Review: Gears of War 2

If there’s on thing that can be said about the Locust Horde, the antagonists in the Gears of War franchise, it’s that they’re persistent. Not content with wreaking havoc on a small scale, these technologically advanced bloodthirsty aliens have progressed to the point where they can now sink entire cities into the underbelly of the Earth.

Lucky for humanity, we’ve got Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago.

Picking up the story from a few months after the original, futuristic third-person shooter Gears of War 2 finds Marcus and Dom suiting up, packing heat and heading underground to bring the war to the Locust Horde. Think of it as a retaliatory strike.

Improving on game elements from the original such as cover combat, weapon systems and revival, Gears of War 2 preserves crucial components of gameplay that players are used to, but also refines them, and thus creates new ways to approach combat.

In terms of cover combat - which was the defining element of  Gears of War - the system has been tweaked to allow you to huddle closer to barricades or even pick up a wounded enemy and use them as a shield as you blast your way forward, allowing for newer approaches in close combat situations.

Playing through the game, you’ll amass a decent arsenal, which includes the some other worldly weapons such as a mortar cannon which literally makes it rain metal and Gorgon Burst Pistol, which unloads lead in quick bursts. You’ll need to master some of these if you want to figure out new ways to deal with baddies.

Of course Gears of War 2 wouldn’t named “one of the most anticipated games of 2008″ by nearly every fana and critic if it wasn’t for its complex and robust co-op multiplayer options. There are 10 new multiplayer maps in the game, and different game options include classics like Execution, Assassination, and Annex and a PC option what was featured in the original title, King of the Hill.

Overall, Gears of War 2 differentiates itself enough from its predecessor by adding refined elements and fixing the quirky difficulty issues. By Combining engaging objectives, a visceral combat system, impressive AI and a multi-facted multiplayer system, it’s definitively a must have title for fans of the franchise.

Or those who just really like to shoot things.

Gears of War 2 is available now exclusively for XBOX 360