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 Geometry
Wars Galaxies (Wii)
This isn't the deepest game on Wii,
but it's classic gameplay mechanics, simple graphics an intense pacing
make for an invigorating change of pace from the usual fare. The complete,
nonlinear original is included, but Geometry Wars Galaxies goes a step
further with an extended mission mode where you can use a drone with
special abilities, unlock additional levels and earn some fairly
impressive high scores. It's pick up and play approach makes it simple to
learn, but the high level of difficulty make it anything but condescending
to casual players. Wii owners will discover that Geometry Wars remains an
challenging game and with an incredibly high replay value. |
Taking its inspiration from golden age
arcade classics like Robotron: 2084 and Tempest, Geometry Wars Galaxies
feels like a tribute to those titles in many ways. It's simple, top-down
approach to gameplay, easy to understand controls and wire frame vector
80's-style graphics are a throwback to the days when high scores and
surviving waves were paramount concerns. Despite its classic feel, there
are a number of distinctly modern elements in the game as well. It's
spectacular particle explosions, bright colors and techno soundtrack give
the game some contemporary credibility, while the Wii edition's new
Galaxies mode adds mission-based levels, RPG-style upgrades and a new
drone to the standard game. Those unfamiliar with the series might want to
start off by playing a few rounds of the original game, Retro Evolved.
This is the most straightforward mode, where the object is to survive wave
after wave of enemies to achieve the highest score possible. It's a fairly
simple proposition, but like many classic games, much harder to achieve
these simple goals than it appears. You'll probably be able to get the
hang of the basic mechanics easily enough, but the trick comes when you
try to beat the high scores, which requires a great deal of persistence
and skill to achieve. This is precisely what makes the game so appealing
and why Geometry Wars Galaxies feels perfectly suited on the Wii, a
console that has a lot more hardcore games than its given credit for by
many players.
The initial stages start off slowly,
with only a few enemies onscreen, but things quickly take a more intense
flow as you face off against dozens of foes at the same time. Most of the
initial foes take only a shot or two to destroy, but you'll find more
advanced enemies such as black hole-like beings that suck you towards
them. You must avoid contact with them or else you lose a life. You have
several advantages to use which can help you blast away foes. The first of
these is increased firepower, that can give you double or triple shots to
slice through many foes at once. In addition, as you destroy enemies, they
release Geoms, which are small yellow dots that increase your score
multiplier exponentially. Building up a high multiplier allows you to rack
up points very quickly, but you have to be careful, since losing a life
penalizes you by returning this to the beginning. The levels or waves in
the Retro Evolved mode come at the player relentlessly, giving you little
room to breathe, and testing your skills, endurance and concentration.
It's a formula that's worked well since the classic arcade games and makes
Geometry Wars an addictive experience where you want to go just one more
round to see if you can beat your high score. The game's overall pacing is
nearly perfect, and while its challenging, it never gets dull. This is in
large part because of the diverse selection of enemies, each of which has
their own attack patterns and strategies, making the game a true test of
skill. While the gameplay quickly becomes almost frenetic, the key element
here is learning to anticipate enemy attack patterns and appearances
before they happen. This split-second difference in reaction time can make
all the difference between surviving and the game ending prematurely.
 A
large part of Geometry Wars' appeal lies in its controls. While using the
standard nunchuck and wiimote is a bit awkward, since you move with the
nunchuck's d-pad while pointing at the screen to direct your firing line.
Using this makes for a frustrating experience. However, the game really
shines when you use the Wii's Classic Controller. This simplifies the
controls so that the left analog stick moves while the right one directs
your fire. It's here where you can see the game's resemblance, in terms of
control feel, to the arcade classics. You can move anywhere within the
gameboard, which has barriers at the edges and fire in any direction. Your
can see most of the playfield here and even see some of the enemies
approaching from outside your barrier in some instances. The board doesn't
change shape in the standard mode, but the campaign mode adds different
playfield shapes and styles, and adds other obstacles. This makes some of
the campaign mode's levels more challenging and less predictable, but does
tend to make things feel a little bit gimmicky at points. However, the
added challenge of gradually building up your abilities and weapons via
the drone adds more replay value to the game. Geometry Wars Galaxies' mode
system of unlocking different drone abilities, worlds and stages is fairly
simple. As you collect Geoms in each level, they're added to your score,
and can be used to purchase additional items. This gives you plenty of
incentive to keep on playing while helping to keep some of the monotony at
bay. In addition to the main game, you can use the Wi-Fi connection to
connect to the DS edition of the game, which allows you to download a demo
of the main game, or use your scores to unlock additional content. This
cross-platform co-operative mode adds some more appeal to this already
solid release, though its probably too much to ask for Xbox Live
connectivity.
As we went over earlier, the game's
simple, yet robust graphics engine recalls the golden age of arcade games
with neon-colored vector objects streaming over a mostly black starfield.
The game's look is very much retro, right down to the green vector score
indictatrors which give things a cohesive early 80's fee. The massive
particle explosions burst off the screen in waves of color and the
intensity is heightened by a driving techno score than pulses with action.
Under the flashy exterior, the game's controls, play mechanics and flow
are quite superb, with a smooth flow of action and color that makes for an
invigorating experience throughout. Geometry Wars is definitely one of the
most influential games of the past few years, and it's been copied in may
ways. This Wii edition feels a little bit late, but those who are new or
coming back to the scene will probably find it a refreshing change of
pace. If you've already played it on Xbox Live, there probably isn't
enough new content here to get excited about, but this is still a great
game no matter. While its controls and overall gameplay are probably
overly familiar, since the game's been copied by many other 'casual'
shooters, this original title still holds up well thanks to its simple
gameplay, appealing visuals and intense challenge. Since you can find the
game relatively cheaply these days, it's an even better purchase than
before.
-
Michael Palisano
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