Gears of War 2
Epic Games is back for round two with their groundbreaking intellectual property Gears of War, and this time, it's not just a clever name. Gears of War 2 is easy enough to describe, you don't have to look any further than the developers name. Epic. In scope, in design, in graphical prowess, this game delivers on a high level throughout the entire experience. It manages to provide a countless amount of 'Oooos' and 'Awwwws' and can at times be breathtaking. In an era of high definition entertainment, Gears of War 2 stands on top of the hill, uncontested.
When a game comes out that blows everyone away, the sequel will not be held in such high regard if it simply matches its predecessor. It's just the way things work. It also has all the hype to deal with on top of the initial pressure of besting its previous effort. I'm sure Axl Rose will agree with me on that one. Fortunately, Gears 2 shows up for its launch party in a stretch hummer with enough ice and ho's you'd think Snoop joined the COG's. Oh yeah, this game is sexy.
The sequel continues 6 months after the end of the first game. When the human race attempted to wipe out the Locust, a large portion of their race was destroyed but it didn't quite get all of them. Papa always said "If you're going to do something, do it right". Well now the Locust are all pissed off and they're essentially bringing down every major city that is holding a resistance down to their level. Underground. Entire cities are now sinking and Jacinto is the human races last strong hold. To stop the locust from taking out their last hope for survival, the COGs are now taking the fight directly to the home of their enemies. The Hollow
If you enjoyed the first Gears game, you'll be right at home when you start playing the latest installment. I haven't played Gears of War in at least a year and I was back in game shape within minutes of playing the sequel. Everything concerning the controls has stayed the same. The developers chose to keep everything that worked (which was a lot) intact and focus more on the story and level design. There are of course some new weapons and enemies amongst other new additions that let you know you're playing something new. This game feels exactly like a continuation of the first with everything multiplied by 10. This game is how I envisioned what a perfect game would look and feel like. I honestly believe that Epic just plucked this game right from my brains wish list. I honestly believe that...honestly. Just plucked it. Probably using Wi-Fi......
Improvements in the story in Gears 2 are apparent from the start. New characters are introduced and as the game progresses, you find out about their respective backgrounds and reasons for fighting the good fight. Hints are constantly being dropped in a means of foreshadowing that was not as evident in the first game. The story keeps you guessing by hinting at several possible outcomes and maintains a certain suspense throughout the solo campaign. You really get a sense of purpose whenever the story is brought back up after all of the intense shootouts. There is certainly a stronger dramatic presents then in the first game and this adds a real sense of value to your missions.
There are two things that make this game stand out over all other shooters to date. The scope and the detail are breathtaking. Everything is HUGE in this game. Everything. Imagine Shadow of the Colossus with intense gun battles thrown in just to keep things interesting. Whether you're underground or making your way through a war torn city, the draw distance goes for miles and you are completely immersed by your surroundings.
As I mentioned before the detail that was put in this game goes above and beyond anything I have ever seen in a video game before. The graphics were a big selling point in the first game and part two shines like a mother in this department.
When I get the chance to stop and smell the roses in this game, it's the little things that really impress me. The tip of your gun gets red hot after firing off a couple of shots and then cools down when you're not using it. Particle effects floating around in the air add to the dusty, beaten down look the designers were going for. Rain drops stream down on the outside of windows during rain storms. Everything looks unique from the cracks on the floors to the dirt on walls. It's as if there was absolutely no copy/paste work done when it came to any art details in any of the levels. Another addition is that practically everything is now destructible, including your cover. You'll see chunks of stone or wood fly over your head as your means of cover gets smaller and smaller as a barrage of bullets whiz all around. Put all of this together and you'll have a serious case of over-stimulation on your hands if you try to take it all in at once. You honestly have to see it for yourself. I caught myself with my jaw just hanging in a fly catching position at least 3 times that I can remember.
The sound as you can imagine is top notch as well. Creaks and moans are heard throughout the majority of the levels adding a very creepy vibe to those times when your guns aren't blazing. Surround sound is a must when playing this as bullets can be heard coming from all directions with the sound of rain falling behind you along with enemy shout outs and grunts. When all of this comes together it's a virtual symphony of death and destruction that really sucks you into the action. A lot of voice acting is in this game and for the most part it's pretty good. Dom got on my nerves at times mainly because his voice always sounded like he was a little too happy and relaxed for what was going on. If I was being chased by some exploding Ticker while dodging Reaver missiles, I doubt I'd be in a "let's all pile into the minivan and get some ice cream!" kind of mood. That is a nit-pick on my behalf because honestly there really isn't very many negative things to discuss here.
Oh wait, there were a few time when I got stuck pretty bad in some parts of the levels but it only happened about 3 times. It happened once in a battle and I almost lost my shit about it but the other two times I was just exploring and got wedged into some random piece of the background. Speaking of exploring, COG Tags are no longer the only collectible in the game. There are now letters, notes, journals and all kinds of things scattered throughout the levels. Everything that you discover comes with a bit more insight into the game from the perspective of fallen COG's or other civilians. This is a great way to add to the story and really keeps you guessing about the true intentions of this war. Believe you me, a lot of new information comes to light in this sexy lil' sequel.
Enough about this single player merde, let's discuss the multiplayer facet of the game. First off, Gears of War 2 now allows up to 10 players to play at the same time. That's a lot of dismembered corpses. There are 3 new multiplayer modes including "Guardian," "Wingman," and "Submission." Guardian is practically identical to the original mode type assassination from the first game only this time, you lose the ability to re-spawn. Wingman pits 5 groups of 2 players each against one another in a clash of dynamic duos. In other words, 5 teams, two players on each team, bang bang, you're dead, next round.
My favourite addition to the online arena is the "Horde" mode. You or some buddies play together (or alone) against a constant onslaught of enemies in a round by round basis. As you progress, the enemies become more difficult and numerous. At the end of each round, points are accumulated based on kills and other statistical categories and a winner is determined at the end of each round and ultimately when all the rounds are over.
If you haven't figured it out yet, I think this is a pretty worth while game if you’re a 360 owner. If I went over to your house and it wasn't in your collection, I'd be ashamed to know you. Run, don't walk and pick this mother up. See you online suckas!
