Oh dang, we're getting an all-new Lumines, and this one's got 'over 30 stages of synesthetic sensory wonderlands'

A stage in Lumines Arise with a backdrop of big fish. — (Image credit: Enhance)

At today's State of Play showcase, Sony started the show with what I immediately described as "a Tetris Effect-ass trailer" as a silhouette of a man walked through a shifting, abstract dimension of EDM beats and lyrics about interconnectedness. Well, I was close: courtesy of Tetris Effect creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi, we're getting a new Lumines.

If you've played Tetris Effect but haven't experienced a Lumines, you've already had a strong primer for Lumines Arise. Expect falling blocks, surreal stage visuals, and an aetherial, accelerating, electronic soundtrack that'll sink you into a hypnotic mind-state where there's only you, blocks, and a ton of particle effects.

Lumines Arise Announce Trailer | PS5, Steam - YouTube

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As the Steam page describes it, Lumines Arise will feature "over 30 stages of synesthetic sensory wonderlands, everything from lush jungles to buzzing Tokyo streets to more surreal experiences," including "the endless expanse of outer space."

There's also a new "Burst" mechanic, which appears to function a lot like Tetris Effect's "Zone" state. While clearing blocks, you'll build up a meter that you can spend to temporarily prevent a square from clearing, letting you build it as large as possible before the timer ends.

You can also make a customizable Lumines avatar from a variety of unlockable head shapes. I'm fond of the "egg floating in smiling square" option, myself.

Lumines Arise launches some time in 2025.

Lincoln has been writing about games for 12 years—unless you include the essays about procedural storytelling in Dwarf Fortress he convinced his college professors to accept. Leveraging the brainworms from a youth spent in World of Warcraft to write for sites like Waypoint, Polygon, and Fanbyte, Lincoln spent three years freelancing for PC Gamer before joining on as a full-time News Writer in 2024, bringing an expertise in Caves of Qud bird diplomacy, getting sons killed in Crusader Kings, and hitting dinosaurs with hammers in Monster Hunter.

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