Gears of War 2 Review
As a sequel to Gears of War, which already contained amazing graphics, great gameplay, and excellent multiplayer, Gears of War 2 successfully adds on to the first game in more ways than one.
Starting the game most will notice the same controls as the first one but they still hold up in this version and seem to be slightly improved. The cover system is still the best I have ever used in a video game and provides a great alternative to the third-person shooter. The graphics also look a lot sharper and more pristine than the first providing a better landscape and background during firefights. The campaign follows a pretty decent plot but does become a little cliche and corny at some moments. The only very upsetting part of the single player campaign was the ending which seemed more like an anticlimax. Adding more longevity to the campaign is the collectibles and co-operative play. Co-op in Gears of War 2 works excellent, and the ability to play splitscreen with two different difficulty levels provides more accessibility to friends or family that might not be that experienced in shooters.
Additionally, many new weapons have been added and make executing Locust even easier.
The Multiplayer aspect of Gears of War 2 has been vastly expanded on adding a party system that was absent from the first. However, lag, slow matchmaking, several glitches, and inadequate leveling indicators have held Gears of War 2's highly ambitious multiplayer back. The various new weapons add a new layer of strategy and finesse to the already booming multiplayer community.
For these reasons, Gears of War 2 is an excellent game that significantly surpasses the first game in many ways and is most definitely worth at least a rent.
