Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive Review – Feels Like Jinwoo, But the Grind Quickly Kicks In

Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive recreates Jinwoo's power fantasy with flashy combat and deep RPG elements, but repetitive gameplay and shallow design make the experience feel hollow after a few hours 🎮 Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive Feels Like Jinwoo… Until the Grind Takes Over

Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive starts strong, throwing players into Jinwoo’s iconic Awakening with thrilling combat and slick animations. At first, it feels like you’re truly stepping into the Shadow Monarch’s shoes — but it doesn’t take long for the grind to rear its ugly head.

🕹️ The gameplay blends Dynasty Warriors-style combat with RPG systems pulled straight from the anime, like Shadow Army upgrades, Artifact crafting, and four playable classes: Assassin, Duelist, Elementalist, and Ruler. You can customize your loadout, trigger flashy ultimates, and even recruit familiar Hunters in battle.

⚔️ But beyond the flashy surface, critics argue the game lacks depth. Repetitive dungeon crawls, bland NPCs, lifeless environments, and questionable weapon choices (since when did Jinwoo use bows and guns?) make progression feel more like busywork.

💡 Many fans believe Overdrive is a revamped port of 2024’s Solo Leveling: Arise mobile gacha game — just stripped of monetization and repackaged for PC. Despite Netmarble’s insistence that it's a brand-new game, reused assets and UI suggest otherwise.

📉 Once the wow-factor wears off, the button-mashing becomes tedious, and even with complex skill trees and stat-boosting systems, Overdrive feels more grind than glory.

🎮 Verdict: If you’re a die-hard Solo Leveling fan, it’s a fun way to relive Jinwoo’s rise. But for others, it might feel like a shadow of what it could’ve been.