about half of the challenges, and have dipped my toes into dig down, time attack, and burst battle.”
    • “I will pay the premium because I will play the endless mode and try to go for score and enjoy the presentation, but realistically I could imagine someone playing through the game in roughly 3 hours for the story mode equivalent and then be done.”
    • “Trying to start journey mode or a training mission presents you with the ultimate audio/visual experience: a silent, black screen.”
    • “Enhance has really mastered the art of storytelling through music, but in this game it feels like it is my story.”
  • optimization
    21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with many praising its performance on various platforms, including VR and the Steam Deck, where it runs smoothly for the most part. However, some users reported occasional frame drops and visibility issues in certain levels, suggesting that while the game is generally well-optimized, there are still areas that require improvement. Additionally, concerns about specific features affecting accessibility for players with sensitivities were noted, indicating a need for further refinement.

    • “Performance is absolutely fantastic, running without any sort of hitch or drop in frames.”
    • “Holy hell this game is optimized.”
    • “How is this the most optimized VR game I've played in the last 5 years?”
    • “That said, the tile sets of some of these have poor visibility/contrast and at times everything going on can be an active hindrance to your performance.”
    • “It feels less like an issue with the game but another Unreal Engine 5 optimization failure.”
    • “My big caveat though is that the game unexpectedly has some weird performance issues at launch.”
  • emotional
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its powerful soundtrack and immersive visuals, which evoke a wide range of feelings, from catharsis to joy. Players report experiencing profound emotional moments, including tears during key stages, and describe the game as a wholesome and uplifting journey that surpasses previous titles in emotional depth. Overall, it successfully combines engaging gameplay with a deeply moving audio-visual experience, making it a must-play for those seeking an emotional connection in gaming.

    • “The studio has done it again, and made a simple puzzle game be one of the most emotional and uplifting experiences you can ever have in gaming.”
    • “I cried at the final stage of journey mode.”
    • “The game had a real sense of an arc, culminating in a final level that felt distinct from all the rest of the game; a visual and aural crescendo that made me cry when I reached it.”
  • replayability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players consistently highlight the game's high replayability, citing a variety of challenges, difficulty levels, and new features that enhance the experience. The inclusion of ranked multiplayer and diverse challenge modes contributes to a sense of virtually infinite replay value, although some users suggest that adjustments could further improve this aspect. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging content that encourages repeated play.

    • “Lots of quality challenges and replay value.”
    • “Completing the journey in all difficulty levels might take a few hours, but it has virtually infinite replayability and challenge modes.”
    • “I'm also really enjoying the new features that have been added, such as the burst ability and all of the challenge modes with irregularly shaped blocks, large blocks, rising blocks, etc. For me, the ranked multiplayer is going to make this game have endless replayability even after completing all achievements.”
    • “Yeah, I love this game, but after more than 50 hours, I can say the game needs some adjustments here and there to ensure replayability.”
  • humor
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is noted for its absurdity and the ability to provoke laughter, particularly through its quirky elements and unexpected choices, such as the strange music selections. While some aspects may not resonate with players directly, they are entertaining to observe, contributing to a lighthearted and comedic experience overall.

    • “It's just funny, this game... it's so easy to roast; luckily none of the usual sycophants have come out to defend m'lady's honor just yet... give it time though.”
    • “In defense of Loomii's: they are actually hilarious to watch, just not for the player.”
    • “G, Lumines 2’s pump is a very strange choice but it’s very funny; Heavenly Star and Star Guitar are peak (the worst things about Lumines 2’s licensed tracks is that they’re stuck on Lumines 2 ).”
  • monetization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users feel that while VR ads can enhance enjoyment, they generally prefer non-VR experiences, particularly when aiming for high scores.

    • “Overall, I can only believe that VR ads detract from the enjoyment, but I will probably prefer non-VR... especially if I'm going for a top score.”
    • “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
    • “I find the in-game purchases to be frustratingly necessary to progress, which ruins the overall experience.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the necessity of unlocking avatar and profile elements through a gacha system, which adds to the overall grind. The gameplay is described as difficult to visualize, further exacerbating the feeling of monotony associated with grinding.

    • “Minor gripe: most of the avatar/profile elements need to be unlocked via a gacha and grinding. I know why it's there, but it's annoying.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
  • atmosphere
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users noting its superb music and visuals, creating an immersive experience that may take some time to adjust to but is ultimately rewarding.

    • “It's a bit tough to get used to, but I'm okay with it because the atmosphere is top-notch.”
    • “The music and atmosphere, the visuals, all superb.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game demonstrates excellent stability, with users reporting smooth performance on the Steam Deck, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience.

    • “Super fun, runs great on Steam Deck.”
    • “This game is just as great as most of the other reviewers say, and it runs great on the Deck as well.”
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20h Median play time
30h Average play time
7-60h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Lumines Arise is a arcade puzzle game.

Lumines Arise is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Virtual Reality, Steam Deck and others.

On average players spend around 30 hours playing Lumines Arise.

Lumines Arise was released on November 11, 2025.

Lumines Arise was developed by Monstars Inc..

Lumines Arise has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its music but disliked it for its story.

Lumines Arise is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Tetris Effect: Connected, The Rogue Prince of Persia, Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Once Upon A KATAMARI and others.