Renowned designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi crafts games that fuse sensory elements into interactive artistry. Titles like Rez, Child of Eden, and Tetris Effect demonstrate his talent for harmonizing rhythmic action with visual splendor. Lumines Arise, inheriting the DNA of Tetris Effect: Connected, evolves this philosophy with fresh audiovisual experiments. Among Summer Game Fest 2025’s Play Days demos, this puzzle-rhythm hybrid became an instant obsession—its melodies and mechanics replaying in my mind hours after playing.
At its core, Lumines Arise retains the series’ signature 2×2 block-dropping gameplay, where color-matching tiles trigger musical accents. Clearing clusters generates dynamic beats, allowing players to manipulate tracks in real time. Stages feature evolving color schemes and layered compositions, though transitions feel more abrupt compared to past entries. Progressing through levels unlocks new sonic landscapes, with Hydelic—Enhance’s frequent collaborator—crafting the entire soundtrack this time. Developers confirmed no guest artists like Mondo Grosso will appear, prioritizing a cohesive musical journey through Hydelic’s genre-hopping versatility. One standout stage featured twin chameleons pulsating to bass-heavy grooves, perfectly complementing intense combo chains.
The series’ classic Chain system returns, rewarding strategic block placement with cascading explosions and rhythmic rewards. Skilled players preemptively link same-color tiles, using clearance effects to trigger devastating multiplier chains. Arise introduces Burst—a game-changing ability that temporarily freezes blocks mid-fall, enabling elaborate combos when activated. Managing this resource adds tactical depth: deploy it early for quick score boosts or conserve for massive chain reactions. Each decision syncs with Hydelic’s adaptive tracks, which somehow remained endlessly replayable despite multiple demo runs.
Post-demo, Arise’s hypnotic loops refused to fade—a testament to its masterful audiovisual design. My initial seven-minute S-rank run left me craving repetition, though I regrettably missed capturing that flawless session. The preview build’s infectious energy suggests immense potential, especially considering the planned VR2 support. Slated for Fall 2025 on PlayStation 5, PC, and PSVR2, Lumines Arise will offer a free trial this summer for rhythm enthusiasts to experience its sensory alchemy firsthand.