In all its ruthlessness, I’m a big, sadistic fan of Geometry Wars. The twin-stick shooter genre is one that requires an extra stretch of the imagination to really innovate and, through some sort of sorcery, the folks at Sierra have managed to completely reinvigorate the series. Their newest game masterfully introduces 3D planes that completely change the way Geometry Wars is played, while staying perfectly true to what made the series great to begin with. This is the marvel that is Geometry Wars³: Dimensions.
For all intents and purposes, I’ll be stylizing it as Geometry Wars 3, although I was informed by the game’s staff that it’s actually Geometry Wars³ (cubed). Anyway, first off, the title is brilliant. On top of being the third numbered entry in the series, the ³ also marks the series’ introduction to a whole new dimension as the gameplay takes on a new dimension. Rather than a series of differently shaped planes, the game takes on arenas comprised of a variety of shapes from cubes to cylinders to peanuts and everything in between and beyond.
The inclusion of your own personal drone also provides a new double-edged sword into the mix. While it’s invaluable to have another ship assisting you in shooting down hordes of geometric enemies from every which direction, it’s also purposely easy to mistake your drone for an enemy ship and get psyched out for a second. It’s just another thing to focus on while in the heat of the neon carnage.
Naturally, the lovely people at Sierra have taken the intense Geometry Wars community into account and each stage itself will have its own individual leaderboard. Additionally, when one of your friends beats your score in a stage, you’ll see the level glowing red like, “You’re really gonna let them get away with that? Get the hell in here.”
On top of the revamped gameplay mechanics, players can easily play the old way on flat stages which feel as satisfying as ever. Cooperative play is set to return as well, supporting up to four people simultaneously on certain stages, although I can’t even fathom how chaotic that would look. The competitive scene makes it debut though as online multiplayer is set to arrive as well, but I’ve yet to see that mode in action.
And in Geometry Wars tradition, Dimensions features stunning visuals that make excellent use of neon lights to create something so surreal, clean, and wild all at once. In action and in person, Geometry Wars 3 is absolutely dazzling and a visual feast that I can’t wait to dig into.
There may be plenty of changes done to the series, but Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions doesn’t lose sight of its roots and the fantastic twin-shooting mechanics of its predecessors. Simply put, this is a sequel that feels impossibly wonderful and I’m anxiously anticipating its release on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 when it’s released later this holiday season.
