Gears of War 2 Review (OXCGN): Marcus & Dom Continue The Fight

From OXCGN:

"GoW2 continues the story of Marcus and Dom, COG soldiers fighting for the survival of the human race, against the locust. This time around the story isn't just there to move on the action. There is real emotional depth to the still overly macho storyline.

There will be moments that move you, especially if you were a fan of the original and have already connected with the characters. It will shock some people to hear this after the lack of story from Gears 1, but Gears of War 2's storyline is probably the best we have seen this year. Full of brilliant dialogue, and emotional moments, the storyline will drag you in and keep you playing."

[gaminoz]

"Gears of War 2 at least in my mind is the undisputed game of the year for 2009. "

Wow that's a big call. Can't wait to see if it is so. I'm sure glad there is more stoy in it! A bunch of shooting meathead space marines "hu-ah!" does not a story make (unless it is done in irony as with Starship Troopers...that was funny).

[n4gn4gn4gn4g]

tragic death of certain characters' wives and the surprise about the locust will make it GOTY. This is the deepest story line since HALO III imo.

[Rhythmattic]

You've got to love the adds and Competition Bombarding you on the Home page... Just makes you wonder, Dosent it ?

Still , I will get my 360 Arcade, and enjoy this one.

[leeeeed]

Not Gears of Fail II!

Good review :D

[XboxOZ360]

Hmm, I'm a bit mixed on it myself . . . . jumping from a few different games into Gears 2 and then back, there's something just a little 'strange' about it, can't put my finger on it . .

[Superfragilistic]

Nothing strange at all... In fact with the original Gears I used to interchange it with Viva Pinata! lol

I'd get all grisly and morbid and then use Viva as a change of pace. This time round I'll likely do the same with their sequels although Fable 2 is like crack, and Banjo looks like an awesome time waster alternative.

[DARK WITNESS]

wow, deep down i thought i was the only one. i know everyone is loving this game, but some how i too feel as though something is not quite right about it.

there are a lot of little things that i am finding i do not like.
i won't bother going into them.. but of all the games i have played in the last 2 weeks, no gears is not my no 1 this year.

maybe i have not played enough yet.. i have just got to the bit were you are underground, but ya i alreayd feel i have had enough so i am back playing something else ( something that i do not usually do ). i will continue with gears tomorrow.

but so far i do not feel the story.

[aceitman]

its not what i expected im not puting the 360 down im putting down gears and im not to happy with the high scores the first thing i noticed is the graphics are a little better little 1.5 not 2 and i think that its truggling to play on the 360 it has a hell of a lot of check points and it lags bad when it save on the check point not like the 1st and it lags a lot when fighting more than 3 enemies on the screen and the most i had close counter is 4 so far ther is one more thing but i cant figure it out that made me love the 1st gears more i think the 360 is maxed out with gears or cliff rushed this out to compete with re2 because i think there is some issues to take care of and i hope that cliff can patch it up

[solidt12]

I think a big part of the problem is that there are so many good games that have already came out this year and know that the big guns R2 and Gears 2 are out it is hard to get so excited for them because there is just so much to choose from. I think if these games came out with a whole month or so to themselves we would be more attached to them. I have Gears 2 and R2 but I still keep going back to Fallout 3 and Fable 2, LBP and Dead Space for some reason. Weird

[Superfragilistic]

In a perfect world Microsoft and Sony will make beautiful gaming love together... and in that case the perfect world is at my place! lol

Can't wait to play MS' heavyweight on my beautiful Sony Bravia. :D

And nice review. :P

[Immortal Kaim]

I love this game, Horde mode is soooo good. Alright, back to Gears 2

[BADJOYSTICK]

This is the reason why xbox cheerleaders will never be taken seriously

[chaosatom]

You know they haven't played mgs4 if they wrote that.

[mesh1]

xbox360 oz haha right your a sonby fanboy deal with it and move on gears of war 2 is better than any game this year. faccry 2 ? console ? hahahahahaha looks like garabge.
and guyds naythan hale dies in the end of resisitance he is turmed into a chimera and is killed by the us gavernment an aslo the ending is garabge.4/10 game

[XboxOZ360]

Actually, try READING some of the site clown.

We LOVE the MGS4 game. We covered the Sydney launch ( http://xboxoz360gamer.com/2... and reviewed the game and gave it a solid 9.9/10 . . http://xboxoz360gamer.com/2...

So do try taking YOUR Sony blinkers off once and a while and you'll notice not everyone is like you. So to those so-called Sony fans who do NOT own a 360 and who do NOT play the game, a little note to remember is that we DO play BOTH platforms, but simply 'prefer' one over the other for our own reasons, not which one is 10x times better etc.

Remember, we also love 'some' great Sony PS3 games, we will review them when we can, so stop being one-eyed . . it makes you out to be a - well - you know, a One-Eyed thing . . (I'm trying to be polite here)

[2 cents]

Hey guys real honest question if i did`t like the first gear what are the chances that i would like Gears2? All these reviews and good scores are making me want to play it but i know i did`t like the first one and i don`t wanna waste my money?

[gaminoz]

I'd say if you aren't sure, there are so many great games out now that you should get one you are sure about and maybe rent or try a mate's copy first. Gears 2 will be an improvement but not a huge jump either.

Sort of like if you didn't like Halo, it isn't going to change all that much to get Halo 2 or 3. It depends on your style of game choice.

Of course eventually it will be available cheaper too...

[XboxOZ360]

I'm a bit like you mate, while I "liked" Gears 1, I wouldn't say I "loved it" . . So this one isn't doing anything for me atm.

Switching from Gears 2, then to Far Cry 2, then Back to Gears 2, there's a huge difference graphically and interactively with the two games. SO I suppose FC2 has spoilt me visually ?

[Hunter86]

If you didnt like the first one you wont like the second. He says the gameplay is pretty much the same. Anyway someone told me theres a 2nd review going up on oxcgn from someone who didnt like gears 1 in a couple of weeks.

[Hunter86]

Its an xbox site you really expect them to take MGS's story into account.

[gaminoz]

I thought MGS4's story was WAY too self-indulgent and occasionally verging on 'soap opera' stuff. It needed editing badly. But yeah, storyline with space marines is a bonus.

Apparently Resistance 2 has got LESS of a story than Gears 2. The guy never talks, so you don't really care about him. I'll have to see for myself which has the better story.

[silverchode]

lbp has the best story :)

[CliffyBs15YearOldBF]

and he loves me. And I love this game :-)

[BADJOYSTICK]

dom doesnt die
he kills his wife because she suffering
the locust queen is revealed and is half human

[Hunter86]

Your saying all those spoilers like they are bad plot points. Its pretty crazy when he kills his wife.

[DiabloRising]

"It will shock some people to hear this after the lack of story from Gears 1, but Gears of War 2's storyline is probably the best we have seen this year. Full of brilliant dialogue, and emotional moments, the storyline will drag you in and keep you playing."

This does shock me, and I'll politely disagree. The story felt cheesy, and the Dom's wife subplot felt forced and rather out of place. The game is a great, great action game. There's no need to hamstring a cheesy story in there to make me "care" for these roided out muscle freaks. There are some cliche lines that are genuinely funny, but I wouldn't call the dialogue brilliant by any means.

Thankfully, none of that matters at all. This is an action game, pure and simple. In that respect, it succeeds immensely.

[XboxOZ360]

You'd think by my GamerTag I'd be ALL Xbox360 (funny that) But I also thought the storyline a tad weak and somewhat 'cheesy' - for want of a better word.

To those who bother to read, rather than simply post WITHOUT reading first. The site believes ALL games deserve their day, and because a reviewer has his or her opinion on a game, doesn't mean that EVERY person on a site has the same view. However - we support each other in having that view point.

We might all like 360 games (not all of them mind you -some suck big ones, as do Sony and Nindy games) . .Thing is, at lest we're open to looking at all sides, not just one. Our role is Gamers, not fanbois. Try reading our Review on MGS4 (no - we didn't bag it - http://xboxoz360gamer.com/2... and our night at the MGS4 Black Beta Launch Night ( http://xboxoz360gamer.com/2...

So if you've not bothered to play Gears 2, or refuse to because it's a 360 game, try being GAMERS, not Fanbois . . at least we do look at both, but simply chose one over the other for our own personal reasons.

[DiabloRising]

I'm not really sure what you're getting at with that long post? Did I come off as a fanboy or something for simply not liking the story aspect of the game? That wasn't my intent as you can see.

[CliffyBs15YearOldBF]

he just said the game is a great action game. clearly he is no fanboy. all personal opinion to be honest.

[XboxOZ360]

NO probs mate, we each read things differently as we express things differently . .so yes, Can't say there's a story there myslef either. Just wanted to point out to others as well, that we do attempt to be as unbiased as possible. But in the end, a review is only ONE persons personal "Experience" of something they have done. Nothing more. It's not something anyone should base their life on

O never really look at review scores myself anyway, as I like different things in games than perhaps others do. I LOVE Mirror's Edge demo, and the game will rock - for me. But at the same time, I can see it WILL frustrate many gamers and especially FPP (First Person Perspective) players, as it approaches the genre' in a different way, and basically, no big guns hehehe.

[DiabloRising]

Oh OZ, its nice to see someone that can discuss intelligently here.

[XboxOZ360]

No probs mate. Hey, something to do with maturity (no offense meant JK) . .but I do have a few years up on many, and while some might think I'm a tad old - "hey man yah to old ta bee playin' games dude" . . it doesn't matter, as it's what helps me on many levels.

There's many ppl out there that you (generally speaking) could have great 'conversations and discussions with, but there's also a HUGE amount that simply squash that sort of stuff and call anything over 5 lines of text a "rant" . .

I say bring on good conversation, we may actually "learn somefin' heheheh

But yes, I can see that many gamers will LOVE Gears 2 simply because t=of the death, carnage and mayhem. Yet probably haven't applied for the Left 4 Dead demo, which is said to rival ANYTHING on MP on the consoles to date, especially on Hardcore.

So those that don't try it out, play it for a day, not 5 mins, or won't give Mirror's Edge a go - all I can say is that you'll be doing yourself out of some great fun. Gears is "okay, but NOT what it was hyped up to be, and that's from a 360 site owner.

[GarandShooter]

I'm enjoying the action and mayhem, and it plays a whole lot like the first, not that that is a bad thing in any way.

But I really had to laugh at the engaging, emotiomal story comment, and wondering if I was in fact playing the same game. This story is as trite, cliched, and hackneyed as some feel WWII is in shooters, and dungeons, princesses, fairies, trolls and magic are in RPGs.

In the end Gears 2 is an action title, and it does what it does, and it does it very well. The fact that you won't be pondering the storyline and wondering how it metaphorically applies to your own existance detracts absolutely nothing from this wonderful ride know as Gears of War 2.

EDIT: By the way Oz, your MGS4 links aren't working.

[Hunter86]

To each their own I guess. I felt I agreed with the writer on this. Really enjoyed the storyline.

[DiabloRising]

Awesome. I'm glad it worked for you. :-)

[crimsonfox]

you have got to be kidding me...

[TheDude2dot0]

Gears is good at many things. A good plot it is not good at.

[rawd]

GoW2 continues the story of Marcus and Dom, COG soldiers fighting for the survival of 15 year old boys

[Blades08]

I've been playing it for half a day on and off (Amazon shipped early!). The story so far is better then Gears 1 and the graphics are sharper, the tunnels and underground in Act 1 look great and clearer (scenery). I'm not sure where the Dom's wife thing is leading but overall I like it better then Gears 1.

[GarandShooter]

Hey Dom, I see you joined just in time to be a spoiler douchebag. Congratulations from us all.

[anubis12]

HALO..MLG. GEARS..MLG. ps3??MLG??? poor kids

[d2dahoopa]

one of 08's biggest failures

ohh my gosh the game is horrible!!!!!!!!!!!!

im extremely disappointed i wondered why it was soooo cheap and now i know why

went the midnight launch first in queue,,, was back home in 6 minutes flat put it in and the game angers me on the same level as COD4 talk about changing a game soo much

smoke grenades have F***ed up the whole way the game is played
:@ :@

Gears is now in the list of failures,, you should never change something what isnt broken,, all they needed to do was take out host advantage, wall bouncing, active sniping and thats it.
such a sad day for true hardcore gears of war fans

who ever calls this crap better than number one is a Fanboy straight up

if it keeps going like this i will buy a PS3

[XboxOZ360]

Try the Mirror's Edge demo and grab Left 4 Dead mate . .

[d2dahoopa]

^_^

[Rocky87]

Gears of War 2 is so awesome ...