Sony's summer State of Play reintroduced a classic puzzle experience for the senses with Lumines Arise, arriving in fall 2025 from Tetris Effect developer Enhance. The ninth installment in the series, Lumines Arise is coincidentally the first developed for the ninth console generation. In its storied history, Lumines has appeared on a variety of platforms, including PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Playstation Vita, and even mobile phones from as early as 2006. The most recent iteration, Lumines Remastered, brought the original game to the eighth console generation.
Lumines Arise marks a return to the franchise for Enhance CEO Tetsuya Mizuguchi, who developed the first Lumines as a launch title for the PlayStation Portable in 2004. Known for its striking visuals and catchy music, the Lumines series features gameplay similar to other tile-matching puzzle games like Tetris and Columns. What sets the gameplay apart is its Timeline, a vertical line that passes across the stage at the same pace as the music and erases blocks formed by the player, with larger blocks scoring more points.
Best Game Announcements At State Of Play
Sony's State of Play announced several exciting games coming to the PlayStation soon.
Lumines Arise is scheduled to release in fall 2025 for PC via Steam and PlayStation 5, along with optional PS VR2 compatibility. A demo for the game will drop later this summer. The announcement trailer for Lumines Arise boasts an expansive sonic experience paired with stunning visual flourishes, all timed perfectly to the rhythm of the Timeline. Fans of Tetris Effect's music may recognize the electronic soundscape, as Lumines Arise features all-new music from its award-winning score's composer, Hydelic. The added bonus of VR is also an exciting inclusion, considering Tetris Effect was one of the best VR games of 2018.
Sony is Reviving a PSP Classic With Lumines Arise
Lumines Arise will feature a new mechanic to the puzzle series' classic gameplay called Burst. As players clear blocks and build up their combos, they will also fill a gauge displayed just above the Timeline. When the gauge is full, tapping a trigger button will activate Burst, which locks a block in place for players to build up as much as possible before time runs out for a massive boost in score. Lumines Arise also includes a character creation system, allowing players to express themselves through various avatars and designs.
Judging from the announcement trailer, Lumines Arise appears to be another strong outing from Tetsuya Mizuguchi and Enhance. Although the game has only been announced for PlayStation 5 and PC, hopefully, it will eventually make its way over to the Nintendo Switch 2 games library. Having originally been conceived as a mobile title, it would only be natural for Lumines Arise to eventually make a return to form and join Tetris Effect on a handheld Nintendo console.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 86 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- November 11, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone / Mild Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
- Enhance, Monstars Inc
- Publisher(s)
- Enhance
WHERE TO PLAY
A mind-blowing, fiendishly addictive reinvention of the puzzle classic Lumines from the creators of Tetris® Effect: Connected, where sound pulses through your body, mind, and every block you place, triggering dazzling visuals synched to the driving beat of an infectious, eclectic soundtrack.
Journey through over 30 stages of synesthetic sensory wonderlands, everything from lush jungles to buzzing Tokyo streets to more surreal experiences, matching blocks and crafting insane combos with the all-new Burst mechanic. Mix it up with a variety of other single-player modes and challenges, or test your mettle against friends or strangers in online multiplayer.
Whether you’re looking to get hyped up or chill out, new to the series or a veteran, have an hour to kill or just five minutes, want to play solo, with friends, or challenge strangers, or play in optional VR or stunning 4K, Lumines Arise is the ultimate puzzle game.
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes - PS5 and Steam
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- PC Release Date
- November 11, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- November 11, 2025
- PSVR2 Release Date
- November 11, 2025
- Genre(s)
- Puzzle, Rhythm, Casual, Arcade
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation VR2, PC
