The enemies are bigger, the feel is grander and the testosterone is off the scale.  This is how I’d sum up Gears of War 2 for anyone who has experienced the original.  It doesn’t really do the game justice though.

From the moment you start the campaign mode, you can tell just what sort of game this is.  Massive heavily armed enemies appear on screen and they don’t look best pleased.  Cue Marcus Fenix, hero of the last game and gruff-as-you-like all round hard man.

Much shooting ensues, interspersed with some neat storylines which I actually found quite engaging (for a change).  Enemies get bigger, set pieces get grander and pretty much everything is ramped up as you plough through enemies with bullets and blood flying everywhere.   What sets this apart from other Third and First person shooters is that it’s all done so well and feels so solid.  Even in the thick of the action there seems to be no slowdown, no sluggish control issues.  Every command and control is ready at your fingertips.  The set pieces are so well timed as well, just enough to build up the pressure until something jumps out at you or the scenery reveals a massive battle in front.

Even early on you get the feeling of scale while you ride massive vehicles while pelted with missiles and attacked by towering enemies that match the oversized tractors for size.  It’s pretty amazing what Epic have managed to cram into this game.

To help you along, there is a 2 player Co-op mode which allows you to team up and take on the Locust horde together on the hardest setting.  Even with 2 of you fighting against the swarm of enemies can be a struggle.

But it’s on the multiplayer that previous GOW owners will notice the improvements most.  Gears of War was never really that hot as a multiplayer when up against other 360 shooters, but the sequel makes amends for that.  While the standard modes have been enhanced (a sort of new capture the flag mode and wingman game) and are far more meaty than before it’s the Horde mode that I found most impressive.

Horde is basically a survival game.  Up to 5 team mates against an ever increasing wave of enemies.  1 life per wave (but with the ability to revive injured team-mates) and the simple requirement of one member staying alive for each wave until all the enemies are depleted.   It doesn’t sound like much on paper, but boy is it a blast!  It’s now one of my favorite online pastimes and really makes teams work together to try and survive for as long as possible.  After playing with other Freeola members, Horde is almost enough to recommend buying Gears 2 for on it’s own.

This is usually the part where I discuss the bad points in the game but, to be honest, I can’t really think of any in Gears of War 2.  Ok, so the machismo may not suit everyone and the story is as brainless as any Hollywood action movie, but they suit the game. 

For me, Gears of War 2 is probably the best game the 360 has ever seen.

10/10