The Geometry Wars franchise was quite the surprise. It came out of nowhere and quickly became one of my favorite Xbox Live Arcade games. With the absence of Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 on the PC, I had all but given up hope until Activision dropped the word of a Geometry Wars 3. Excitement would be an understatement for my feeling towards this news.
I’ve had the game for about a week and the question is: How does this game hold up compared to the previous titles?
Gameplay
The Geometry Wars franchise has always been an arcade shooter. For you old school gamers, think Robotron meets Asteroid. Geometry Wars 3 has changed quite a bit from previous versions but there is still an Arcade Mode where you can play the original game. One of those changes is that the levels have changed their shapes. Before, you would pilot your ship within a confined square. This time around, you traverse different three-dimensional shapes. Think like Super Stardust HD, with different shapes other then spheres. While I wasn’t the biggest fan of this, I have to say after a while it started to grow on me. It added a certain challenge that I wasn’t necessarily prepared for.
Also new to the Geometry Wars series is the added Mission Mode in which you have a variety of levels with different goals, including scores. Each score has a different star reward in which you use to unlock future levels. While Mission Mode did mix things up a bit, the boss battles were a blast. Each boss is incredibly hard to beat, and the battle lasts a lot longer then you would think, making these battles pretty epic.
My only complaint with the game so far has been the size of your ship and the enemies. I’m not certain, but it just all seems a little smaller then previous titles. Which made things a bit more complicated. That being said, I have been playing the game on my laptop instead of my TV so that might have something to do with it.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/fmfmcAPaFaw[/youtube]
Sound / Music
Add another must-have gaming soundtrack to your iTunes list because Geometry Wars 3 brings with it a fantastic soundtrack. The only downside is it’s currently not available for purchase. You can, however, listen to it via SoundCloud. The SFX were also solid, very reminiscent of the old games with an added flare, making it unique.
Overall
If you are looking for a fun arcade shooter, this title is certainly up your alley. There is a ton of stuff to do, and you might find something new. That being said, it did reignite my love for the previous Geometry Wars series. I just wish they were available on PC.