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(More customer reviews)I don't normally go for action games or games that require fast reflexes. My favorite genres tend to be adventure, puzzle, or strategy. But once in a while, a good shooter can really fit the bill. Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2 (GW2 for short) is a best of breed shooter that will appeal to experienced gamers whether or not they tend to like shooters. (I don't, however, recommend it for grandma who has never touched a video game.)
GW2 uses eye-popping, high-contrast graphics that pay homage to the likes of Asteroids and other 80s coin-op video games. Explosions and other visual flourishes are plentiful and brilliantly colorful. The normal audio is a pulsing techno soundtrack which fits perfectly. The combined effect is sheer intensity.
GW2 has no campaign mode, but does have 6 different modes of play, all of which are suitable for single-player, multi-player co-op, and multi-player competition. The modes are different enough to offer a good variety of experiences to the player. For example, in one mode, you have infinite lives and simply must rack up the highest score in 3 minutes, which is a great way for newcomers to learn the controls and enemies. In another mode, players face a fixed (non-random) set of steadily increasing challenges, which will appeal to players interested in optimizing their attack patterns. For the hardcore player, there is an extremely punishing mode that involves wave after wave of near death experiences. My personal favorite mode (which also seems to be the most popular mode online) is Pacifism, in which you cannot shoot at all, but must instead manipulate the enemies and lure them to their deaths via skillful piloting. Words fail me to describe how addictive Pacifism mode is, but if you enjoy this game at all, you'll likely be playing Pacifism mode for months. [UPDATE: I've been playing this for over a year now and still come back to it regularly!]
The variety of modes makes this game something you'll want to play longer than most other shooters, but the longevity is boosted further by its multiplayer capabilities. GW2 has excellent built-in leaderboard support; upon launching the game, you immediately see where you stand relative to your Xbox Live friends -- and if your scores are close, it can really kick in your competitive streak and push you to achieve new heights. (Leaderboards may require Xbox Live Gold membership.) But more importantly, GW2 features excellent local multiplayer. If you and 3 buddies are at one location sharing 1 Xbox 360, this is one of the best party games available on the platform to date. You can play co-operatively or competitively, free-for-all or in teams. In none of the multiplayer modes do you ever shoot one another directly; instead, when you want to compete, you do so by killing more enemy ships or picking up more powerups and getting a higher score. As you and your friends transition between game modes, the game will automatically retain a running total score for each player for the session, unless you want to reset it.
GW2 is not my favorite game, and it doesn't have a lot of depth. But it's a solid, intense shooter with staying power. It works well in sessions of 5 minutes or 5 hours, and I have consistently returned to it again and again for the past 6 months, both to show off the Xbox 360 platform to friends and just to play and re-play the awesome modes. (I was finally able to master the last achievement, meaning, the achievements are well-balanced stretch goals for players who are not experts at shooter-type games.) It's also one of my favorite party games for the Xbox 360. Shooter fans will love it, and fans of other genres will find it a good counterpoint to their normal fare. GW2 definitely earns the 5 stars and is definitely worth the money.
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Geometry Wars Evolved2Local Multiplayer 2-4, HD (High Definition). Experience an unbelievable adrenaline rush from playing the latest version of the frenetic retro shooter Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2!Newcomers and pros alike will be blown away by the screen-melting intensity and insane new features, including six action-packed gameplay modes, new enemies, new scoring strategies and a diverse list of exciting achievements! If that's not crazy enough for you, try multiplayer mayhem for up to four players! Use power-ups in versus mode to boost your stats or handicap your opponent. Or team up with others in co-op mode. Play it all in razor-sharp 1080p to new pulse-pounding music! There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.
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