Product Info

Platform

PlayStation 5, PC

Publisher

Enhance

Developer

Enhance, Monstars Inc.

Series

Lumines

Genre

Puzzle

Players

1-2

File Size (Minimum)

10 GB

Release Date (NA)

Nov 11, 2025

Purchase From

PSN Store

Steam

From the creators of Tetris® Effect: Connected comes the latest Lumines puzzle game, Lumines Arise. By combining the best elements of Tetris® Effect: Connected with the mechanics of Lumines, this new game offers yet another compelling puzzle experience.

Drop ‘Em Like It’s Hot

Players will take 2×2 square blocks consisting of four pieces of two colors/types to drop onto a horizontal grid. Combine four of the same piece in a square format to clear them for points. As you drop your puzzle pieces, a bar will glide across the grid to tally up the pieces you clear. Once it reaches the end, the bar resets to the beginning and glides across again. The more pieces you can combine at once, the higher your score will be, and creating combos will boost your score even more. Additionally, the number above the bar will increase up to 100%. You can trigger a BURST phase where time stands still, except for the bar, allowing you to drop and clear as much as possible to rack up combos. The length of time you stay in this phase depends on the percentage you used to initiate it. Once it ends, the stage returns to its regular view and music. Players can re-enter the BURST phase as many times as they want. 

Players will continue playing until their entire 2×2 puzzle block lands outside the puzzle grid, similar to losing in Tetris. However, you can adjust the game’s settings to make the blocks disappear and prevent a Game Over in the accessibility menu. This keeps the game going for players who want no disturbance. 

Each track in the game carries a different vibe, ranging from highly energetic to slow-paced or a mix of both. The visuals in each stage match the theme of the song, as do the puzzle blocks, making each stage feel organic and unique. For example, you may encounter a stage with vegetables where the pieces are broccoli and tomatoes, or an electronic arrow moving up alongside a solid grey box. The visuals surrounding the puzzle grid react not only to the music but also to how you play. Playing in 4K is visually pleasing, though it can feel overwhelming at times with its vibrant visuals.

For those familiar with Lumines, the visuals in Lumines Arise are cleaner and prettier, with enhanced depth of field that resembles the puzzle stages in Tetris® Effect: Connected. New players may initially feel overwhelmed and are encouraged to start with the game’s training sessions before diving into Journey mode to better grasp the gameplay. 

Enjoy the Journey

Players can begin their dive into the latest Lumines game by starting with the game’s Journey mode. There are just over thirty-five stages spread across nine areas. After completing each area, the game grades you based on your skills in combos, time management, and more. For those willing to go the distance, players can choose the Survivor mode, where they go through all stages without any breaks in-between. However, if you reach a “Game Over”, you will have to start back from the beginning.

If you’re looking for other ways to play offline, the game offers Training and Challenges in the Missions mode. Training stages can help you build up your skills, or for those new to the puzzle game, they can learn the basics and a few advanced moves to gain a better understanding of the unique puzzle gameplay. Through Challenges, players can test their skills with different approaches, such as using blocks larger than the normal 2×2 blocks. Challenges carry some variety of other ways to play Lumines such as creating squares with puzzle shapes that are not 2×2 blocks.

Play By Your Rules

There is so much visual animation happening on the screen that many players’ eyes may struggle to adjust to the constant changes in each level of Journey mode. Some levels shift depending on the number of blocks on each side of the grid or move in sync with the animation and beat of the current song. Some visuals alternate between light and dark, making it overwhelming to take in and potentially straining on the eyes during extended play sessions. However, the game offers a wide range of accessibility options to help you focus on playing.

Players can customize the background to be non-transparent, adjust movement sensitivity, prevent blocks from dropping automatically, and more. You can tailor the settings to your preferences for a more comfortable experience in Journey mode or while playing through your custom playlist. Just keep in mind that these options may not be available when playing against others online or locally.

WIthout this setup, Lumines Arise would be difficult to play long-term or for those who need that handicap.

Your Skills vs Their Skills

Players have the option to play offline or online through the game’s Multiplayer mode. To play locally offline, players would need to set up a custom room set to local, where only two players can participate. You can adjust the CPU level, speed, number of matches, and a few more options. Playing is similar to a regular game by yourself, but with the ability to create “garbage blocks”. To send these blocks to your opponent, create combos to generate the blocks onto their puzzle grid. To clear them, combine 2×2 blocks of the same color/type or a combo next to the garbage block to demolish them.

The same rules apply to online matches, where only two players can compete against each other. In online matches, you can choose random players based on your level, which is a score determined by how many games you’ve won, or you can select anyone not associated with your score level. If you lose, your score doesn’t drop if you are under 600 Battle Points. If you have a score over 600, points can be deducted. The higher the number, the better you appear on your online card. For PlayStation 5 players, a PlayStation Plus Membership is required to play online matches. However, a paid subscription is not required for Quick Burst and Leaderboard League modes.

Currently, there is only one mode available to play, which could benefit from more variety. For example, a timed match or incorporating Challenge modes into a versus scenario. Who wouldn’t want to engage in a versus match to see who can activate the most Burst modes?

What a Showoff

To customize your avatar and online card, players can earn titles and other items using the game’s gacha-like system called Loomii-Pon. Use points earned from any playthrough, including multiplayer matches, to unlock new in-game items. You can view all available items in the game’s customization menu, where you can customize your avatar, known as the Loomii, and choose which items to collect.

Some outfits, like Astro Bot, are exclusive to those who purchase the digital deluxe edition for PlayStation 5. There are only a few available now, but hopefully, more will be added in the future. It would be entertaining to see guest characters from other games, such as The Prince from the Katamari series, included as well.

PlayStation 5 and PC players can play against each other in cross-platform matches or turn off the setting to play only within the same platform. Unfortunately, the game is not currently available on other platforms like the Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S.

The Final Block

Lumines Arise shines with its blend of rhythm and dazzling puzzle experience. While its online options may feel limited, its accessibility customization and hypnotic flow keep players hooked. Lumines Arise is a perfect fit for those who are ready for a new style of puzzle-solving.

A PlayStation 5 review code provided for this review. Lumines Arise is available for the PlayStation 5 and PC.