Gears of War 2

9.0

Format Xbox 360

Developer Epic Games

Publisher Microsoft

Genre Shoot 'em Up, Action

13 Comments

You have no idea how much a chainsaw matters until you've played Gears of War 2. It's always there and always reliable, whether you're slicing through giant pulsating hearts or doing lobotomies on Locust grubs.

In fact, there don't seem to be many occasions where the screen isn't completely dripping with blood. This game doesn't know the meaning of restraint. If it did, it would probably chainsaw that too.

Before revving up campaign mode, make sure you have 12 clear hours ahead. You see, attempting to play it through in one sitting becomes an almost irresistible urge. We're not going to hit you with spoilers here, not least because shock value is king for GOW2. All you need to know is that Marcus and Dom continue to battle the subterranean Locust, trying to prevent them from sinking entire cities into giant emergence holes.

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There's been a lot of hype about the storyline, but that isn't what will keep you gripped in Gears 2. Instead, the strategic cover fire system, the kick-ass weapons, giant bosses and genuinely ridiculously epic eye-candy are really what count.

Here's some perspective. We just killed three Brumaks (the original game's biggest monster) within the space of a minute. That was while driving a tank with monster truck wheels across a rapidly disintegrating frozen lake. This is just one of the many dramatic set-pieces that are designed to make you feel amazingly powerful.

And it works a treat, although the scales are rarely tipped so strongly in your favour. Later on, there's a boss creature who looks like he could kill a Brumak merely by breathing on it.

Situations like these call for big guns, and lots of them. The most popular new weapons will undoubtedly be the Mulcher (a portable mini-gun) and the Mortar. Both are stupidly powerful, but they're also the most risky to use. When equipped with one of these bad boys, you can't run or perform melee attacks. In addition, they have to be placed down or mounted on a piece of cover before you can even think about firing them.

The Mulcher does as its name suggests. The whining noise it makes is comparable to the noise you'll make when it runs out of ammo, and a little quieter than the screaming noise the Locust make as they're being massacred. Firing off the mortar is even more fun.

Aside from the sniper rifle, it has the longest range and turns everything in a circular radius into a dish of meaty chunks. Its downsides include a long reload time and an aiming system that's seemingly based entirely on keen judgement.

Few other games can boast a weapon system that's quite this balanced, or one where the strengths and weaknesses are so clearly defined. And because you can only carry three guns at once, it's often a fun guessing game as to what you'll need for the next big set piece.

All war, no bore
Let us make this clear, there are no boring bits in Gears of War 2. Every series of skirmishes is punctuated by a set piece that just blows you away. While other titles save their most impressive encounters for the endgame, this is relentless shock and awe. There are lightning-fast on-rails sections, a driving bit that's actually fun, and a stack of great plot twists.

The only place where Epic gets too carried away is trying to flesh out the various storylines. Every time a new angle crops up, there's the feeling it won't be resolved until at least Gears of War 5.

It's also a particularly mean-spirited tale, with very few moments of hope. Thankfully, linebacker Cole Train injects some genuine laughs; for our money, he's rapidly becoming the best character in the game.

Occasional flat spots aside, the plot adds to the experience as Planet Sera is pleasingly fleshed out with new locations and back story. Much of the incidental detail comes from War Journal documents hidden around the maps. These also add replay value - as if you need another excuse to give the game a second visit.

Environmentally friendly
The landscapes and backgrounds are truly breathtaking. Sera could almost be a double for planet Earth. There are enormous mountain ranges and rain-swept industrial complexes; all pretty conventional but nonetheless beautifully rendered.

While a couple of levels are too similar to those in the first game, there are also some huge surprises in store. There are scenarios that could only come from the most outrageous sci-fi minds. Again, no spoilers - but do you remember the meat cube from the Unreal Engine tech demo?

Campaign mode, meanwhile, improves on just about everything from the original Gears of War. Multiplayer is also bigger and even more strategic.

It's still a taught and nerve-wracking team game, but the new weapons and features add even more strategy to the mix. The player limit has also been upped to ten, a new party system added and the nefarious shotgun-rolling technique excised completely.

One of the tastiest new features is that you can attempt to crawl to safety after you've been downed. It doesn't matter that you won't get far before your skull is stomped into a pulp, just trying is fun. The new shield and proximity mine functions also add strategic possibilities when you have to defend key locations.

Horde mode is an entirely new game type that pits five co-op players against 50 waves of AI-controlled enemies. It starts out easy, but after wave 15 the number of enemies is overwhelming. This mode in particular requires great team work, and is one of Gears 2's most addictive features.

In Xbox Live matches, the host has a slightly smoother game than everyone else, but the difference is quite minimal. The new weapons don't really mess up the balance either, which is fantastic news. Best of all, it's possible to fill in empty spaces in your game with AI controlled bots. These guys are surprisingly tough on the Insane difficulty setting.

Gears for fears
There are very few ways that Gears of War 2 could be improved on. Only the story and the final boss in particular are a slight disappointment.

Fanboys will love the fact that only one of a multitude of story arcs is concluded; everyone else will feel slightly unfulfilled. But aside from this, Gears 2 is not just the most exhilarating game you'll play this year, but possibly the most heady and downright shocking piece of entertainment full stop.

Hollywood, your days are numbered. Our only suggestion is that Epic Games takes some Ritalin before starting Gears of War 3; otherwise there's a very real possibility that the excitement is going to kill us.

Ben Talbot