Pardon the formal look of this review. I originally wrote this for a project in school, so it's supposed to have a sort of magazine feel to it. Still, I think it's an opportune time to put a review up on dtoid. There may be a couple more Academic Transferences in the future, so keep a lookout.

There is no doubt that Cliff Bleszinski’s Gears of War was the one title that entrenched the Xbox 360’s influence on the market. Its sequel, Gears of War 2, improves upon the formula of success and expands the game’s scale to make each moment even more impressive and exciting than the last. The folks at Epic Games have really outdone themselves this time. With the introduction of new weapons and gameplay mechanics, along with a longer and more impressive single player campaign, this sequel looks to be a game that will not be overshadowed by its older brother any time soon.

The story begins with our battle armor-clad, steroid injected hero, Marcus Fenix as he finds himself in the continuing struggle against the relentless Locust forces. Everything there is pretty much the same, right? Well, the rest of the story doesn’t really build much more onto that. Sure, the Cogs are on their way underground to disestablish Locust rule, but that’s still basic plot in itself. Sadly, if you want to dig any deeper than that into the story, all you get is a bunch of either Dom and his quest to save his wife by talking about it from time to time, or questions with very little answers. Many characters speak about things that make players who haven’t followed Gears of War down to the letter scratch their heads in confusion. Nearly every new “plot point” that is established or found in the game is a complete enigma and makes you feel uneasy about it, even after the game ends! It makes the entire experience feel so incomplete that your victory seems empty. When the credits started rolling at the end I thought, “Did I just do the right thing or the wrong thing?”

On the bright side, all of your favorite characters from the first installment make their own appearances throughout the course of the game, along with a strong cast of brand new characters mixed in (a new Carmine is even introduced as the brother of the Carmine who was sniped in Gears of War). Everyone is given their own unique personalities and emotions, as they are conveyed fairly well in the game’s decent dialogue. There’s no better way to reveal a person’s true feelings than when they’re in the middle of a massive firefight.



The game looks nicer, too. Moving away from the grays, whites, and browns of the first game, Gears of War 2 gives the player a more realistic look at how buildings, mountains, caves, and trees are colored. Character and weapon models have gotten a bit of an improvement while textures and materials have really gotten sharper. This isn’t a huge overhaul, mind you, but it’s nice to know that Epic hasn’t been recycling the same textures as last time.

Sound is pretty much the same. Weapons sound like they should when fired and the Locust sound as foreboding as ever with their echoed guttural roars. All the main voice actors have returned to their roles and continue to breathe personality into their characters to great effect. There are also some nice ambient noises that really bring the player into the current environment.

Despite its story, Gears of War 2’s single player campaign is simply pure fun. The various locales and circumstances surrounding the brave group of Cogs are seemingly endless and beautifully placed. The battle mechanics are basically the same as the first, with a couple of minor tweaks that really help turn the tide in battles. You can use a grenade as a proximity mine, a body as a shield, a shield as portable cover, and even engage in chainsaw duels. These options can make each battle different based on your actions. The enemy A.I. is now much more competent and will certainly make a great effort to take you down if you’re not quick to the punch. Boss battles and vehicles are a nice break away from the regular run-cover-shoot gameplay that most of the game involves, with the exception of a certain tank driving section. Any developer who thinks it’s a good idea to make the player drive over a shattering, frozen lake in a tank that has poor handling is not a friend of mine. Design has a few flaws and glitches here and there, but they do not often interfere with the game’s entertainment value.

Gears of War 2 shines better in its multiplayer department than its predecessor in that it gives the player a wider selection in exactly what they want to do. While in Gears of War you started matchmaking in a game and went through a few rounds and you were done, Gears of War 2 gives you that option along with the brand new Horde mode and the use of bots for play as well. Horde pits players against fifty waves of Locust enemies that they must defeat, or die trying. It’s an interesting premise, and although I didn’t get to play very much of it, the mode should prove to be quite the challenge. Bots are great if you just want to do a quick run with a couple of friends locally or if you just want to hone your skills. The multiplayer offerings are great fun, and will hopefully entertain players with downloadable content in the future.



Chances are that if you’re a Gears fan, you’ve already bought this game. If you haven’t, I can’t suggest any 360 title more than this one. It’s smooth, it’s fun, and the chainsaws make you feel all tingly inside. Seriously, if you love great single player and multiplayer experiences with negligible plot and design issues, then you were born for this game. Between the new weapons, gameplay, characters, and scenery, Gears of War 2 is a memorable journey through the depths of Seras and back. Just don’t talk about Maria and we’re cool.

Gears of War 2 gets a :
9/10