Gears of War 2
DEVELOPER: EPIC
PUBLISHER: MICROSOFT GAME STUDIOS
FORMAT: XBOX 360
Ok, lets get the obvious out of the way first. Gears 2 is bigger and better than its predecessor in every conceivable way. The cover and shoot system pioneered in the first game is now tighter and even easier to use, meaning sustained firefights are an effortless joy. The Unreal engine (the graphical behemoth that powers the franchise) has had some tweaks, textures and lighting have been improved and the new tech allows for a huge amount of enemies on screen at once. Gone are the small-scale skirmishes of the original, now it truly is all out war with countless Brumaks, Corpsers, Maulers, Reavers, Tickers and all other manner of Locust scum clambering to waste your entire squad. The weaponry remains largely unchanged (thankfully), with the only noteworthy additions being the flamethrower and the Mulcher (a huge, Predator style mini-gun), beefy widowmakers that are so big they prohibit the roadie run. Environments are often stunning, whether it’s rural mountains being churned up by the COGs of war, or a system of underground caves eerily lit by its indigenous flora, the vistas on display are truly impressive- one instance involving a sunken city really does take the breath away.
Storywise, the single player campaign is a mixed bag. Like the original any important story developments are kept to a bare minimum with only short character snippets and murky plot strands breaking up the action. Epic has now inserted an option to skip any sort of cut scene or dialogue, cementing further the fact that they are firmly shoving the story into the back seat. Marcus and Co. are all present, with Dom, Baird and Cole all appearing and joined by some new supporting COGs. While Dizzy and Tai are good value, they can’t distract from the fact that there should be more to the story than there is, Dom’s search for his wife Maria and the Locust consolidating their power is hardly enough to sate those seeking a meatier story than the original. However, plenty is left for a big trilogy closer and hopefully Epic are saving the best story ‘till last.
Now we come to the meat of Gears Of War 2, its multiplayer. The original has remained popular on Xbox live right up until the release of its sequel and Gears 2 delivers multiplayer modes that not only match, but also better its predecessor. Co-op campaign can now be played with independent difficulty, meaning buddies need not fear if you’re a bit more advanced than them, and you need not fear that their constant noobiness is going to get you fragged.
Online sees the return of all modes from the original Gears, as well as several of its maps, remastered and available for free download. New additions include submission mode, which is basically capture the flag only using a live, very armed and very pissed off flag.
Pick of the multiplayer modes though is Horde. This new mode could have been released as a stand-alone package and it still would have been worth the asking price. Pitting you and four fellow Gears against wave after wave of Locust scum, Horde is an absolute blast to play. Whether going solo to rack up some sneaky points or sticking with your buddies, addiction quickly forms as you strive to get past that tricky 5th/10th/40th wave. No doubt this mode will dominate online for months to come.
All in all, Gears Of War 2 is a robust package, the fantastic multiplayer will ensure its lifespan until the next game and the single player campaign, however short and frustratingly vague, still leaves one wanting more from Marcus and Delta squad. If Gears 3 delivers some improved narrative clout to go with all the fragging, it might just be perfect.
9/10
Kenneth Talbot
