Geometry Wars: Galaxies

After my very first experience with Geometry Wars on Xbox 360, I was blown away. I could not believe how effective such a simplistic concept could be. General geometric shapes floated towards my general geometric ship as I flew around shooting tiny bullets in every direction I could manage. After I adapted to the awkward dual-analog controls, and accidentally discovered the screen clearing bomb, I began to develop my general geometric shaped ninja skills and worked my score up to pretty decent proportions. Of course, I later found out that my score held no comparison to others on my friends list, but that was not an issue. Geometry Wars was fun, addictive, and easily challenging at a graceful pace.

Geometry Wars: Galaxies not only continues the splendid general geometric shape formula, but also expands greatly on the entire idea. The main issue the developers dealt with was transforming a title that initially came from the Xbox Live Arcade into a full blown retail version that people would find worthy of a 40 dollar purchase. Kuju Entertainment approached this issue in daring fashion by simply adding an over abundance of different ways to play.

In Galaxies, players can explore a total of 64 new levels, spread throughout 10 separate worlds. Each level will present the player with a new, unique challenge that spices up gameplay nicely. Some challenges force you to avoid moving barriers while flying around the level and destroying shapes. The catch is that you cannot pass through these barriers, but your foes can. Another scenario forces players to strategize during competition by utilizing mines that are dropped frequently by the enemies. Once you roll over a single mine, a chain reaction of explosions will leave a trail of destruction across the board. These added extensions to Geometry Wars core gameplay is truly what makes Galaxies a fantastic game. If you do not love Geometry Wars already, then you should probably avoid purchasing this one.

A completely fresh addition to the core gameplay of Geometry Wars: Galaxies is a new drone system, which allows players to bring in a little buddy to aid during the destruction you cause. This feature adds a completely new twist to Galaxies, offering a feeling of RPG-like leveling up. You can level up eight different attributes, with each section maxing out at level 10. The drones can prove to be a huge help when the scores begin to rise and the multiplier gets high.

In addition to the new play levels and designs involved, gamers can also dive into new modes not available in the first game. Players will have immediate access to co-op mode, vs. mode, and a mini Galaxies mode that adds 10 different levels to the game. Co-op mode makes for some interesting on screen battles, with double the bullets flying around and double the carnage depicted. Galaxies also offers an online leader board that compares high scores, adding yet another level of competitive nature to the formula.

A big concern with the Wii version of Galaxies revolved around the Wiimote controls. The use of the nunchuck and the Wiimote definitely feel very awkward at first and will take some adjustment to get used to. The nunchuck is used to control your ship, while the actual Wiimote is used to guide your bullets. You can visually note where your bullets are intended to go by a red line that leads away from your ship. As you can imagine, with all the chaos occurring on the screen, you can sometimes lose complete track of the red line simply by glancing at your ship to ensure its safety. A very simple way to rectify this problem is to just plug in the classic controller and use the original dual-analog layout to play through the game. If you’ve never played Geometry Wars, this can still feel slightly awkward, but is easier to master than the nunchuck/Wiimote combination.

From a visual standpoint, Geometry Wars set a new standard for shooters on all platforms. The visuals were mind blowing, and definitely one of the top attractions for gamers. Galaxies is just as explosive, with shapes exploding at every angle, and a possibility for mass carnage across the screen. The only downfall on the Wii version is the lacking HD compatibility, which creates a slightly less sharp presentation of colors. New visual effects such as rippling backgrounds have also been added and are a very welcome change to the tried and true product. Some of these visual effects can also affect gameplay in different ways. Galaxies is still just as pleasing to watch and become engrossed in as any other digital masterpiece.

Audio cues are taken directly from the original Geometry Wars, with trance-like beats flowing throughout the entire game. Techno tunes ensue as you progress through levels and complete different tasks. The musical theme definitely represents the entire concept behind Geometry Wars, with constant consistent trippy treats for the eyes. Your ears will definitely enjoy the different sounds involved in each and every moment during gameplay.

The entire Galaxies experience is involved and intense, with the traditional Geometry Wars theme completely intact. Many things have been modified for improvement and fattened up to contain more substance, including an abundance of unique levels. Lovers of the series will welcome these new additions with open arms, and newcomers who are weary of spending a pretty penny for what used to be strictly and arcade title will find themselves pleasantly surprised at the depth included throughout Galaxies. The game is tinkered to cater to any difficulty level of competitor, and supplies an experience as grand as the explosions directed into your gazing eyes. Galaxies is a great step for not only the Geometry Wars series, but for the shooter genre as a whole.  

Gameplay: 9
Geometry Wars is a tried and true system of fluent explosive shooter action. The gameplay is so simple, yet so amazingly addictive.  

Graphics: 8
For some reason, the simple graphics are so very appealing to the eye. Maybe it’s the colorful shapes meshing together on screen, or maybe it’s simply the awesome destruction that is constantly taking place.

Sound: 7.5
Techno-esque tracks pear through the visual distribution of lights and colors with very effective charisma. The music is very complimentary of every other aspect in Galaxies.

Difficulty: Hard
I call Galaxies a hard game, simply because it takes so much concentration and confidence to master. Any player can enter the novice level, but only tested veterans of the series will be able to crack out those humongous scores.  

Concept: 9
Galaxies proves that Geometry Wars as a series is genre bending in many ways. Many people thought that shooters were dead in regards to mainstream gaming, but Galaxies proves this hypothesis wrong.

Multiplayer: 8.5
Galaxies offers a multitude of different multiplayer experiences, ranging from co-op to competitive. No matter what you feel like playing, Galaxies will more than likely have what you need to stay entertained for hours on end.  

Overall: 9
The formula behind Geometry Wars’ particle scattered curtains is obviously working. The only question is; where can the developers take the series next? Anyone looking for immediate entertainment and lengthy gameplay sessions should consider Galaxies as a must have game for the Wii.