As the techno music ratchets up the beats per minute, so does your heart. Maintaining a vice-like grip on the controller, you guide your ship, blasting diamonds, squares, circles and all matter of geometry into oblivion. If there was any doubt in your mind that the sequel to Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved was going to be a let down, all you need to do is play one match of the sequel–and you’ll be hooked for hours.

The best part about Geometry Wars 2 is that Bizarre did not sit on its coattails and just re-skin the old “evolved” game type. “Evolved” is still included in Geometry Wars 2, of course, but five new game types have been added. Each type has its own intricacies while still having the same basic objective, (get the high score) so you’ll essentially be receiving six self-contained games, all with their own separate leaderboards.

For example, one mode, called Deadline, will have you trying to score as many points as you can within three minutes. Another, called Pacifism does not allow you to shoot, but only kill wave after wave of enemy diamonds with a new enemy type: gates.

Indeed, with the inclusion of the new game modes comes the inclusion of new enemy types. There are the aforementioned gates, which, when passed through, blast all neighboring enemies within a certain radius away. However, if you touch either end of the gate, you die. They have also added enemy ships that patrol either vertical or horizontal corridors and will eventually attack in columns, forcing you to shoot holes for you to maneuver through. There’s a whole game-type based off this concept included in the game.

Another change Bizarre made with Geometry Wars 2 is in the multiplier system. In the original, you built up your multiplier by continuously killing a number of enemy ships without dying. In Geometry Wars 2, however, multiplier is determined by how many “geoms” you can collect, each geom representing a 1x multiplier. Surprisingly, you’ll never lose your multiplier if you die, which is either welcome or not depending on how well you want the game to stick to its roots. Personally, I appreciate the new system, as it adds an additional layer of depth to an already complex game, and still allows skilled players to rack up high scores, without punishing less-skilled players.

In addition to all of the single-player modes, Geometry Wars 2 also comes with a multiplayer component. I did not get an opportunity to test out the local multiplayer, so I cannot comment on the quality (or lack thereof). However, the real black mark on the game is that there is no online co-op added to this sublime package. It could be that making online co-op work in a game that requires such precision and quick reflexes was not feasible, but it doesn’t make me any less disappointed.

The graphical style of Geometry Wars 2 has been essentially left intact from the previous game, but all the shapes and effects are sharper and more extravagant. If you thought the previous game was a visual overload, you’re in for quite a treat with Geometry Wars 2. The psychedelic style is in full effect, complete with trance/techno music that enhances the crazy, frantic gameplay.

Geometry Wars 2 takes what was so great about Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved–that “edge of your seat” feel–and builds off of that foundation with five new game-types that are just as good as the original Retro Evolved was. It is twice the price, coming in at 800 Microsoft Points ($10), but for what you’re getting, it will most likely be the best $10 you have spent on an XBox Live Arcade title. The omission of online co-op stings, but as it stands, Geometry Wars 2 is the new king of downloadable titles. You owe it to yourself to play it.