Gameplay:
Gears of War 2 is set months after the first installment, following the ragtag team of delta squad. After the failed attempt at exterminating the Locus Horde in the first game by the C.O.G, the locust have increased their attacks on Humanity, going to such an extent as to sinking entire cities into the earth, and it’s upon the shoulders of Delta Squad to stop them.
Gears of War 2 has many much needed improvements, it includes a drastically improved story that is actually easy to follow and rather engaging. There very well may be more character development in the first few hours of Gears 2 than the first Gears of War in its entirety. The core game play has received a general polishing, and seems even more tight and responsive than in the first game. This means that the game locks on to what you want to take cover behind more efficiently than before, almost completely eliminating this issue. Cover is defiantly the most important aspect of the game play, as almost the entire control scheme revolves around it, therefore since the cover works well, the overall game play is very seamless. The introduction of a mobile shield into the game brings even more strategic value, especially in the multiplayer. With this shield you are able to cover yourself while moving, with an added speed reduction of course, or slam the shield into the ground. This allows for cover any where you go, so players are not as restricted to immovable cover, such as walls, allowing for a bit more freedom in movement on the battlefield. Co-op is still top notch, one of the best cooperative experiences I have had in a game, especially when playing horde mode, which forces a group of five players to fight through fifty waves of locus.
Controls:
Gears 2 still clings very tightly to the original control scheme introduced in the original game. The A button still controls all aspects of covering, as well as sprinting, this makes the cover system very easy to use, simply tilt the Left control stick in the direction of the object you wish to hide behind, press A and the computer controls the rest for you. The A button also allows you to pick up downed enemies to use as a meat shield of sorts. Ever ran toward an opponent in the multiplayer, and even though you had your chainsaw bayonet raised five minutes before him he still kills you? Yeah, me too; luckily they have added some form of skill to the chainsaw kills this time around. Once you both lock blades you enter a sort of duel mode, in which whoever presses the B button fastest is the victor. As with the first game the active reload is still used instead of tradition one button press reloads; if you manage to reload your weapon at the correct time then you will receive stronger bullets in the next clip, failing to do so will jam your weapon causing a much longer reload time.
Graphics:
This game is easily one of the most gorgeous games to ever grace the 360 or any other system for that matter. It is much brighter and not as water colored, which some fans may be upset with as it slightly changes the style of the series. I personally enjoyed this new flash of color, but then again I’ve always been a sucker for shiny things. The added facial expressions are a nice addition to, the characters don’t look like they have all had the wide end of a lancer shoved up their, well, you can fill the blank. The gore has also received a makeover, now even more abundant and detailed than the first installment.
Sound:
The sound is quite good, cinematic even if you have the system to power it. Weapons sound like weapons should, crisp and clear, with out the muffled sound as if they were stuffed in a can, even the foot steps are very nice, you won’t hear the same three footsteps repeated over and over as you would in a lesser game.
Replay Value:
The replay value is relatively high, due to the added Horde mode, more multiplayer modes, amazing co-op and the multiple difficulty levels.
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Rating:
Story: 8.5
Gameplay: 9.5
Controls: 9.5
Graphics: 10
Sound: 9.0
Replay value: 8.5
Overall: 9.2
Own, Rent, Avoid:
Own: This is defiantly an own for anyone who is a fan of action or shooting games.
Last Thoughts:
This game is very fun and engaging, full of action and flying body parts at every turn. The controls are great and the design and style of the game are superb. Though the story was much improved I wish they answered more about the installment.
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Written By
Ethan Stroupe
2/16/2009
