A Preview of Gears of War 2

Gears of War 2 is the awaited sequel to the original GoW. It is a third-person shooter that is heavily based on co-op multiplayer. In this review we will go over some of the new technology added into this game, and the tweaks that have helped to make it better than the previous.

GoW2 is an exclusive game for the Xbox 360, being developed by Epic Games and published by, of course, Microsoft Game Studios. It will use an extremely updated version of the Unreal Engine 3, enhancing the graphics for this next-generation console.

In the first game, you are baddling baddies named "Locust" which, to me, look like George Bush would if he stayed out in the sun for an extended period of time. They create "emergence holes" that allow them to attack quickly and with stealth. In the sequel, the Locusts have found a way to make these emergence holes that will swallow entire cities. The main character and his team must find ways to combat the Locusts and disassemble plans to destroy the survivors of the human race. Their plan in this game is to drill into the heart of the Locusts and take the fight directly to the center of enemy territory.

Owning the first Gears of War, it's ability to play co-op with a friend has been one of the best experiences I've had in gaming history. The only thing that could make it better would be playing the game on a 50 inch projector. I suppose a 40 inch flatpanel TV does the trick just as well though.

The ability in the first game to duck and cover adds a whole new exciting experience to the war genre. Being able to fire blindly when enemies are racing toward you and a friend. The game even features, as points, a decision technology that allows you to go a few different paths with the click of a button. Most of these paths end up with the cooperative player going the other direction with an AI controlled ally and giving an option for you to help out your friends by being able to take out baddies from another location when they are pinned down.