Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Review (PS4)

A few years ago, the independent gaming scene, at least on consoles, wasn't as big as it is today, but even so, the few titles that managed to break into the mainstream garnered a cult-like following. One such example was Geometry Wars, a twin-stick shooter that earned a lot of fans across the Xbox 360 and PC through the first installment and its sequel.

Unfortunately, because developer Bizarre Creations shut down, it seemed that the series was going to gather dust on the shelf of new owner Activision. This changed recently, however, as the large publisher decided to reboot its Sierra Games label and went to Lucid Games, a studio composed of former Bizarre staff, to make a new title.

The game, Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions, is now available across quite a few platforms and not only looks to innovate on the old recipe but also bring back plenty of classic modes.

Does the new title manage to make a splash or does it flunk its geometry class? Let's find out.

Gameplay

Geometry Wars titles haven't featured any stories, and Dimensions is no exception, so I'll jump straight into the gameplay portion of the review.

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions has several major components, ranging from the all-new campaign to the classic levels and to the different multiplayer modes.

First up, there's the campaign, where most of the innovation takes place. Here, you'll go through a set of 50 missions that are filled with different stages, goals, boss enemies, and of course, leaderboards. There are quite a few returning game modes, from ones that task you with reaching a score in a time limit, surviving with just three lives, and more, to all-new ones that really twist the general Geometry Wars formula, including one that gives you a limited amount of ammo.

The boss encounters are quite impressive and the stages are no longer limited to just a rectangle, as you can go across spheres, similar to the planets in Super Stardust HD, but also objects shaped like cylinders, peanuts, and much more.

Besides shooting enemy geometrical shapes, each with their own behavior patterns, and beating the score to unlock more medals and thus reach more stages, you also need to collect small green gem-like things dropped by enemies after they die. These are then spent on upgrading your newfound helper drones, which can offer various services in addition to the classic bomb you have equipped.

This adds a sense of progression and requires a bit of strategy, as using a certain drone type to reach a certain objective can often mean the difference between succeeding and failing. The campaign is a bit harsh on players who don't reach all the medals, as you can't proceed further if you don't have the necessary number of rewards. This forces you to go back and improve your score, but it also becomes a bit tedious if you don't enjoy or aren't skilled enough at certain objectives.

Besides this novel and more or less successful revamp of the Geometry Wars recipe, Dimensions also brings forth a Classic mode where most of the game types from its predecessor are present in their mostly unfiltered form. From the Pacifist, which doesn't let you shoot, to King, which lets you shoot in certain zones, to Deadline, Evolved, or Waves, you can enter each of them and try to set high scores. These experiences feel as fun as ever and the added visual elements make going down memory lane even greater.

Battle different foes

Multiplayer

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions features a local cooperative mode with support for up to four players. It consists of a campaign similar to the regular adventure mode, but only has 10 stages, culminating with an intense boss fight. Goals include quite a few classic ones but also a few novelties, such as Claustrophobia. This is quite a lot of fun, provided you have friends or family willing to join in on the action.

There's also the competitive online multiplayer mode, which comes in two different game types – Stock and Summoner. Stock sees two teams of up to two players try to kill a boss enemy but your ammo is limited, so you need to constantly move around the map and snap up ammo packs before your opponents. You can share your ammo with your teammate and this can often mean the difference between winning and losing.

The Summoner game mode requires even more planning, as you need to occupy towers and shoot them so that actual enemies spawn. While it's a bit tough to explain, once you jump into the experience it becomes pretty simple.

Unfortunately, neither competitive experience has that many people active, so you might end up waiting for the matchmaking service or jumping into titles that have just one player per team.

Visuals and Sound

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions looks absolutely gorgeous, adding a lot of visual style to the classic recipe. There still are minimalist nuances, but expect explosions of color and a solid framerate to make everything look and feel great.

The soundtrack is also really good, managing to put you into the zone, so to say, and keep you on the edge of your seat.

Make your way through stages

The Good

The Bad

Conclusion