The Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved was a phenomenon that
reinvigorated the twin-stick shooter genre.
This was partly due to its launch alongside the Xbox 360 (actually
giving people something play), and because it was the perfect
competitive leaderboard game, with its tight controls, clear rules, and
explosive action.
Now Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions is trying to
recapture that same appeal nine years on.
Am not going crazy
Before I start, let me be clear; I know that
there are multiple points in this review when I sound schizophrenic,
where my own opinion conflicts with itself. Times that I say that the
visual experience is a "sea of off-white phosphorus that sears your
eyeballs, making it impossible to keep track of enemies appearing within
the explosions", which sits in stark contrast to "the vector-esq
electronic lines look incredible, bringing every part of the game to
life".
However, I have not gone crazy... though at points the game did have
me muttering to myself in the office. The thing is, while Geometry Wars
3: Dimensions is an exciting shooter, it
does not feel like previous games in the franchise.
So check your expectations at the door as I try to look at this game in
isolation and let the concussive force of its neon explosions wash over
me.
Fresh and frenetic
There's a
good range of game modes in Geometry Wars
3: Dimensions, many of which have been lifted straight from the previous
titles. My personal favorite is Pacifism. This mode removes the ability
to shoot, completely focusing you on
slaloming your way through waves of enemies
and check-gates. As the screen slowly fills this causes my tension to
rise exponentially, until the controller is slick in my sweaty, nervous
paws.
Other modes include (but are not limited to) King, in which you can
only shoot from designated areas, and the more traditional Evolved,
where the goal is to
rack up as many points as possible within three lives.
In the Classic setting you can flip between any of these modes at
will to chase high-scores however you like. Adventure, on the other
hand, forces you through all of the game types.
This keeps the action fresh
and interesting as it tests your skills with its three-star ratings
which constantly entice you towards danger to collect Geoms and more
rapidly rack up your multiplier.
Classic twitch controls
In terms of base gameplay, Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions
does little new.
The same responsive twin-stick action is still in place, along with the
enemy-vaporizing smart bomb. One addition to the combat is an
upgradeable drone. This tiny craft buzzes around you, fulfilling a
number of different support roles depending on its designation (such as
attack or Geom collection).
Outside of your ship abilities the other notable change is the third dimension.
Levels now take the form of 3D shapes dangling in space, allowing you to spin madly around them and creating a nice visual shift from the previously static arenas.
For all of the excitement this adds, it does detract from the purity
of the game with an element of luck added to the high-score chasing mix.
This is because previously you only had to worry about new enemies
catching you off guard as they came into existence - other than that
they were always in clearly in view. Now, foes can be hidden past the
horizon of a shape, ready to collide with your fragile craft. It's a
change that alters the game, making feel unfair as
death springs, unpredictably from nowhere regularly causing untold frustration.
Looking past the horizon
Geometry War 3: Dimensions retains the series' vivid style, having
you fly around the levels taking out brightly colored, geometric enemies
in showers of neon sparks and explosions.
The vector-esq electronic lines look incredible, bringing every part of the game to life gloriously on high res monitors - especially running at 60fps.
But, while it is beautiful, the screen can become a
sea of off-white phosphorus that sears your eyeballs,
making it impossible to keep track of enemies appearing within the
explosions, again resulting in unfair deaths. This proves yet one more
annoyance when trying to beat a level’s star rating to unlock a new
stage, with
victory being constantly ripped from your grasp.
To accompany the blisteringly fast-paced action comes a
wonderful trance-techno soundtrack by Chris Mann (which you can hear
here).
This is the perfect accompaniment, often proving the only thing that
could calm me down and stop me actually yelling at my monitor in the
middle of the office after another unsuccessful attempt to unlock a
boss.
The same but different
Geometry War 3: Dimensions is a great twin-stick shooter but, while
it may play very similarly to the previous titles, the changes made make
it distinctly different. This is the reason for my mixed feelings and
contrary attitude towards the game; the Zen "look-beyond-the-screen"
reaction-based gameplay that I loved is gone, replaced instead by
a more planned experience, where memorizing wave patterns and predicting where they will next appear on the horizon is the best path to victory.
It isn't what fans may expect, but that is not a completely bad thing, as Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions proves a
wonderfully enticing and varied shooter.
Notes
Clicking download will take you to the Steam Store, where you can purchase and install the game.
Review last updated: 05/12/14
Pros
- Tight, responsive controls
- Frenetic, explosive action and graphics
- Beautifully presented
- Constantly changing levels
Cons
- The new dimension takes as much as it adds
- Lots of seemingly unfair deaths
- The "purity" of the original is gone
