Lumines Arise (2025)

Article: Blissful Focus And Beautiful Music by Kyle Hilliard

Few games have embedded themselves into my subconscious the way Tetris has. The term Tetris Effect existed before the release of the 2018 game and refers to studies related to participants playing Tetris and how extreme focus on the game altered their thoughts, both conscious and unconscious. Lumines is the only other puzzle game that has ever captured my attention in the same way, and as a result, my too-brief time with Lumines Arise left me incredibly eager to play more. I may even have to break out the PlayStation VR 2 headset.

After finishing JOURNEY mode a few days ago, I took a break... but I've come back to try out the multiplayer during the opening weekend Loomii-Live event. I spent a lot of time doing the Tetris Effect weekend events, so this felt right at home. Burst Battle is really fun! I'm no Lumines master and a pretty average, slow player at best, but even when defeat is all but certain I go down swinging and putting up a good fight. Even in my losses I've been pretty satisfied with my gameplay.

I love the Loomii customization, but the best part is customizing the song and its accompanying visualer for Burst Battle; over two rounds, one round will have both player battle using one of the players' chosen song/visualiser, with the next round using the others'. It gives online play a great Away vs. Home feeling. I get so pumped up when my favourite song starts playing... you're in my turf now, buddy. I feel like Tetris Effect could've desperately used this level of customization in its Zone Battles.

Also the hub world for multiplayer is beautiful. I hope when I die I get to fly around a pretty space void playing games and chatting with loved ones while a giant hologram astronaut flips through the air, going hog wild. I think that would be a cool afterlife.

Even if we didn't end up getting any reprising tracks from Lumines past, the soundtrack and visuals are wildly diverse and sublime to experience. I'm really happy with every aspect. I'll be back for many many weekends more!

I can tell I'm excited for this one because of how many times I've played through the demo. I think the last time I played through a demo this many times in anticipation was Nier Automata?

While the soundtrack and everything else about it is like a followup to Tetris Effect (which Lumines itself was pretty much a blueprint for) and while this is great, I hope Enhance can take advantage of it being a Lumines game and having a few remixes or renditions of classic Lumines tracks. Splice them in like a DJ winning the crowd back with some greatest hits... like Shake Ya Body or I Hear the Music in my Soul. I'll probably cry if a new remix of SHININ' ends up being the closer. I'll probably cry and dance either way, just like with Tetris Effect.

The demo for this game is available until September, so I tried it out and it's really good. But I think it's funny how the game is literally just Tetris Effect 2.

Don't get me wrong, if there's any game that deserves getting the Effect treatment it's Lumines. Dare I say, the original Lumines is more similar to Tetris Effect than any other Tetris game.

It's just funny how the studio went "yeah we should make the same game again"