Solo Leveling:ARISE Preview: "Amazingly In-Dependent Tactical Options"

 Solo Leveling: ARISE is a mobile action RPG created by Netmarble for iOS, Android, and PC. It's a fairly normal mobile title with many of the aspects that veterans of the platform will recognize, including a crowded UI and the gacha unit pulls that have made this genre so well-known. Solo Leveling: ARISE, with its devotion to its original material and some unexpectedly complex tactical possibilities, has a possibility of fulfilling the promise of its explosive IP and providing some fun.

Solo Leveling, an immensely popular Webtoon-turned-anime, follows hunter Sung Jinwoo as he is allowed to escape his status as "the weakest hunter of all mankind" and become a player in his world's global politics, power struggles, and the defense of humanity from external threats. On this planet, certain people have awoken to their skills as "hunters," and they journey through gates into dungeons to fight monsters, both to close those gates before tragedy strikes and to gather precious, society-altering minerals. It's a novel premise that leads to some excellent story sequences and Solo Leveling: ARISE begins at the very beginning.

Story progression that seems connected to its source material

Solo Leveling: ARISE caters to familiar players

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One thing that quickly stands out with Solo Leveling: ARISE is that it openly targets a demographic of players who are already familiar with the IP in some fashion. While it is still accessible to individuals who have never read or seen Solo Leveling, it is clearly a suboptimal method to enjoy the tale. The shortened storyline is ideal for a mobile game that wants to avoid long cutscenes and monologues, but it removes much of the information that makes Solo Leveling's universe so engaging in other formats.

By focusing on a more simplified tale, Solo Leveling: ARISE guarantees that its passage through its material is both fast and entertaining. Players won't have to wade through massive backstories to get to the action, but they will be treated to Webtoon panels, voiceovers, and brief 3D sequences to keep things entertaining. This combination of narrative tactics works well for a game that will be picked up and set down in short portions, and the flexibility to return plot moments as needed ensures that refreshers are always accessible.

So far in Early Access (around fifteen hours), we've gotten deep into the tale, past where the anime's first season ended off. However, there appears to be much more accessible as work continues, and what we've seen is a terrific portrayal of Solo Leveling as a narrative. There are even side tales that assist in extending information, filling in some of the gaps that the faster-paced narrative may skip over in favor of a snappier story.

Surprisingly deep combat

Solo Leveling: ARISE Surprises With Its Tactics

Solo Leveling: ARISE's combat can be split into two distinct camps: there are levels where Sung Jinwoo is the player-controlled character with a party of recognizable supports he can tap to use their abilities, creating a "solo" feel to the appropriate game; and there are levels where that party of supports takes center stage, with the player swapping between each of them and using their unique skills and ultimates.

Sung Jinwoo's levels are intriguing since he is by far the most configurable character, with players able to modify his stats as he levels up, change his job, change his weapons (which are reflected in battle), and improve his skills and powers. There's so much to do with Solo Leveling: ARISE's fighting systems that the game rapidly revels in its complexity, providing players with brief tutorials before turning them loose with options. It's a nice and intriguing freedom, one that kept me interested throughout the game.

The party-based mode also has its strengths, feeling a bit more like Genshin Impact in the way players need to swap between units in a timely fashion to achieve the best results in battle. However, both Sung Jinwoo's and the party's modes lack complexity in their actual execution - the combat still amounts to tapping buttons and using a D-Pad to move around on mobile, with a dash dodge mechanic the only real interaction besides moving around and targeting enemies.

Let's Talk Microtransactions & Battle Passes

Solo Leveling:ARISE Is Very Much A Gacha Game

There's no denying that Solo Leveling: ARISE is designed to collect as much money from a potential participant as possible. While it isn't as bad as some mobile games, it isn't afraid to advertise its promotions and in-game currency right away.

I'd say it strikes a good mix between free-to-play options and content; I never felt cut off from the progression I was interested in because I didn't invest any money. That said, there are other ways to spend money in Solo Leveling: ARISE, and they go well beyond the standard uncommon unit rate-up banners and essential gameplay mode access goods. Monetization comes in the form of a two-tiered combat pass. Players can assess its worth for themselves, but it does not appear to be required, even though it provides a lot of convenience to those who are tempted.

Overall, Solo Leveling: ARISE appears to be free-to-play friendly throughout its Early Access time. I received a good amount of draws at the normal banner, but rate-up banner tickets were really hard to come by. I don't believe it's as enjoyable or accessible as Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, or even games like Epic Seven, but for people who aren't concerned about having to resist gacha temptation, there's not much need to indulge in premium stuff here.

Overall Impressions

Solo Leveling: ARISE Is A Good Adaptation Of Excellent Source Material

As is often the case with anime adaptations in the smartphone realm, I'm left thinking how much better they could be without the revenue mechanisms that are so prevalent. Solo Leveling: ARISE, in particular, has a regard for its source material that makes it highly engaging to anybody familiar with it; taking it a step further rather than relying on the normal tangle of energy systems and tokens would almost surely have resulted in a more fascinating game.

What's here, however, is a good adaptation of superb original material. It's a fantastic little time-waster with a surprisingly sophisticated fighting system and no need to pay money to enjoy it; that's a strong enough recommendation for a gacha action RPG to warrant checking out once it exits Early Access.