Lumines Arise
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Lumines Arise
From coconuts to black holes and watch parts, Lumines is back in fine voice.
There is a reason this campaign is called Journey, because it feels like you’ve been on a rollercoaster ride of rhythmic emotions that change how you view games like this. Part of me thought Enhance Games couldn't repeat the sublime brilliance of Tetris Effect, but it has done just that and then some.
It's an electric concept that works just as well in Lumines Arise as it does in Tetris Effect.
Like Tetris Effect, it is one of my favorite games to play in VR, but I don’t think you are missing out on the core experience if you’re not wearing a headset. It’s like the difference between watching a movie at home full of distractions, or watching a movie in an IMAX theatre with an attentive crowd. The latter experience is more enthralling, but the story, soundtrack, visuals, and performances are the same.
The concept of Tetris Effect is iterated on with confidence, paired with a singular use of technology that seeks to evoke emotion at every turn.
Lumines Arise brings back the puzzle series in a spectacle of lights and music.
Like Tetris Effect before it, Lumines Arise lives up to the franchise's legacy. It's slick, stylish, and as addictive as ever. Despite my complaints and critiques of the game, especially those level transitions that take you out of the rhythm you've established, I look forward to spending hundreds of hours with Lumines Arise over the next decade or so. There was nothing quite like Lumines back in the day, and even though there are similar titles available today in 2025, there's still only one Lumines. A must-own for any puzzle game fan.
A revamp of Lumines which, in the spirit of Tetris Effect, amplifies its puzzling core with slick visuals, fun new mechanics, and one of the best soundtracks of the year.
