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Tetris is perhaps the most famous puzzle video game to ever exist, transforming the Game Boy decades before it was perfected with the Enhanced Tetris Effect, a sublime cocktail of Tetris’ tried-and-true gameplay fundamentals and a powerful, transcendent, synaesthetic audiovisual presentation that felt like it was lingering, detached from my physical body, in a celestial fever dream of music and light.
And while I don’t have a touchstone for Lumines, hearing that Enhance is making its own deal with another much-loved series filled me with the joy of anticipation and wanderlust returning to the same planet that once took me. And then Lumines Arise arrived. It’s powered by the same care that Enhance took in transforming Tetris. For me, it’s the transformation from a frantic, panicked line-clearing rush to some kind of beautiful, picturesque Zen garden. It’s all in the atmosphere, don’t get me wrong. Lumines has a learning curve that can be tough at first, and beginners are bound to make mistakes. No matter how much fun it is. Fortunately, Enhance includes all sorts of tutorials, challenges, and backend toggles to allow players to practice and set the game at their own pace.
For those like me who were more familiar with Enhance than Lumineth’s arrival, the game loop is fairly simple. Similar to Tetris, there are various 2×2 blocks that can be dropped onto the field. These blocks consist of a combination of two patterns and are different for each stage. However, the goal is to match pairs of squares to create large blocks. Blocks are removed from the field every 8 beats. It’s a little hard to understand because the loops are inherently tied to rhythm and sound, everything has timing, and paired blocks don’t disappear immediately like Tetris lines, but once I was able to lock in, I started to really understand what this game does and how it differentiates itself from modern puzzle games.
As you play, your charge will gradually increase, and when it reaches 50 percent or more you will be able to activate Burst. I didn’t always find this useful as a survival tactic, but for those aiming for the S-rank standard for the stage, it’s the key to getting high scores that put you at the top of the leaderboard. All stages are multiphase. Later levels require you to clear up to five separate boards. Things tend to get a little complicated in the latter half of certain levels, and the sense of escalation is sold beautifully through sudden changes in audio-visual flourishes.
The various stages of Lumines have some amazing and amazing effects on display. I doubt there’s as much sonic consistency from level to level as there was in Tetris Effect, but Lumines Arise’s peaks felt higher, and some of the images are now forever etched in my mind. A canvas for each stage is one thing, but Enhance is the way the 2×2 blocks transform to fit the theme of the stage, whether it’s a combination of fruits and vegetables, eggs and feathers, seashells, etc., and ended up being super cute and creative. I appreciated the effort put into making each phase special. There were just a few stages where I felt the differences were too subtle, and the lack of readability marred the enjoyment just a little, although they’re as rare as hen’s teeth in the grand scheme of things.
The game’s soundtrack was once again composed by Hydelic, who returned after Tetris Effect, and features a variety of moods. The visuals are undoubtedly stunning, but they’re only half of what makes a truly special combination, and the immersion you get when you put on your headphones and enter the daydream that is Luminous Arise is, in a word, magical.
Similar to Tetris Effect, one of the central pillars of the game is Journey Mode. There’s no clear explanation, so you’ll have to complete the aforementioned multi-phase stages to get the light back. Depending on your skill set, getting through it can be a source of frustration, but no matter who you are, it’s a moving and emotional experience, and one that Enhance can proudly hang its hat on. Of course, there are other modes to keep you hooked even after the credits roll, such as Survival mode, where you have to play through each stage of the story in order.
This kind of magic is beyond my understanding, so I don’t even think about performing it.
Journey mode itself only lasts around six to eight hours, so you’ll hope the extra challenges and strong multiplayer will keep players coming back days or weeks later, giving it the legs it needs to build a community a la Tetris Effect. Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s anything worth mentioning about the service at launch.
Perhaps it’s simply the puzzle loop being too restrictive, but having only a custom mode and a ranked burst battle mode feels very overwhelming and makes me wonder about the game’s long-term prospects. Sure, that’s fun, but I don’t think it’s the only competitive mode that forms the basis of a thriving community.
Similarly, I’m a bit disappointed in Lumines Arise’s approach to player representation. Loomii’s avatar customization is a bit so-so, and the way you unlock them through gachapon-style lucky dips tends to take away a bit of the individualism in displaying your avatar. I tend to slap whatever latest thing I unlock, whether that’s what I want or not.
Parsing between locked and unlocked items in your inventory is also a bit of a nightmare. There is no way to filter, and items are not scrolled in any particular order. I’ve seen some pretty cool avatars wandering around online lobbies, but I’m happy enough with my hexagonal head and title that I don’t need to delve too deeply into Lumines’ gacha machine, which is a treadmill of loot.
Despite failing to deliver what I feel is worthwhile multiplayer, I think the team at Enhance are absolute masters at delivering an overwhelming, cathartic, zen-filled experience that lifts you out of your body and takes you on an almost spiritual journey, all in the guise of a near-perfect puzzle game. That’s what Lumines Arise is, but for those who admired the original or Tetris Effect, I can’t recommend it enough, as there’s very little that’s better than it.
In order to do this review, I played the PC version of this game. Digital review code was provided by the publisher.
conclusion
Lumines Arise isn’t a complete package, but it’s a once-in-a-generation puzzler in which, much like they did with Tetris, Enhance distills the spirit of the iconic puzzler, takes all its basics, and perfects it with compelling cosmic audiovisual splendor that really needs to be seen, heard, and played.
positive
As a newcomer to Lumines, it’s an incredibly addictive core loop.
A wonderful audiovisual journey
Enough challenges and missions to keep you entertained even beyond Journey Mode
Great accessibility and customization options
negative
Multiplayer seems lacking in single mode
Loomii customization is a bit sparse
