January 12, 2009 - When I first acquired my Xbox 360, I had a sinking feeling.

“What if this whole next-gen thing was just a scam?” I asked myself, as I played game after game that would have been easily possible on earlier-generation systems with some trimmed back graphics and a lower resolution. It wasn’t until I picked up the original Gears of War (for the record: I skipped out on Oblivion) that I came to the conclusion that surprises in the gaming industry were still possible, and they might really be on to something with this whole “next-gen” thing. Gears was an adrenaline-fuelled kick in the ass that the action genre had been begging for since the glory days of Doom, and its massive sales numbers reflected that. Still, as fun and fantastic as the original was, there was plenty of room for improvement.

Fear not, Gears fans, for I can emphatically announce that nearly every issue I had with the original game has been addressed and tweaked to near-shooter-nirvana. Those who crave the intensity of an interactive battlefield in their living room must pick up Gears 2 with no delay.

The game takes place a year after the original game, in which our heroes obliterated the bloodthirsty, subterranean locust hordes with the launching of a light mass bomb in their midst. Of course, profits being the bottom line for Epic and Microsoft, the series would not be allowed to end so tidily. As the sequel begins, we are reacquainted with Marcus Fenix, Dominic Santiago, and the rest of Delta Squad as they prepare to defend the last bastion of humanity, Jacinto. It seems that the light mass bomb had the same effect on the locust as a baby carrot has on my lunchtime hunger. The Locust are back and more pissed off than ever, and have found a way to sink entire human cities. Therefore, it’s up to Delta Squad to take the fight to the Locust doorstep, and give humanity one last hope for survival.

I dare not reveal anymore, because the storyline is actually far more interesting in this sequel than on the last go-round. Unfortunately, the game ends on another cliff-hanger, and has left huge hanging plot threads that will likely be resolved in the inevitable sequel. Also, while some may complain about the terribly goofy dialogue and somewhat hokey voice acting, it’s important to remember that Gears of War 2 is all about approximating a Hollywood blockbuster action movie, and the silly dialogue helps to charmingly add to that atmosphere. Much like a classic Van Damme or Schwarzenegger flick, if you’re complaining about the acting and dialogue, you’re undoubtedly missing the point.

As far as gameplay goes, Gears 2 is as pristine and adrenaline-pumping as the shooter genre gets. Like the original, the game is played from a third-person perspective, and demands that you spend most of your time behind cover unless you like the feel of bullets to the face. Taking this tactical slant, players must dive from cover to cover, line up their shots carefully, and remain exposed as little as possible in a firefight. Thankfully, the folks at Epic Games have created the best cover system in the industry, and with only a little practice, you’ll be flying from cover to cover with a grace that is rarely seen in video games. The system is also improved from the original game, with improved intuition and smoother cover-taking. Rarely will you be able to blame anyone other than yourself for death.

Fortunately, you have more than just a great cover system on your side. The arsenal has been expanded, and the weapons are incredibly satisfying to wield. New to the party are mortar launchers, miniguns, flamethrowers, poison gas grenades, and proximity mines. Of course, the iconic chainsaw-mounted lancer makes a triumphant return and remains one of the coolest weapons in all of video games. This time around, if two opponents rev up their chainsaws at the same time, a chainsaw duel takes place in which the winner is the one who hits the B button the fastest. When enemies are down but not dead, you are also able to take the hostage, curb stomp their heads under your boot, or commit extra gory finishing moves that leave you exposed to enemy fire for longer. My personal favourite is when playing as a Locust in multiplayer, you can rip off a COG’s arm and beat him to death with it. If you find yourself in the life/death limbo, you can now crawl away by tapping the A button, which leaves behind a satisfying trail of blood. It’s safe to say that Gears 2 will satisfy even the most bloodthirsty gorehounds (such as yours truly).