Solo Leveling: ARISE – In-Depth Review of the New Mobile RPG

The long-awaited mobile adaptation of the renowned webtoon “Solo Leveling” has officially arrived. Released globally in May 2025 by Netmarble, “Solo Leveling: ARISE” has quickly climbed to the top charts on both Google Play and the App Store. Offering high-end visuals, immersive combat mechanics, and faithful storytelling, this RPG provides a new way for fans to connect with Sung Jin-Woo’s journey from weakest hunter to overpowered monarch.

Graphics and Visual Fidelity

From the first moments in the tutorial, it’s evident that “Solo Leveling: ARISE” spares no effort in delivering high-quality visuals. The game features rich environments, detailed character models, and impressive effects during battles, mirroring the visual flair of the original webtoon and anime. Netmarble’s proprietary engine has enabled fluid performance across high-end devices, with HDR rendering that enhances the dark fantasy tone of the game.

Character animations are particularly worth noting. Whether executing combo attacks or summoning shadows, each action feels weighty and cinematic. The developers have integrated anime-style cutscenes between major story beats, which enrich the narrative while maintaining visual consistency. Mobile gamers who prioritise graphical excellence will find ARISE more than satisfactory in this regard.

Furthermore, performance optimisation ensures smooth gameplay even during large-scale fights. Devices with moderate specs handle the game decently when graphic settings are adjusted. With a clear emphasis on delivering a console-quality experience on handheld devices, ARISE sets a high bar for mobile RPGs in 2025.

Audio and Atmosphere

The sound design and soundtrack in “Solo Leveling: ARISE” contribute significantly to the overall immersion. The game features a custom-composed score that intensifies during boss fights and dungeon raids. Voice acting is available in Korean and Japanese, staying authentic to the anime and webtoon roots. English subtitles are well translated, allowing global audiences to follow the storyline without issue.

Environmental sounds—such as the echo of footsteps in dungeons or the ominous hum of enemy portals—further enhance the mood. The audio engineering is subtle but effective, supporting each scene without overpowering the visuals. This balance between music, ambient noise, and voice acting provides a polished auditory experience.

Additionally, the audio cues are functional. Skill activations, item pickups, and combat alerts have distinct sounds, making real-time battles more intuitive. Combined with haptic feedback on select devices, this elevates the gameplay for users who prefer sensory cues.

Gameplay Mechanics and Combat System

At its core, ARISE is an action-RPG with semi-automatic controls and real-time combat. Players control Sung Jin-Woo and can unlock additional characters to switch between mid-battle. The control scheme is responsive, offering manual targeting and dodging, while also allowing auto-play for grinding missions. The mix of strategy and action suits both casual players and genre veterans.

The shadow summoning mechanic is a major feature that sets ARISE apart. Players can extract the souls of defeated monsters and use them as minions in future battles. These shadows gain levels, skills, and ranks, adding a layer of progression and strategy. Managing your shadow army becomes crucial in high-difficulty content and PVP modes.

There is also a gacha system for acquiring equipment and allies. While the monetisation is present, it is not overly aggressive. F2P players can enjoy the majority of content with regular participation in events and daily tasks. The balance between grind and reward feels fair, with stamina systems being generous and reset intervals reasonable.

Progression and Character Development

Sung Jin-Woo’s development mirrors the original story: he starts weak but gains rapid power through missions, raids, and story chapters. Leveling up unlocks new skills and gear slots, while upgrades can be customised through runes and enhancements. Equipment can be reforged, socketed, and even enchanted with rare materials, which creates extensive build diversity.

Each additional character has unique skill trees, roles, and synergy effects. For example, support units can provide buffs or healing, while DPS heroes offer AoE burst or crowd control. The game encourages experimentation with different team compositions depending on dungeon requirements.

Progression is smooth, with no significant paywalls in early to mid-game. Weekly events and seasonal content provide additional rewards and objectives, keeping players engaged. The developers have committed to expanding the story and characters with regular updates, maintaining a dynamic player experience.

Storyline and World-Building

“Solo Leveling: ARISE” follows the original webtoon’s plotline closely, allowing fans to relive major arcs through interactive gameplay. Key scenes, including Jin-Woo’s reawakening and iconic dungeon battles, are recreated with cutscenes and in-game dialogue. For newcomers, the game provides sufficient backstory and world context to understand events and character motives.

The story chapters are released in a linear fashion, with additional side quests that explore the lore of minor characters and guild politics. These side missions often come with voiced dialogue and visual novels, adding depth to the world. The developers have indicated that future expansions will explore non-canon arcs and introduce original characters.

Each region in the game world corresponds to different parts of the webtoon, such as Red Gate zones, Demon Castle, and S-Rank dungeons. Players can travel between these areas, unlocking new story branches and challenges. The continuity and lore accuracy make this adaptation a genuine tribute to the source material.

Community and Competitive Elements

The game supports guild systems, friend lists, and real-time co-op events. Players can team up for raid bosses, defend towers, or participate in weekly leaderboard competitions. These social systems are optional but reward active participation with unique loot and ranking titles.

PVP content includes real-time duels and asynchronous arena matches. Balancing is surprisingly fair, with matchmaking based on gear score and performance rather than power alone. Strategic use of shadows and skills can turn the tide in competitive formats.

Community support is robust. Netmarble has launched an official Discord server and holds regular developer Q&As. Feedback from early testers has already shaped quality-of-life improvements in the May 2025 release. The developers have also committed to maintaining transparency on patch notes and future roadmaps.