$20 Game of the Week: Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2 (Xbox Live Arcade)

During the early days of the Xbox 360, there weren’t a lot of launch-window titles that made people want to run out and buy the system. Dead or Alive 4 and Condemned were nice, but other than those two and a few others, the Xbox 360’s post-launch library was pretty weak. Thankfully, Microsoft’s Xbox Live downloadable games service, introduced during the previous Xbox life cycle (albeit to little fanfare) was kicking into high gear this generation, starting with its integration into the console itself (rather than having to buy a separate disc). Over time, players would be treated to a slew of classic re-releases, newer titles, and independently developed games. One of the first games available on the service, Geometry Wars, took old school style gameplay and touched it up with some nice graphical effects. It was in the tradition of Space Invaders, where one played simply to earn a high score. It was incredibly addictive as well. So addictive, that many Xbox 360 owners played this game more than any game that was released via retail during the first 4 months after the Xbox 360’s release. Now, Bizzare Creations has created a sequel which adds new game modes while keeping the previous game’s gameplay intact.

Along with the original mode (called Evolved), there are 5 other modes that have to be unlocked as you play the game (don’t worry, they’re pretty easy to unlock). In Deadline, players have to score as many points as they can within a 3-minute time limit. King requires players to make shots from within the zone. The zone changes location frequently, so you have to be on your toes. Waves gives players one life and forces them to survive several waves of missiles while avoiding being hit. Sequence has players battling through 20 30-second sequences of enemies while trying not to lose all of their lives. Finally, Pacifism forces players to see how long they can survive while not being able to shoot. The game also packs in competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes, including one where one players controls the ship and the other fires its guns. Even if some of these new game modes seem a bit on the shallow side, they help add more variety to an already great game.

Regardless of if you played the original or not, Xbox 360 owners would do well to download this sequel. The dual analog control scheme is as intuitive as ever, and players will get a kick out of the old school gaming experience. With online leaderboards, you can compete worldwide for bragging rights. It may not be Halo, but it’s wickedly fun and it can easily suck up a lot of your free time.