Chainsaws on guns just got a whole lot better.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is Gears of War. A blood soaked third person shooter filled to the brim with highly addictive, explosive, fast-paced game play. "How," many would say, "can it get any better?"
For those of you unfamiliar with the Gears of War story, let me briefly fill you in. Humans have been at war for our entire existence and the humans on the planet Sera are no exception. Little did they know that an evil lurked beneath them the entire time. One day, the Locust horde struck, a hellish mass of soldiers with deadly weaponry and even deadlier beasts. The Coalition of Gears, one of the factions on the planet, united together to try and fight off this nemesis. However, they were unsuccessful and continually were pushed back, further and further. The COG government became so desperate that the leaders pardoned former prisoners and enlisted the sick and elderly to fight in their ranks. Marcus Fenix, a supposed traitor, was among the pardoned. He and his friend Dominic Santiago, along with the incredibly entertaining Delta Squad consisting of Augustus "Cole Train" Cole and Damon Baird, went on to defeat the Locust horde.
Or, so they thought. In fact, the Locust returned, even more powerful than before. Now, these fiends are sinking, yes SINKING, cities and Jacinto is the last refuge for humanity. So now, the Gears are tired of playing defense and must launch a desperate assault on the Locust hive.
Epic amplified the storyline for Gears 2, adding more scenes of emotion and really pushing to get the player to feel a sense of dread for the humans. For the most part, they did it miraculously. The ever increasing effort by Dom to find his missing wife grows as the story continues, ever building the intensity as Dom loses patience with the world and himself. Even the plight of the entire human race takes on a new emotional standard.
This reason may be because of the intense action of Gears 2. The battles you and your squad face can only be described in one way: EPIC. Whether it be Marcus and Dom traveling aboard a massive drilling rig, fending off hordes and hordes of Locust, or a variety of other fascinating sequences (that would spoil the game), Gears 2 never fails to please in this aspect. However, your teammate AI leaves something to be desired. Much like the first game, these soldiers seem only capable of being a distraction. Sure, Delta Squad may take down a few enemies here and there, but for the most part, do not expect your flanks to be covered. And STILL, your allies cannot revive you if you go down. The game simply ends and you must restart from the next checkpoint. The enemy AI seems to have gotten a slight upgrade, as they flank and charge more aggressively than before. While this is a welcome addition, the enemy AI still sits behind cover even if you shoot at an open portion of their body. They make no effort to move to another spot in cover.
Speaking of cover, many objects in the game now degrade under fire. This minor addition really increases the difficulty of the entire game, as concrete barricades slowly wear away under heavy fire and wooden boxes shatter from explosions. It adds a new tactical depth to the entirety of the game. Even the new weapons add a dynamic level to the gameplay, from the portable Boom Shield (think of a riot shield that can be planted into the ground) to the Gorgon Pistol (a burst fire pistol), each brings a different set of tactics into play. And did I mention chainsaw duels? If you and your opponent both bring your chainsaw bayonets to bear that the same time, you enter into a chainsaw duel. Here's a hint: mash the "B" button as fast as you can.
Some other notable additions include better graphics, enhanced sound, and several new multiplayer aspects. To begin, the graphics look better than ever. New colors pour through the screen, accenting lush forests, golden sunsets, or dark corridors. Explosions look great and every weapon and character features unique and wonderful detail. When I popped Gears into my disk tray and loaded up the campaign, I first noticed the new sounds. The Lancer assault rifle sounds like a true beast of a weapon, the Locust hiss and growl as devilish monsters should, and ambient noise still sounds great. If any gamer has an HD TV, this game should be playing on it. Right now.
Now, if Gears' multiplayer was great, this game's multiplayer is simply excellent. Besides being expanded to handle 10 players instead of 8, new game modes really bring out the fun in Gears 2. Warzone and Annex are still available to play on Gears 2 online. But new modes, such as Wingman, where you and a partner compete against four other teams of two for domination, or Guardian, which is a modified version of Assassination from the first game. New executions really make the game that much more intense and players can now take downed enemies to use as meat-shields (a.k.a. human shields).
Gears 2 still has Online and Offline co-op, where you and a partner can go through the entire campaign together as Marcus and Dom. Epic even added the ability to adjust difficulty levels for each player. For example, the individual playing as Dom can play the campaign on Insane (if he or she has unlocked it) and the individual playing as Marcus and set theirs on Hardcore. It's a wonderful new way to play with your friends without making the game too hard for one person. The difficulties feel just right, as Epic added a new difficulty, titled "Normal." And as a warning to you all, Insane is just that. Prepare for the fight of your life.
However, one of the most welcome additions is Horde mode, where you and four other friends can take on 50 waves of ever more difficult Locust soldiers.
While Gears 2 answers some questions from the first game, it leaves too many open. Obviously, a sequel is in order, but that does not mean the public could not have received some clearer answers on certain subjects. The vehicle sequences are more numerous and, while not as annoying as the first Gears' driving level, still take patience to complete.
With a highly competitive multiplayer, addictive, rip-roaring combat, an emotional story, and brand new additions, Gears of War 2 delivers to the public and stands as an excellent sequel to the first.