Review
When Gears of War was released, it quickly became an Xbox favourite and garnered quite a following. Because of its success, it seemed inevitable that a 2nd entry would arrive but I don’t think anyone expected it to come out so quickly or that it would elevate the series. Coming in hot, Gears of War 2 would cement the Gears of War series as one of Xbox’s standout exclusives and prove to be one of the greatest games of 2008. A difficult thing due to the other incredible releases that year like GTA 4, among others.
After completing their mission in the last game, we hoped we would rejoin Marcus, Dom and the COG in a much stronger position against the Locust. This is not the case as the Locust have returned stronger than ever and have found a way to sink cities, leaving Jacinto in grave danger. They have only one option left, to strike at full force against the Locust and attack their home, hopefully putting an end to the war once and for all.
Just like the last game, what seems to be a straightforward mission is quickly wrought with dangers and many twists along the explosive and engaging campaign. Instead of a campaign filled with pure action, there is now a lot of heart to its mission and the campaign. Getting to know the men and women we fight alongside helps to keep us invested in the war against the Locust as we uncover even more horrors that await us.
Not only do we get to learn more of the inner workings of the Locust Horde and where they come from but we also get to learn more about the COG and the secrets they have buried. Thankfully, developers Epic Games know when to stop just enough to keep us intrigued while not detracting from the overall campaign, leaving chapters and mysteries to be explored further in future entries. Improving on the collectibles in the last game, we can now find contextual documents filling in some of the storytelling gaps found throughout the campaign while we also see the return of COG tags that each bring a personal story with each of them.
The Verdict
Gears of War 2 is an epic masterpiece (pun unintended) that elevates the series in brilliant and unexpected ways while also building further on the landscape of Sera that shows there are many more secrets and agendas beneath its bleak exterior. The emotional weight was something that was missing in the last game but wasn’t entirely missed but Gears of War 2 decided to double down on that and gave us an emotional side plot that truly emphasized how monstrous the Locust are. Gears of War 2 is one of the greatest games of 2008 not only for its fun gameplay and set pieces but for its brilliantly written and intriguing story and how well it fleshes out its characters in meaningful ways.
Main Narrative - Gears of War 2’s campaign and story is one that juggles several points of interest but always manages to keep itself clear and easy to follow. The exciting campaign is boosted by it’s brilliantly written story that carries action, heart and horror that is perfectly balanced. - 10/10
Characters - Showing the softer side and expanding on the characters we already know was brilliantly implemented as to make sure it didn’t eclipse the main story. Marcus continues to be a strong pillar for the group and Dom’s story is expanded on in brilliant and heartbreaking ways. The newer characters also leave their mark on the action packed journey and never feel forced or redundant, While it feels there could have been room for others, it’s good that epic games decided on a clear path and stuck with it. - 10/10
Collectible & Environmental - Expanding on the collectibles present in Gears of War, we get to find even more contextual documents that bring their own storytelling values. Returning are the COG tags and now each one hold their own significant story to them showing the struggles felt by the Gears who are fighting and dying. The ruined world of Sera continues to show many different faces as it’s not just the typical war-torn environments from the last game but the deeper homes of the Locust and the more natural landscapes. - 10/10
World Building - The World of Gears of War continues to expand in unexpected and effective ways as we learn even more about the nature of the Locust and the secrets left behind by the COG. We see that there are so many more mysteries beneath the conflict between the 2 armies and shows things are not always what they seem. It will be exciting to see how the world is further built on. - 9/10
I give this game 10/10 Locust Emblems
