Title: Gears of War 2
Platform: 360
ESRB Rating: M
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Epic
Rating: 
Review by: Bill Jones
Gears of War 2’s main fault is also its strongest point – it doesn’t deviate much from the formula of its predecessor.
Gears of War 2 feels like a standard sequel – slightly updated graphics, a few tweaks to the problems of the first and a couple new, small tricks. It is a bummer that the game does not try to innovate a bit more, but playing it safe and correcting the problems of the first isn’t the worst route Epic could have taken with this title.
The most important change is that the focus seems to have shifted from campaign to multiplayer, which is definitely a good thing. It is evident that Epic tried really hard with the story, but it is still ridden with clichés, bad dialogue, and as ridiculous as it is, is often predictable. The gameplay doesn’t vary much, even with vehicle sections. It is mostly just snap cover and shooting, with a few branching paths, to get through the story. And the ending, the “boss,” is an incredibly weak way to go out.
Luckily multiplayer is finely tuned to keep gamers interested for the long run, especially with the newest addition – Horde. The new mode is an online co-op experience where up to five players fend off increasingly difficult waves of enemies until overwhelmed. It overshadows the rest of the multiplayer modes, but they all feel solid and much more interesting than in the previous iteration.
The changes in Gears of War 2 are smart, calculated. Epic doesn’t mess with a proven formula, but builds ever-so-carefully upon it. The campaign still needs better writing and something to spice up the gameplay, but all-in-all the game is worthwhile both for old fans and newcomers. It is one of the most refined action experiences in gaming. The extra $10 for the limited edition is definitely worth the cash for die-hards, as it comes with a nice book, badass steel-book case and behind-the-scenes DVD.
For more info, http://gearsofwar.xbox.com
