The original Gears of War, an Xbox 360 exclusive became a classic with its clean graphic design, cover system and intricate storyline. In fact, the game spawned an entire franchise of media. The sequel became an overnight success even though it repeated the same formula, because it is familiar, yet quite different, with new weapon designs, stunning environments and brand-new enemies to conquer. All of this combines to make Gears of War 2 the best game of the series.
Gears of War 2 picks up six months after the end of the first game. The Locust became increasingly more powerful and were able to sink entire cities below ground. In turn, this made the humans desperate to try to avoid the plague known as Dust Lung. Protagonists, Marcus and Dominic, are forced to take the fight below the surface to fend off the alien species from taking over the planet. With so much at stake, failure is not an option.
Gameplay-wise, the mechanics are the same as the original Gears of War. However, fans of this series will easily spot the differences within the game itself. One thing that was refined was the revival system. AI teammates can now heal players when they become injured, and players can crawl toward them quicker than before. Previously, it was hard to get to a teammate before they bled out. This addition has made the game more manageable in terms of difficulty and survivability. That doesn’t mean it isn’t just as gut-wrenching to try and reach other teammates before being decimated by the opposition. Even more disturbing, Epic implemented the use of corpses as “meat shields” for extra layers of protection.
The first game was jam-packed with action-filled scenes. The sequel took this a step further, adding four new ways to execute enemies. The addition of heavy weapons was groundbreaking. Gears of War 2 added the option to use a flamethrower to scorch enemies into dust. Though these weapons make it harder for a player to run away to evade enemy attacks, they make up for that with insane power. Even the grenades got an update — sticking them to surfaces causes them to become proximity mines. A new model of grenade was also added that lets off toxic gasses. All of these changes make for a very well-balanced game, especially in multiplayer.
Fighting alone during the campaign was no longer mandatory with the release of Gears of War 2. Video games are often best played with friends, including ones wherein players must face dangerous, ravenous aliens. The entire campaign features drop-in support and the ability to choose difficulty levels for each player. Multiplayer also had an extreme makeover, offering more players, maps and game modes. One such mode, Guardian, is a team-based match with one designated leader of the group. If players manage to keep the leader alive, they are able to respawn. Let the leader die, and that privilege will be revoked. Adding several game modes added more variety and kept fans engaged even longer.
The visuals in this sequel are almost like that of a movie. With some of the best AI enemies in the industry, opponents feel intelligent and tactical. The pure sensation of war this game provides is overwhelming, to say the least. Epic managed to dive into a deep vein of emotion throughout the entire script. It tries to pull on the fans’ heartstrings, and it works. This, mixed with visceral action experience, thrilling gameplay and spectacular visuals is why Gears of War 2 will continue to live on as the best in the series.