The first Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved gained the respect of both Matt and I by keeping the gameplay so simple and easy to pick up, but at the same time fun, AMAZING and ADDICTING. So when we heard that Retro Evolved 2 would drop a few weeks after E3, we naturally got excited. So how can you expand on an idea and still keep it simple and just as playable as the predecessor? Well I'm not sure, but apparently the guys over at Bizarre Creations have a pretty good idea.

There are a few basic core gameplay changes that were made to keep things fresh. Your multiplier is now determined by collecting "geoms", and it will no longer reset when you die. There are also quite a few new enemies, as well as the old favorites, that will take some time to get accustomed to.

Evolved 2 features 6 play modes: Deadline, King, Evolved, Pacifism, Waves, and Sequence. Each mode has specific rules that must be adhered to, but the goal remains the same; to rack up the highest score possible. Each mode must be played a few times to unlock the next mode, but it is not to challenging to advance if you are a seasoned Geometry Wars player.

Deadline mode is similar to classic Evolved gameplay, however there is a timer set to 3 minutes and you have unlimited lives. Enemies are spawned in more abundance and more challenging varieties as you progress, however the real twist comes with the timer. No longer can you simply run circles around your rectangle for minutes on end, slowly racking up points. Your goal here is to collect as many geoms as fast as you can while shooting down your enemies, so you can get the highest score possible before you run out of time.

Next up is King mode, which is can get challenging very fast. This mode consists of "safety circles" which enemies cannot enter. This circle is also the only place you can shoot at your enemies. It becomes a matter of finding a circle, shooting as much as you can before your circle slowly destroys itself, then running for another. I found this mode to be very challenging. When the screen begins to fill with enemies, it is easy to not have enough time to clear a path out of your circle (omgz!).

Evolved mode is the same as the gameplay in the original Retro Evolved. You get 3 lives and 3 bombs, and get tossed into the madness. So long as you can stay alive, you can keep your points rising. This is obviously a familiar mode, but I'm glad they included it. It is still fun to play, especially with the new enemies.

Pacifism mode does not let you shoot, but rather features "gates" that when passed through set off an explosion, destroying your enemies. Hordes of blue diamonds will chase after you, and this mode gets very difficult very fast. It will put your dodging skills to the test. If your anything like me, you will also die a lot.

Waves mode focuses on a new type of enemy; an airplane/dart looking thing, that shoots across the grid, turns around and does the same thing over. Series of these are spawned in rows, to form a wall of enemies that you have to shoot through to get by. I had a lot of fun with this mode as well, although it can be a bit repetitive.

Finally, Sequence mode features a series of 20 "levels", each with its own pattern of enemies. You have 3 lives and 3 bombs at the beginning, just as in evolved mode. Each level has a 30 second timer, and can either be passed or failed. You can fail by dying in that level, or by running out of time before you destroy all the enemies. Definitely a fun and challenging mode, and something i've still yet to beat.

The visuals are very appealing, as usual. Particles will fly every which way across the screen, gravity wells will warp the grid underneath you, and all the enemies have a vibrant glow. At times there is so much going on, it will be hard to keep track of your own character, but that is really the typical Geometry Wars fashion. The soundtrack keeps the techno vibe it has always had, and it works well with the game. There is more than one song this time around, and while the focus is mostly on the visual, it still adds a nice touch.

As you can see, there is a lot of new stuff here. But what's great is that it keeps the same core gameplay in each mode. Sure they may have different rules, but your goal is always to survive and kill. I found all the modes to be fun to play, each offering something unique and requiring different strategies. At 800 MS points, or around $10, it's well worth the money if you have never played, or even if you love, the first one. They manage to keep things fresh, while not changing the core Geometry Wars gameplay that has been tried and proven totally sweet.