One of the best games released for Xbox Live Arcade that will keep you coming back long after you've mastered it.
Geometry Wars is a game with a simple premise that isn’t easy to accomplish. The controls are simple. You won’t be touching the face buttons. All you need is the two analog sticks and the triggers. The left analog stick moves your ship around and the right analog stick shoots in any direction you desire. The triggers are used to deploy bombs that wipe the stage clear of all enemies. There are no multiple levels or ending boss fight. Your goal is to survive as long as you can. Easier said then done because the game throws insane numbers of enemies at you. The screen will be cluttered with menacing shapes with the single goal to bring you down. You will literally be panicking as swarms of diamonds come flying at you from every direction as you shoot frantically to keep them at bay.
Wait, diamonds you say? Well why did you think the game was called Geometry Wars? Your ship looks like a hexagon that was carved out. Your enemies range from blue diamonds and green squares to clone ships that look just like you, but are much faster. Each enemy has its own unique attack style. Some will just come at you with reckless abandon. Others will make a mad dash toward you, but run away when you shoot at them. You will have to learn each shapes moves if you want any chance of surviving.
The first thing most people will likely notice once you start up Geometry Wars is the bright and intriguing visuals. You’re instantly reminded of all those neon Vegas lights since the game board and enemies all have a vibrant glow to them. Explosions create gorgeous sparks and the blast wave that comes from your ship when you deploy a bomb is a beautiful sight to behold, partly because it just cleared a path for you. Countless enemies continually respawn and increase in numbers, eventually making it very difficult to move about the board. With all the activity on screen, sometimes it can be difficult to keep track of where your ship is and what it is flying toward. If you don’t keep a constant eye on it, you may find yourself dying simply because you weren’t paying attention. But, with some practice, it’ll become second nature.
The sound does its job well. The sound of you shooting your enemies to the sound of a stage clearing bomb, everything is crisp. The music that plays over the action is a catchy techno beat that seems to fit perfectly. But, if techno isn’t your thing, the custom soundtrack takes care of that issue.
Geometry Wars is a must-buy for most. Trying to beat your friends’ scores on the leaderboard is a fun distraction, but simply playing the game to best yourself will keep you coming back. It’s a shame there is no multiplayer component, which very easily could have been added, but what we have is still a blast to play. It is a unique and challenging game that will become an addiction to many and is one of the best games released for Xbox Live Arcade thus far.