After around eight months of early access, PC rhythm game Pump It Up Rise is getting its full release update this week, adding the mission-based WORLDMAX mode as well as several other tweaks. The update will be available on Thursday, 26 March following a maintenance period from 6pm to 8pm NZT.
WORLDMAX is a single-player mode that sees players exploring a map by completing missions, based on similar modes seen in previous versions of Pump It Up for arcade. These missions typically put an unusual twist on the basic rhythm game, whether with unique gimmicks, unorthodox step charts, specific conditions that need to be met, or some combination of the above. WORLDMAX in Rise will have three difficulties (easy, normal, hard) and approximately 230 missions, and coins earned by completing missions can be used to play unowned DLC tracks on a limited basis.
The full release will also see a major overhaul of Rise‘s Warm Up and Division modes “to address the previously unclear role separation and navigational friction”. Warm Up will continue to allow players to play all levels of all songs, as it does currently, but will now save scores and play records—in effect, it will be the standard mode for solo play and individual progression. Division mode will now be focused squarely on leaderboard rankings and the Battle channel (a cumulative leaderboard for a pool of songs that rotates each season), with its UI reworked to be more useful for that. This was one of my main complaints when I reviewed the Early Access release (and I know I’m not alone in that), so it’s nice to see this change.
Other changes with the update include various improvements to online multiplayer, additional information in the main menu, bug fixes, and the addition of 25 more songs (two new Variety tracks and 23 legacy BanYa tracks). It will also mark the start of Season 1 for Division mode and the Rhythm Pass for unlocking cosmetic items, with a paid Rhythm Pass Premium also available.
Alongside the full release update, Pump It Up Rise will also get a new DLC song pack. The Rise Vol. 2 Pack adds 20 new original songs as well as exclusive emotes, plates, and avatars. There’s no price for the DLC at this stage.
