Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360)
Manufacturer: Microsoft Corp. Part number: C3U-00001
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Gamespot editors' review
Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360) price range: $26.00 - $39.99
- Reviewed by: Guy Cocker
- Reviewed on: 11/03/2008
- Released on: 11/07/2008
The original Gears of War became an action genre classic thanks to its incredible graphics, cinematic presentation, and solid cover system. The sequel repeats this formula, and though it introduces new weapons, enemies, and environments, it remains an incredible yet familiar experience. The 10-hour campaign is rambunctiously entertaining, with clever set pieces and epic confrontations that punctuate the exhilarating stop-and-pop gunplay. The multiplayer offers more significant upgrades, with four new modes, 10 new maps, and support for up to 10 players instead of eight. These things make for a package with significant longevity, and though Gears of War 2 ultimately refines more than it innovates, it still deserves a place in any action fan's collection.
Gears of War 2 picks up the story six months after the end of the first game. The Locust are so powerful that they can sink entire cities from below, whereas the humans are becoming even more desperate thanks to the spread of a disease called rust lung. With fears that the last city of Jacinto might fall, it's down to Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago to take the fight to the Locust in a desperate last stand against their alien foes. Survival is at the centre of Gears 2, but there's also personal drama, with themes such as family, death, and even love interwoven into the grand plot. This sheds some light on the characters and the universe, and though it ultimately uncovers more questions than it answers, the game has a much grander premise than its predecessor.
In terms of gameplay, Gears 2 is fundamentally the same as the original game, but fans of the series should be able to spot some key refinements. The cover system has been honed so that you cling more accurately to surfaces, and the weapons have received subtle alterations to make them even more balanced than before. The revival system has also been tweaked considerably. Not only can your AI teammates heal you if you're injured, but now you can also tap A to crawl toward them more quickly when you're injured. This makes the game a lot fairer in terms of difficulty and allows for some heart-pounding moments as you race to your teammates to avoid a fatal curb-stomping from the opposition.
Although the assault rifle is still the go-to firearm for the duration of the campaign, there are plenty of other weapons to play with. New to the Gears universe is the flamethrower, which doesn't have a great range but is excellent for dealing with groups of enemies that get a little too close for comfort. Then there are the heavy weapons, which stop you from being able to roadie run but make up for this with their immense power. The mulcher is a high-calibre chain gun that can cut through even the biggest enemies in a single burst, whereas the mortar rains down a shower of explosives from afar. Grenades have also seen improvements; you can stick them to surfaces so they become proximity mines, there's a new model that gives off noxious gas, and the smoke grenade delivers a concussive blast that knocks surrounding players off of their feet. All of these new weapons are great fun to use, and crucially, they're well balanced for use in multiplayer.
The first Gears of War was brutally over-the-top in its violence, and the sequel manages to take this even further. You now have four ways of executing your enemies, all of which are mapped onto the face buttons of the joypad. X performs the standard curb-stomp, B delivers a quicker blow to the back of the head, and Y flips your foe over for repeated punches to the face. Finally, the A button lets you grab the wounded enemy to use as a meat shield, affording you some protection until you decide to finish it off with a neck-break. The signature chainsaw move has been adapted so you cut upward from the crotch if you approach from the rear, and if two players ready their saws, they enter a duel that's won by whoever taps the B button the fastest. These new additions improve on the already gritty and satisfying melee combat of the original Gears of War and make close-quarters combat even more gruesomely rewarding.
User reviews
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Too Much Cinema!
by ITSecGuy on November 9, 2008
Pros: - Graphics
- Sound
- GoreCons: - Cumbersome controls
- FAR too much cinema (cut-scenes that can't be bypassed!)
- Weak storylineSummary: Gears of War 2, simply put, is too slow as a result of the tremendous injection of cinema into the game which makes seamless action impossible to achieve... It seems ...
Summary: Gears of War 2, simply put, is too slow as a result of the tremendous injection of cinema into the game which makes seamless action impossible to achieve... It seems like everytime you get into the game you find yourself ripped from your escaped-reality only to find yourself watching needless (and endless) amounts of cut-scene cinema that drones on and on and one..... Still, of the craptacular gameing selection available this holiday season, I would say that GOW 2 will help hold you over until the spring thaw....
11 out of 15 users found this user opinion helpful.
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GREAT!!! ...
by AAAndy555 on November 9, 2008
Pros: ... at disappointing you. Sure the graphics are fine ... the Unreal engine rocks.
I gotta say the sound design on this game is probably the best part.
I like the new environments also.Cons: As others have mentioned the bugs and slowdown are really an embarrassment. I sometimes wonder why Microsoft doesn't have an "open" beta (makes you steal it online) and I guess it's cause they don't want people to complain until they've paid.
Summary: First Halo was hyped, then GOW2 ... quantity vs quality is a game Microsoft and all us 360 owners are losing definitely this year.
Summary: First Halo was hyped, then GOW2 ... quantity vs quality is a game Microsoft and all us 360 owners are losing definitely this year.
9 out of 12 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Looking for something new
by jkraus2000 on November 9, 2008
Pros: Decent graphics, familiar enemies, new landscapes.
Cons: Bugs, bugs, bugs ... it's fun QAing a release game ...
Slowdown? ***!Summary: I'm glad I got a PS3 ... cause playing this game pretty much made me lose hope in the 360 ...
Summary: I'm glad I got a PS3 ... cause playing this game pretty much made me lose hope in the 360 ...
10 out of 15 users found this user opinion helpful.
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microsoft lets us get the bugs out as always
by kyotb11 on November 8, 2008
Pros: new intervention
Cons: same thing as halo with different settings. BUGS
10 out of 16 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Looks great, plays decent.
by jsimonson360 on November 6, 2008
Pros: Graphics graphics graphics! Blood & guts never gets old, open areas definitely make the game seem more epic. I like the storyline a bit better this time.
Cons: Slow down, glitches, unoriginal experience.
Summary: I've been a loyal 360 player for 3 years now. GOW was definitely a must have. But from playing GOW2, I have to say I'm somewhat disappointed. It'...
Summary: I've been a loyal 360 player for 3 years now. GOW was definitely a must have. But from playing GOW2, I have to say I'm somewhat disappointed. It's not that the game isn't a lot of fun, it's just that it's really not that much better then the original IMO. I definitely noticed some slowdown issues from time to time, and my system did crash twice.
Yes it is original, and yes the 360 hardware is unreliable ... that said, it has a 1 year head start on the PS3 so I think it'll be interesting to see what happens in 2009 ... thought sales of PS3 have been overtaking 360 this year so I'm worried that yes the 360 days of glory are kinda over.
I read bubbles review and he/she/it is obviously biased ... that said, I got to admit that the 360 hardware isn't really quality --- I mean when it came out it was great -- but I myself am on my second system, and that's cause my original one got a RROD about 1 year into it.
I've recently picked up a PS3 as it has, IMO, better exclusives out now then Microsoft. I'd still probably recommend GOW2 to someone who doesn't have the OG version.
Updated on Nov 6, 2008
I must admit I picked up my first PS3 last month as there are so many exclusives out that I must have!
Updated on Nov 6, 2008Yes it is original, and yes the 360 hardware is unreliable ... that said, it has a 1 year head start on the PS3 so I think it'll be interesting to see what happens in 2009 ... thought sales of PS3 have been overtaking 360 this year so I'm worried that yes the 360 days of glory are kinda over.
I must admit I picked up my first PS3 last month as there are so many exclusives out that I must have!10 out of 17 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Same game, different version.
by jannefuntime on November 6, 2008
Pros: It's bigger, it's definitely bigger. But I wouldn't say it's necessarily better. What I did notice was the slow down that others have mentioned when the action got too heated.
Cons: Slow down and bugs. I often wondered why there wasn't an open beta, maybe it's cause they couldn't iron out the bugs.
Summary: I guess I've just outgrown the whole "more of the same" type of thinking. I'm not getting this game, and hoping I can get something more original for ...
Summary: I guess I've just outgrown the whole "more of the same" type of thinking. I'm not getting this game, and hoping I can get something more original for my XBOX this Xmas.
And before everyone jumps on me, yes I have a PS3 also, and I got it for it's exclusives, Blu-ray, and all around better system. I still like my 360, but it's definitely showing its age.8 out of 13 users found this user opinion helpful.
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What's with all the FPS games?
by dunkmetwice on November 6, 2008
Pros: I really like the duck and cover system.
Cons: It's an FPS, what a surprise. Between this and Halo I'm finding myself wanting something more original.
Summary: I dunno, the 360 is seeming like a one trick pony these days.
Summary: I dunno, the 360 is seeming like a one trick pony these days.
9 out of 16 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Better than the first one.
by bneals on December 21, 2008
Pros: Great storyline. I don't want to give it away, but you feel really bad for one of the main characters. Amazing graphics. There are times you will stop playing and think to yourself...I can't believe my console is doing this in real time.
Cons: Multiplayer is great, but flawed. I frequently get matched with people at different skill levels. Finding a match is sometimes hard to do.
Summary: If you only have $60, spend it on this game. It will keep you busy for a very long time. Horde is a great addition.
Summary: If you only have $60, spend it on this game. It will keep you busy for a very long time. Horde is a great addition.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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An amazing experience worthy of Best game of the Year!
by DrumMaster1982 on November 28, 2008
Pros: Superb graphics, intense story, dark and rusty enviroments. Campaign is entertaining from beginning to end. Multiplayer is HIGHLY addictive, especially Horde mode...get ready to spend hours trying to reach wave 50.
Cons: Some slowdown when loading Multiplayer matches and quick loads/auto saves can be a bit glitchy but they quickly become oblivious. Cliffhanger ending will leave you questioning your actions throughout the game...
Summary: Gears of War 2 takes all the best from the original and upgrades it to the maximum potential with the help of the Unreal engine. The dirty and gritty enviroments ...
Summary: Gears of War 2 takes all the best from the original and upgrades it to the maximum potential with the help of the Unreal engine. The dirty and gritty enviroments are more crips and lifelike, more interaction with the enviroments, bigger and better weapons make grinding down enemies extremely enjoyable.
Just downloaded an update through Xbox Live in response to the lagtime when starting and finding players in Multiplayer. Apparently the GOW servers weren't prepared for the onslaught of people playing online...definitely not a bad thing and glad they resolved this issue as quickly as they did...Thanks Epic!
As great as the campaign is, the multiplayer is what drives this game home. Horde mode brings players together in a squad based survival mode with waves upon waves of endless Locust...it's very reminiscent of action movies such as Starship Troopers / Dawn of the Dead (except picture zombies having automatic machine guns hopped up on steroids).
I know plenty of people have wrote negative reviews on this game and praising PS3...as an owner of both Xbox 360 and PS3, I can tell you that it's all jealousy that Xbox has so many more EXCLUSIVE titles and/or because Microsoft is getting licensing of so many former PS titles (Resident Evil, Prince of Persia, Fallout).
Bottom line...if you like non-stop action games filled with gore, fighting, loud gunfire, torso ripping melee attacks, giant enemies, and the desire to step on a creatures head and it tries to crawl to safey...this is the game for you. All REAL critics are praising this game and it's already up for 5 awads are next year's VGA's.
Updated on Nov 28, 20082 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Gears 2 is a must have
by chuckupman on February 4, 2009
Pros: outstanding graphics, better story than the first one, GORE!!!, fun weapons, addicting multiplayer, and great controls.
Cons: Bad final battle, act three kinda sucks, and vehicals feel funny.
Summary: Gears 2 is just as good as if not better than the first one. It has some of the best multiplayer I have ever played and an engaging storyline. If ...
Summary: Gears 2 is just as good as if not better than the first one. It has some of the best multiplayer I have ever played and an engaging storyline. If you have a 360 then get this game, and if you dont you are definatly missing out.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Microsoft Corp.
- Part number: C3U-00001
Product Basic Spec
- Platform Xbox 360
- ESRB rating Mature - Blood and Gore,Strong Language,Intense Violence
- Genre Action
- Elements Action - third person tactical shooter
- Context Science-fiction
- Number of players 1-2 Players
- Connectivity Broadband Only
- Offline modes Cooperative,Competitive,Team Oriented
- Online modes Competitive,Team Oriented,Cooperative
- Sound Dolby Digital 5.1
- Resolution 1080i,1080p,720p,Widescreen
Game
- Developer Epic Games
- ESRB Mature
- ESRB descriptors Blood and Gore,Strong Language,Intense Violence
- Release date 2008-11-07
Manufacturer info
- Microsoft Corp.
- Manufacturer profile
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- Website: http://www.microsoft.com/
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- Fax: (425) 706-7329
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