The indie gem that shapes up to be a worthy successor to Geometry Wars – find out all about it in our Geometry Survivor review!

Since its debut in 2003 as a mere minigame, Geometry Wars has stood as a beacon of excellence in the twin-stick shooter genre, thanks to its simple yet addictive gameplay and sleek vector visuals. Developed by Bizarre Creations, Retro Evolved on Xbox Arcade became an instant classic with fast-paced gameplay and neon-soaked graphics. Sadly, Bizarre Creations was shut by Activision in 2010 and the series has been dormant since 2016.

My personal favourite, Geometry Wars: Galaxies, on Wii and DS.

Now, indie developer Brain Seal, inspired by the legacy of the Geometry Wars series, has crafted Geometry Survivor, a spiritual successor that pays homage to the classic. Drawing from the core elements that made the Geometry Wars series so beloved, this homage seeks to please the series fans who have wanted to scratch that arcade shooter itch. Is it up to shape? Find out in our Geometry Survivor review.

Geometry Survivor Review – Gameplay

Fans of Geometry Wars will feel right at home as soon as you pick up the controller. Controlling a hexagonal spaceship, the only aim of the game is to survive for 20 intense minutes against unrelenting waves of geometric enemies. And who needs two sticks? Geometry Survivor is entirely controlled with just a single analogue stick to move and control certain weapons. With just a single control, you’ll be focused on precise maneuvering crucial for dodging thousands of evil triangles.

Defeating each enemy scatters experience points throughout the playfield. By hovering near them, you’ll eventually level up and arm your ship with new weapons and upgrades. The game features a wide array of weapons, each with its unique strengths and weaknesses, which can be strategically used in combination. Experimenting with different weapons and finding the right combo to suit your play style is essential.

With the right combo of weapons, you’ll be shredding shapes!

Initially, you’ll be faced with a pretty steep difficulty curve. But with perseverance and practice, you’ll quickly make it to the 20-minute mark. Each playthrough also awards you with credits, allowing you to slowly upgrade and strengthen your ship with each failure (in typical roguelike fashion).

*upgrade complete*

Despite its challenging nature, Geometry Survivor never feels unfair. Nearing the end of the 20-minute time limit while being swarmed by enemies adds a serious urgency to the gameplay, with intense satisfaction upon completion.

Geometry Survivor Review – Visuals

Looking at the game, you could easily be fooled into thinking this is yet another Geometry Wars entry, with distinct neon-infused visuals and vector graphics. The graphical style clearly draws inspiration – with sharp edges and vibrant colours that look brilliant on the Switch OLED screen. And like the game it’s so clearly based on, each enemy type is distinctively designed with shape and colour, making them easily recognisable even when the screen is overwhelmingly busy.

It’s flavour you can see!

There are also plenty of dazzling lighting and particle effects, adding to the visual appeal and helping its retro aesthetic feel more modern. It’s a damn good-looking game that doesn’t exactly try anything new, but does incredibly well with an art style that most fans are already familiar with. Despite this, Geometry Survivor runs incredibly well on the Nintendo Switch, particularly in handheld mode.

It’s an explosion of colour!

The game maintains a smooth and consistent frame rate, even when the screen is filled with enemies and projectiles. I only experienced a couple of short moments of slowdown, which was when I changed the camera distance to “far” (which displays more of the map).

Geometry Survivor Review – Audio

With a soundtrack that perfectly suits the game’s intense gameplay and vibrant visuals, each track is rhythmic and pulsating. While you mow down waves of enemies, you’ll be accompanied by synth-heavy beats and futuristic melodies that feel both retro yet sci-fi.

There are also multiple audio cues that are quite helpful to gameplay, alerting the player at various points. When weapons recharge, shields go down, or bombs are triggered, each sound is distinct and actually helps you play better by paying attention to the audio. It’s a simple yet clever touch.

Geometry Survivor Review – Replayability

While having just a single level and game mode may seem limited at first glance, there’s a surprising amount of replayability to Geometry Survivor. With eight different ships to choose from, each with its unique attributes and playstyle, and a wide range of weapons, players can experiment with different combinations to find the one that best suits their preferences.

Despite the lack of levels, Geometry Survivor will likely keep you playing over and over. Each playthrough rewards you with credits, allowing you to progressively unlock and upgrade your ship. Some of these do actually make the game more challenging if you’re looking to punish yourself!

Guess this one’s Greedo’s favourite ship.

Unfortunately, one area where Geometry Survivor falls short in terms of replayability is its lack of a scoreboard or online scoring system. While the game tracks a wide variety of in-game stats locally for you to check at any time, the absence of an online leaderboard feels like a missed opportunity to foster a sense of competition among players.

All stats, no scoreboard. 🙁

Additionally, an “endless” mode would have been the perfect opportunity to continue to increase the difficulty and test players’ skills. It feels a bit bare bones, but admittedly the game is very well-priced for its level of polish and replayability.

Conclusion

While the Geometry Survivor’s lack of traditional levels may deter some players looking for a more structured experience, this is the perfect indie homage to the beautiful simplicity of Geometry Wars. If you’re a seasoned veteran of the series, or a newcomer who loves a good arcade shooter, you’d be mad to not give this one a shot. It’s clear that the devs have strived to carry on the neon-lit legacy of this cult classic series.

So, why should you play Geometry Survivor?

• Fan of Geometry Wars? This game is pretty much made for you
• Love simple arcade games that can be played in short bursts
• Addictive gameplay with plenty of replay value
• At a RRP of $7.50AUD (or $4.99 USD), it’s great value for money

But why shouldn’t you play Geometry Survivor?

• You’re not fond of playing the same level repeatedly
• Lack of online scoreboard is a bit of a let-down

A review copy on Nintendo Switch was kindly provided by the developer for the purpose of our Geometry Survivor review. If you love arcade shmups, be sure to check out our R-Type Final 2 review and join us on the Qualbert Discord to reminisce about Geometry Wars!