Dear You,

Geometry Wars 2 was shaping up to become one of my favourite games of the year. It was a pleasure, something I enjoyed and loved, a source of eternal happiness. Once i'd gotten to grips with the new game modes and ideas I immediately set about beating your score and the others' as well. It was fun, destroying your records, and virtually mocking you, laughing at you behind your back, smiling, with the biggest grin on my face. My ego was fucking huge. But you knew that, and you didn't like it, did you? You weren't going to take my taunts much longer- I should've known you'd snap eventually. You had to turn the tables eventually.

But you've ruined the game, and you've taken it far too seriously. You forget that the game is all about having fun, shooting irregular abstract shapes and nothing more. Relaxing, and playing to enjoy, not get revenge and develop rivalries. It is with bad news that I regret to inform you that despite my best efforts, I simply cannot beat your score of 84 million. I've tried, until my ears have popped and I can't see anything other than shapes, floating, dancing before my eyes, even when i'm not playing. I think, I dream, I fear that dancing pink square, and for now, the game is over. You've changed the rules of the game, and this is a battle I don't want to be in anymore, i'm sorry. You've won, and despite a few more goes down the line, I am not planning to beat your score anytime soon. You win mister, and I hope you're glad- please try to restrain yourself from taunting and boasting at any available opportunity, i'm sorry I provoked you, now please leave me alone.

Yours disheartedly,

Me.

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.

Some people are alcoholics. Nymphomaniacs, crackheads, obsessive-compulsives- everyone's addicted to something. So how come I get landed with a passion for Geometry Wars Retro Evolved on the X360 instead of something more real-word?

Going by the Xbox Live Leaderboards I suck immensely, but all the same id like to think I am pretty good at the game, even if my measly score says otherwise. The game is just so much fun, bringing videogame pleasure back to the days before there were horrible plotlines and obligatory stealth sections- for a retro blast like no other there's really nothing like it at all. Such a small concept, odd shape shoots other shapes, and yet, so much pleasure and satisfaction to be found, even more so than that found in full-price "proper" games.

Screw, Gears of War, Viva Pinata, and what have you, this alone is the reason you need to buy an X360.

I wish I could say that was my score