I've had my X360 for sometime now, just over two years in fact. The game most played on it, is without a doubt Team Fortress 2 (or The Orange Box to be more specific), while the second-most played game, is an arcade gem, by the name of Geometry Wars. It's abstract twin-stick shooting explosion of colour and sound is just one of those games I keep going back to for blasts at a time, but that stops today; i've bought the sequel. It's an unwritten law that videogame sequels can either fall into one of two categories, a) they be weaker than the original and more of the same, or b) the sequel that not only refreshes the original title but reinvents it entriely while still playing on it's strengths. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 is thankfuly the latter.

So everything's bigger. It's brighter, louder, and thanks to the addition of five new game modes, it's a lot more varied. Naturally scoring high is always the objective, no matter what the rules, but the new games reinvigorate the title by putting a spin on things, some of which can change the game completely. King decides that firing is disallowed unless you're in a zone, the catch being these small safe-zones only allowing a few seconds of cover. when they're out, it's a dash to the next one, weaving the enemies on your way. Pacifism is silimar, but ensures you're unable to fire at all, flying through gates to evaporate your pursuers. Waves is a barrage or criss-cross attacks from the enemy travelling in lines the length and width of the map, while Deadline, the most similar to the original gamemode gives you unlimited lives and three minutes to get your high score. The final new addition is Sequence; twenty stages, each lasting thirty seconds, pre-determined enemy positions.The new modes, collectively are a lot of fun, and ensure that when you're stuck or tired of one, there's more to try. They're pretty imaginative, and well...different, but they feel altogether classic GW, no matter what new rules they may bring to the table.

In the screenshots it's hard to see the game as perhaps being any different to it's predecessors, but after only a few seconds playing you'll realise this isn't the case, and the game does pack more of a visual punch with all the neon-fireworking happening on screen. The music too, is thankfuly as exciting and fast-paced as previously, with again, minor reworks instead of full-scale reimaginings. Multiplayer is unfortunately restricted to only local-play, but with a plethora of online leaderboards, you versus the world style, what does it matter? Overall, it's a sequel that delivers. It's more of the same yes, but the new ideas and modes that litter that basic formula make the game altogether more refreshing, and while it will always be debatable if this is the definitive version of the series or otherwise, one thing is true, I have found my new addiction.