Is Solo Leveling: Arise, the highly-anticipated action gacha release, living up to the hype as the first-ever game adaptation of the globally popular manhwa and anime series?
Solo Leveling has already gained an impressive following of over 14 billion readers for its original manhwa. Its anime adaptation, which was released in March 2024, has received critical acclaim and has become a global success. Now, with the release of its first-ever game Solo Leveling: Arise, the beloved Korean series is expected to reach even greater heights.
Netmarble revealed in January 2022 that they were working on Solo Leveling: Arise. The game’s success and enticing teasers have since led to over 15 million pre-registrations, with the gacha game officially releasing on May 8.
The PC and mobile game is an action RPG that chronicles the journey of Sung Jinwhoo, the lowest-ranked hunter in the world, as he strives to increase his level and become the top hunter. To conquer the challenging high-rank Gates (dungeons) and defeat formidable bosses, players must unlock characters, weapons, and items to form a powerful hunting team.
The level of effort put into recreating the stunning visuals from the manhwa and anime is evident, but does Solo Leveling: Arise maintain this standard in its gameplay or is it simply a rushed attempt to generate money through gacha mechanics?
Important Information
- Price: Free
- Developer: Netmarble
- Release Date: May 8, 2024
- Platforms: PC, mobile
Solo Leveling: Brought to Life Like Never Before
Sung Jinwoo’s dialogue is voiced by the same actor from the anime.
As soon as you begin, you will be fully immersed in the tale of Sung Jinwoo, the hunter. Each chapter is vividly portrayed through quests that incorporate animated manhwa panels, intricately rendered cutscenes, faithful gameplay, and even feature the same voice actors from the anime.
Netmarble has successfully paid homage to the source material in every aspect with their creation of Arise. The game brings to life nearly every iconic character, enemy, feature, weapon, and item from the manhwa while also incorporating original characters and quests for a deeper experience. The stunning visuals seamlessly unite all these elements, and although the PC version shines brightest, the mobile version still holds its own.
Arise’s Gameplay Experience: Fluidity and Challenge
Switching between each hunter in your team at the right times is vital.
To defeat bosses and clear Gates, it is essential to assemble a strong team of four hunters and utilize Jinwoo’s Army of Shadows.
In the first hour, you may feel overwhelmed by the numerous features that are introduced to you, including strategies for leveling up and utilizing each hunter and navigating through various menus. However, as you continue playing, you will quickly grasp these concepts and become engrossed in conquering Gates as you strive to become the top hunter in the world.
Despite some lengthy loading screens, Netmarble has done an incredible job with creating smooth gameplay in this game. Whether playing as Sung Jinwoo or any other collected hunter, the movement and combat mechanics are seamless, making it a truly enjoyable experience. This is especially true when trying to perfect new abilities.
The main objective of the game is to defeat the notorious bosses within each Gate and clear them, while also earning various rewards. However, the ever-increasing difficulty of the Gates constantly challenges players. In addition, there are seven alternative game modes, mini-games, events, and other activities to engage in.
Unforgiving Gacha System and Powerful Characters
You can use Draw Tickets to try and pull all your favorite hunters from Solo Leveling.
Arise offers everything you have grown to appreciate and enjoy in Genshin Impact and other gacha games. The 21 hunter characters have been meticulously designed with intricate models, seamless animations, and a wide array of unique abilities.
Despite the relatively low pull rates for drawing hunters, which may discourage some, casual players will hardly be affected and fans of Solo Leveling will have no trouble grinding for Draw Tickets in order to obtain characters like Taesik Kang and Jinwoo’s close companion, Yoo Jinho.
The customization options for your hunters are endless, just as anticipated. Throughout your journey, you can acquire a vast array of items including Artifacts, Runes, outfits, weapons, and other items through purchasing or selling them with the various in-game currencies.
Solo No Leveling
Hell’s Gatekeeper Cerberus is an S-Tier Gate boss you will need to defeat as part of the main questline.
Despite its many strengths, Solo Leveling: Arise is ultimately hindered by common progression mechanics seen in gacha games. Once the initial excitement fades and players reach higher levels, the free-to-play progression can become tedious, making it more challenging to obtain the necessary equipment and skills to successfully conquer Gates and defeat formidable bosses.
For a series focused on solo leveling, it is common to be tempted by the constant offers of pay-to-win upgrades to aid in your progression. Otherwise, you may end up stuck in a cycle of endless grinding in order to overcome the near-impossible Gates.
The Verdict: 4/5
Solo Leveling: Arise is a near-flawless tribute to the original manhwa. Its exceptional storytelling remains its most impressive aspect, enhanced by its stunning graphics, seamless gameplay, and captivating Genshin-inspired elements. For any fan of Solo Leveling or gacha games, this is an absolute must-try.
It remains to be seen if the problems with the late-game progression system will ultimately have a negative impact on the game’s longevity and drive away its promising playerbase.
Assessed on both desktop and mobile devices.
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