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Gears of War 2

Epic Games · Nov 7, 2008

Xbox 360

Mature

About

The gears of war continue to turn as Marcus Fenix and his squad of Cogs go back into action in the sequel to Microsoft and developer Epic Games' blockbuster action title. Gears of War 2 continues the story of Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad, locked in an increasingly desperate battle against the nightmarish Locust Horde for the survival of humanity. The game promises to be an epic saga of survival, loss, and retribution. Just as Gears of War set the standard for high-definition visuals, Gears of War 2 raises the bar even further with the amazing technological advances of Unreal Engine 3, delivering a bigger, badder, and more intense experience as the story continues.

Trailers & screenshots

Scores by platform

Xbox 360

Critic 9.3 (14 critics) · Gamer 9.0

8.9

Critic reviews

  • Destructoid

    Jim Sterling · Nov 10, 2008

    9.0
    Gears of War 2 is a game that actually accomplishes what most sequels strive to do, which is to be better than their predecessors in every way possible. Gears 2 is a thrilling experience that does all the right things. It has an engaging shooting mechanic, excellent presentation, and a hard-hitting demeanor that both excites and delivers. The multiplayer mode will easily keep you engaged for many months to come.
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  • IGN

    Nate Ahearn · Nov 06, 2008

    9.5
    It has non-stop action, fresh gameplay, varied environments, an engrossing storyline, multiplayer that will have people busy for years to come, and some of the nastiest and coolest kills I've seen in a videogame. It has its flaws when it comes to the technical side of multiplayer and the last act of the campaign and the voice acting might turn some off. Still, none of that comes close to holding back Gears of War 2 from its destiny: being one of the best games available on the Xbox 360.
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  • Video Gamer

    Tom Orry · Nov 03, 2008

    10
    Some people will no doubt criticise Gears of War 2 for what it's not. It's not as emotionally deep as other games on the market, it's not a 30 hour + epic and it's not art in video game form, but is arguably the greatest action game ever created. In a year full of incredible games, Gears of War 2 sits triumphantly at the very top.
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  • Giant Bomb

    Jeff Gerstmann · Nov 03, 2008

    10
    It's clear that no one set out to break things that worked before, and the most dramatic steps were taken in an effort to widen the game's appeal to players who might not be good enough to play it, otherwise. But it takes on this task without dumbing itself down and alienating the people who already liked the first game. Academically, it's interesting to see this balancing act in motion. But all you really need to know is that Gears of War 2 is a terrific, kick-ass shooter with enough stuff in it to keep you busy for a pretty long time.
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  • Game Trailers

    Game Trailers · Nov 03, 2008

    9.5
    It's not absolutely perfect, it's fairly similar to the first game, and it can be boiled down to a simple war game about killing aliens. But Gears of War 2 delivers on all its promises and accomplishes almost everything a big sequel should--keeping its distinct identity while buffing up in every possible category. Unless you're already a confirmed hater or have absolutely no interest in ripping locust apart with some of gaming's most badass weaponry, don't think twice.
  • GameSpot

    Guy Cocker · Nov 03, 2008

    9.0
    Gears of War 2 has a lot in common with its predecessor, but the new environments, darker storyline, and epic scale certainly have a lot to offer fans. The new weapons, melee attacks, and co-op options make for a campaign that you'll want to complete a number of times, and the new multiplayer modes give the game variety and longevity. Simply put, Gears of War 2 is a superior shooter that no action fan will want to miss out on.
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Gamer reviews

  • Kitarachi

    Sep 19, 2023 · Xbox 360

    10

    Gears of War 2

    Gears of war 2 took everything I loved about Gears of war 1 and improved upon it. Its a brilliant dark, gritty, sequel to an already brilliant game. I found myself glued to the game and couldn't put it down, always wondering what would happen next. The game really fledged out the characters making them even more interesting. The plot is really good and is totaly worth your time. Remaining of my favourite video games ever. What a masterpiece. 11/10.

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  • Jeff Morgenroth

    Jan 27, 2021 · Xbox 360

    8.0

    Expanding on the first game in meaningful and exciting ways, "Gears 2" is a fast-paced, brutal, and exciting shooter. It's "cover shooting" mechanic is influential and remains a fun experience.

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  • Irfan Hamzic

    Feb 29, 2020 · Xbox 360

    9.0

    Even though Gears of War 3 is the best entry in the series I liked this one the most. The story and gameplay is simply amazing.

    Read review by Irfan Hamzic

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