Geometry Wars
| Geometry Wars | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Bizarre Creations |
| Publisher(s) | Microsoft Game Studios |
| Distributor(s) | Microsoft Game Studios (retail) Activision/Valve Corporation (Steam) |
| Designer(s) | Stephen Cakebread |
| Composer(s) | Chris Chudley |
| Series | Geometry Wars |
| Platforms | Xbox, Xbox 360, Windows |
| Release date(s) | Xbox November 17, 2003 Xbox 360 November 16, 2005 Windows March 7, 2007 |
| Genre(s) | Multi-directional shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Geometry Wars is a minigame created by Bizarre Creations as part of Project Gotham Racing 2 for the Xbox, accessible through the in-game garage. An updated version of the game, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, is available for download on the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade. It can also be played in demo form in Project Gotham Racing 3. It has held the record for most-downloaded Xbox Live Arcade game.[1] A new version, Geometry Wars: Evolved, has been produced for mobile phones.[2] A version has also been released for Microsoft Windows under the Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved name on the Steam content delivery network. Another version named Geometry Wars: Waves is available to play in Project Gotham Racing 4. Geometry Wars: Galaxies was released for the Nintendo DS and Wii in November 2007. A sequel, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 was released to Xbox Live Arcade on July 30, 2008 and was later ported to iOS as Geometry Wars: Touch. On November 25, 2014, Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions was released, adding a 3D aspect to the franchise.
Contents
Gameplay
The object of Geometry Wars is to survive as long as possible and score as many points as possible by destroying an ever-increasing swarm of enemies. The game takes place on a rectangular playfield and the player controls a claw-shaped "ship" that can move in any direction using the left thumbstick, and can fire in any direction independently using the right thumbstick. The player also has a limited number of bombs that can be detonated and destroy all enemies on the playfield. As the game progresses, the player can earn extra lives and additional bombs at set score increments, and the primary weapon changes at regular intervals (10,000 points). Also, enemies spawn in progressively larger quantities and at greater frequency as the game progresses. If an enemy touches the player's ship, the ship explodes and a life is lost, plus the multiplier worked up by how many enemies are killed in one life is also lost. The game is over when the player runs out of lives.
The Evolved version of the game takes place on a playfield that is slightly larger than the display area of the TV screen, and the camera follows the player's movements. A background grid pattern adds to the graphical effects by warping in reaction to player shots and the behavior of certain enemies. This version introduces new enemies and a score multiplier that increases as the player destroys enemies without losing a life.
Development
The game initially started out as a way for the team at Bizarre Creations to test out the Xbox controller while making Project Gotham Racing.[3] The team included the game as an extra in the sequel not expecting very much. When the creators realized how popular the game was they decided to work on a stand-alone game for the 360's Live Arcade.[3] For the standalone version, which eventually grew to become Retro Evolved, creator Stephen Cakebread initially wanted to make the game have a more linear structure where the players would progress through levels.[3] However, Cakebread soon became aware of the game Mutant Storm and realized that a level-based structure would make Retro Evolved almost identical and thus decided to drop it.[3]
The soundtrack was composed by Chris Chudley from Audioantics who created the music for all of the series up until Dimensions.[4]
Retro Evolved 2
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On July 30, 2008, the sequel, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2, was released on Xbox Live Arcade.
Retro Evolved 2 provides local cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes for two to four players simultaneously, and an exclusive "Co-Pilot" mode in which two players control the same ship, with one moving and the other firing. Additionally, the game provides support for worldwide leaderboards in each game mode and, by default, displays the player's ranking against his/her friends during play.
Geometry Wars: Galaxies
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In November 2007, Kuju Entertainment and Sierra Entertainment released a version of the game for the Nintendo DS and Wii titled Geometry Wars: Galaxies.[5] This version introduces a single-player campaign and multiplayer gameplay.
Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions
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After the reopening of Sierra Entertainment's website, on August 12, 2014, a third sequel, Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions was announced.[6] The game was released on November 25, 2014 for Microsoft Windows, OS X, GNU/Linux, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, and on November 26, 2014 for Xbox 360 and Xbox One.[7]
Neither original developer Stephen Cakebread nor Audioantics had any involvement in the production of Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions, as confirmed in the credits for the game when demoed at PAX Australia 2014 on Xbox One.
See also
- Xbox Live Arcade
- Project Gotham Racing 2
- Project Gotham Racing 3
- Project Gotham Racing 4
- GridWars, a freeware Geometry Wars clone for PC
- Everyday Shooter, Blast Factor and Super Stardust HD, similar games available for download on the PlayStation Network
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved Mobile." Pocket Gamer. November 6, 2006. Accessed November 10, 2006
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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External links
- Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved at Steam Valve Corporation (content delivery)
- Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved at MSN games
- Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 Video 1
- iTunes App Store link
