I always planned to do some review writing once my blog was up and running properly. It’s quite fortunate that I can write a review about a game I really like so soon after release.
I started out with the training missions, it’d been a while since I’d picked up a lancer (with built in chainsaw) and I needed to blow out the cobwebs before getting started online. The training missions were excellent – showcasing the different multiplayer gamemodes whilst also allowing you to get to grips with some of the new features.
Completing the 5 training missions gives you an achievement (woot).
The campaign mode of the game starts off from pretty much where the first game left off, the Locust are moving forward at an increased rate - mounting massive assaults against entire cities. I won’t spoil any of the key plot points, save to say that the entire game moves at a very good pace and it’s just like watching a really good film (movie, for the folks in the USA). It’s like one of those books that you just can’t put down.
I powered through the campaign with my brother in less than 9 hours total playtime on casual difficulty – we’ll be going back and playing it on the harder modes over the coming weeks. I wouldn’t say that I was disappointed with the length of the game, I know that as we up the difficulty it’s going to get harder to complete and the longevity with the first came with the multiplayer modes.
Speaking of which – the new ‘Horde’ gametype pits you and your friends (up to five of you) against an oncoming onslaught of locust scum. After about wave 6 it starts getting hard. Wave 10 is nigh on impossible if you don’t have the right sort of map with which to barracade yourselves in. The good news with that is that it goes right the way up to 50 waves. I can’t even begin to imagine how insane that will be with 5 people. Tried it with 3 and it was very enjoyable.
Gears 2 is the first game in a long time that I’ve just wanted to play right the way through. Sure Fable II and Fallout 3 are good and I’m enjoying them – it’s just Gears has that extra something for me, its difficult, it’s fun and its downright dirty.
It’s got extra gore and the chainsaw and other finishing moves add that extra umph to it.
All editions of the game come with a code for 5 extra maps from the original game that EPIC have reworked to add something extra. The Collectors Edition comes with an Art book, bonus DVD and a gold plated lancer (ingame).
I did encounter a few problems when playing the game in co-op. In one instance the game developed a glitch where the two main characters should have gone up in a lift together but one ended on the top floor and one ended on the floor below with no way to continue. There was another glitch with a sealed room where JACK was supposed to cut throug an iron door – JACK disappeared and I had to restore the game from the checkpoint in order to progress. Other than this, everything was fine.
The gameplay is much improved from the first game. There was a repetitive feeling to the original game which had you running around all over the place with grubholes forming around every corner. It’s refreshing to see that the game is different in that the different things you get to do (you’ll see when you get there) make it very fun to play. Theres enough variation to make replaying the game through a pleasure. It also didn’t feel as impossible as the first one tended to do in parts.
Summary:
Improves over the first game in every way. Adds some impressive new features and I can see the multiplayer modes providing months of fun.
9/10
List of achievements for GoW2:
http://www.achieve360points.com/game/gearsofwar2/
Buy the game from amazon.co.uk::
