Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved

 
Developer: Lucid Games
Steam Release: Nov 2014
Hours Played: 14.7
Similar To: Mutant Storm Reloaded / Polychromatic / Tachyon Project / Waves
Rating: 5/5 Parsnips

GAMEPLAY

As a glistening and gleaming spiritual successor to the original Retro Evolved, it's fair to say that this one doesn't disappoint. Retained is the classic style of gameplay where you steer your ship around the screen while dodging and weaving between those geometric shapes. Kept also is the stream of missiles that gush forth from your ship as well as the sparkling explosions and the deeply satisfying feeling of destruction as the shapes shatter and fall in your wake. Out goes the one level and one game-type and in comes a pretty extensive overhaul including: a 50-level adventure campaign; six classic modes based on the original, and an upgrade system that lets you buy and upgrade drones at the beginning of each game.

 

BALANCE & PACE

During your 50-level campaign, like Waves, you'll battle your way through any of a half a dozen or so modes of play: Deadline means score as much as possible in x seconds; Evolved has target scores with three lives; Pacifism has you flying through gates to cause explosions, and King means you can only fire in shrinking circular zones etc. Each level awards 0-3 stars depending on score and all have their own online leaderboard with score and rank recorded. The system definitely keeps things fresh and exciting. Another key change is that as well as the tight and intense arena-style levels of old, plus the need to collect geoms (small green sparkly bits) to increase the multiplier, GW3 now incorporates levels where you travel around spherical or 3D forms in the shape of globes, cylinders and sweet peanuts!

PRESENTATION & DESIGN

As well as the curved grids, those staggeringly absorbing 3D levels and increase in menu-screens, GW3:DE sparkles and glows like Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved but in a slightly different way. Now, the neon-lit enemies seem to have a softer and blurrier glow yet seem somehow shinier. Thankfully it runs as smooth as butter. Although quite plain, the level-select screen in adventure mode is presented as a 50-square path with each featuring a pop-up of the grid in the form of a hologram when hovered over. Meanwhile, in classic mode, the level-select screen shows a sequence of six coloured squares. The sound is dominated by a robotic voice making various announcements and a very fast trance-like soundtrack of varying quality.

PROGRESS SYSTEM

Your 50-square path in adventure mode is divided by colours. The first five squares are blue, the next five are red, then there are ten green, ten yellow, ten violet and finally ten brown. The last in each is a larger square and features the colour's boss. You have to at least one-star a level to proceed. You are awarded up to three stars for each but will need upgrades and revisits to three-star earlier levels. You also buy upgrades in your quest to get stronger and earn higher scores. Classic mode will take you to a selection of six modes and there are other areas such as Bonus Levels, Hardcore and Ultimate mode (another campaign of 40 levels not covered by this review). All will allow you to view the level's leaderboard which will show your rank as well as score.   

CONCLUSION

It may not strictly be 2D but as its title suggests, GW3: DE manages to retain the spirit of the original while taking the game to a wealth of new dimensions. It's clear that the developers experimented a lot with this game as not only do the six game-types that fall under the classic mode crop up in your adventure but many more such as Checkpoint, Titan , Rainbow and Scorpion get thrown in as well; all offering twin-stick goodness in an assortment of nourishing forms. At just one or two minutes a pop, and menus that can be seamlessly navigated through with a swish and a flourish, GW3 remains a very well polished product. With a completely new campaign known as Ultimate Mode (not even covered in this review) as well as an unlockable Hardcore Mode, this game offers something new at every turn.