Is Solo Leveling: Arise worth playing?

From its outset, Solo Leveling: Arise invites players to a world with flashy combat systems, deep character builds, and captivating storylines. However, your experience might vary since everyone has different tastes that will dictate whether Solo Leveling: Arise is worth playing for you.

Compared to other titles in the genre, Solo Leveling: Arise had a well-established IP on its side. I was also familiar with the manhwa, but the game was my first real step into this world. Luckily, the tutorial teaches you everything you need to know both in terms of gameplay and storylines, so you won’t feel like a stranger when you start controlling Sung Jinwoo, the main protagonist in the Solo Leveling world.

However, having a strong IP is only half the battle. Just because a game boasts a beloved franchise doesn’t guarantee success. The mechanics and the gameplay experience are just as important. So, the question remains: should you download Solo Leveling: Arise, and is it worth playing?

Should you play Solo Leveling: Arise?

While Solo Leveling: Arise is definitely worth playing if you’re a fan of the franchise, there are still a few aspects you need to consider before playing the game for extended durations.

The good parts of Solo Leveling: Arise

My favorite part of Solo Leveling: Arise is its combat system. It’s fast-paced and action-packed. There’s a variety of skills and different weapons, allowing you to try new playstyles to keep the game fresh. You’ll rely on perfect dodges more than anything when it comes to defense in the game. While this may be difficult initially, mastering those perfect dodges feels excellent.

I also enjoyed the visual experiences in the game, as the graphics are top-notch, doing justice to the series’ art style. In addition to the character design, the combat and ability effects are pretty satisfying.

The bad parts of Solo Leveling: Arise

That said, while I initially enjoyed Solo Leveling: Arise, its flaws started getting my attention as I progressed through the game further. I’m not a big fan of gacha mechanics in general, and in my opinion, the worst part of the game is the endgame artifact farming, which hinges on a limited number of daily attempts and layers of RNG due to gear stats. I also think that Solo Leveling: Arise should dial down on gold requirements in the game. Even the smallest in-game upgrades can require hefty amounts of gold, causing a gold scarcity that restricts actions in the game.

In summary, if you love the Solo Leveling series and enjoy playing games like Honkai: Star Rail or Genshin Impact, Solo Leveling: Arise will be worth your time. However, if you don’t like the series or the genre, then you might have better luck elsewhere. If you decide to download it regardless, you can give yourself a head start with this beginner’s guide for Solo Leveling: Arise.