Doesn't require Vista, despite what Gamespot review says. New control options make it work well without a controller.
I was eager to get my hands on this game from the time I heard about its release on Xbox Live. When it appeared on Valve's Steam service recently, I snapped it up. It's only $2.50 until June 22nd -- an amazing price for this much fun. After the 22nd, the price goes up to $3.95 (the same as the current price for the Vista-only version on MSN).
The Gamespot review had some criticisms of the game, such as control problems and Vista exclusivity, that may no longer be valid for the Steam-based release. The copy of Geometry Wars that I downloaded over Steam not only works on Windows XP, but is also fast and gorgeous. I've experienced none of the performance problems described in the review, even though I'm running the game on a lower-spec machine than the one described. I suspect that the reviewer's problems have more to do with Windows Vista than they do with Geometry Wars. Microsoft's new OS is a resource hog straight from Hell.
The controls for Geometry Wars also aren't as bad as the Gamespot review makes it sound. While I'm sure the game would be easier to control with a dual-stick gamepad, the keyboard-and-mouse combo works great once you get used to it. A tip for beginners: in the game's control options, switch the mouse aiming mode from "orbit" to "target." The easier aiming helps make up for the more constrained movement options of the keyboard.
Overall, I think the original review from Gamespot is biased by (1) too much exposure to the console original and (2) focusing on an early release of the game that only worked on Vista. If you don't have an Xbox 360, this game is a great buy and a lot of fun. To get the version for Windows XP, visit steampowered.com. If you don't yet have a Steam account, click the "Get Steam Now" button to sign up.