PewPew Live 2

PewPew Live 2 doesn’t waste time. The moment the synthwave soundtrack slaps you in the face and your polygonal ship starts zipping around like it’s fleeing tax fraud, you know exactly what kind of game this is: fast, loud, and unapologetically old-school.

This follow-up to the cult twin-stick shooter isn’t content with “just more levels.” It cranks the dial in every direction. You’ve got nine distinct game modes now, four brand new ones, each with their own bizarre little twist on dodging, dashing, and disintegrating angry geometry. One minute you’re circling enemies to trap them like a cosmic Etch A Sketch, and the next, you’re controlling two ships at once like some kind of bullet-dodging octopus.

Then there’s World Mode, a full-on single-player campaign where each challenge gleefully breaks the rules of the last. Prefer to break stuff your own way? The sandbox mode lets you do just that. Throw in unlockable ships, weapon trails, and a leaderboard that taunts your every failure, and you’ve got a loop that’s hard to shake.

Best of all, PewPew Live 2 nails the 80s vector aesthetic with a clean, retro-future flair that feels more “arcade after dark” than mobile game. It’s Geometry Wars with ADHD, in a good way.

If you’ve got $5.99, a tolerance for neon, and a high score itch that won’t scratch itself, PewPew Live 2 absolutely slaps.