Lumines Arise review: An almost perfect zen puzzle game

with Tetris effectdesigner Tetsuya Mizoguchi His team at Enhance, Inc. Of making old things look new. There are few things as well-defined in video games as falling blocks TetrisHowever, thanks to the studio’s trademark immersive audio and visual design, the game is transformed into something else, with every element pushing you towards entering the proverbial territory. Now the team has done the same thing with… Lumen. Although the result is not quite as clear as… Tetris effect, Lumen arises It’s still one of the most fun puzzle games I’ve ever played.

If you haven’t played before, Lumen It’s kind of like a version of Tetris Built around music. (In fact, it began life when Mizoguchi wanted to make a musical film Tetris But it was initially hampered by rights issues.) 2×2 blocks fall from above, each consisting of a combination of two different colors, and the goal is to place these blocks to create solid-colored 2×2 blocks on the playing field, which will then be removed from the screen. The problem is that the screen does not clear automatically; Instead, you have to wait for the Timeline to sweep across the playing field in sync with the music, giving you a chance to build sets of blocks to be cleared all at once.

Lumen arises It doesn’t change any of these core functions, though it does add a new mechanic called “burst,” which lets you put off clearing the screen for longer, resulting in absurdly satisfying combos. It’s basically layers of visuals and sounds designed to create that zen-like state inherent in the best puzzle games. The main part of the game is a mode called ‘Journey’ – there are also multiplayer stages and some challenge stages – where you play through a series of themed levels, which move around in style and tone.

If you have played Lumen game before, you won’t be surprised to learn that there’s some great electronic music here, with levels packed with great tunes enhanced by plenty of bright, dazzling visuals. These things are great, although they are not far from the past Lumen Titles. where Get up It gets interesting when it gets weird and surprising. In many cases, blocks become other things, and grow as you create matches. In one of the early stages, instead of blocks, you match vegetables, so, as you create larger groups, giant tomatoes start filling the screen. It’s fun and quirky and it’s just one of the many flavors in it Get up. There’s an R&B level set against the backdrop of rainy Tokyo at night, a stage where you match jellyfish, and another where linking spider eggs results in baby chicks running across the screen. to Tetris effect Fans, there’s also a spiritual sequel to that game’s incredible level of jazz.

For the most part, all of these audio-visual elements reinforce what… Lumen It is already. Especially if you’re playing with headphones, which I highly recommend, the effects can create an almost trance-like state as you focus on the block-matching mechanics while being immersed in the sounds and visuals. This led me to play some of the best Lumen From my life. (I’m still terrible, though). Effects often appear Get up More dramatic and ambitious compared to Tetris effectcreating some truly unforgettable moments, like when a giant 3D snake nods its head to the EDM beats while playing the blocks.

However, sometimes, these effects go too far and interfere with gameplay rather than enhancing it. In some levels, the visuals become difficult to parse, with colors or symbols very close to each other, making it easy to mix them up, especially when you’re nervous in front of a screen full of blocks. There are only a few stages like this, and it’s possible that they will be tweaked in a future update, but right now it just throws off the mood Get up Trying hard to create. They take you out of the game instead of immersing you further into it.

Even with this problem, this version is still the best Lumen. The core of the game is as good as ever and infused with just the right amount of style to turn it into something that’s ever-changing, all while helping you stay in the right space to chase high scores. Lumen It may not be as creative as Tetrisbut Get up Shows how similar they can be.

_{Lumen arises It releases on November 11 on PS5 and PC.}