Gears 2 may not be as tight a shooter as its father is, but it is without a doubt a sequel that leaps bounds. From the single player campaign to the multiplayer to the 4 player supported coop Horde mode, there are many things for one to love about Gears 2. Okay, the story is nothing great, but that doesn't really matter, because Gears 2 is such an amazing game that you won't care that the story is kind of a throw away. This games strong suit lies in its rhythm and pacing. One moment you're escaping from an all out attack on a hospital, to blasting away Locusts while riding shot-gun on a massive transport, to ripping your way out of a huge worm like monstrosity, to sneaking your way into the underground caves and dungeons of the Locust horde, yes Gears 2 is filled with tons of jaw dropping and awe-inspiring moments, and they are not few nor far between. Now, as for the multiplayer here too this game shines magnificently. The online in this game is highly addictive, not to mention tons of fun. Then you have what I mentioned earlier, Horde mode, which in and of itself is something of a marvel and down right paves a new way to play cooperatively.
It's extremely fun and thrilling to see how many waves of horde you (either by yourself or with up to 3 friends) can survive before you and your buddies are all wiped out. At least Gears 2 records where you and your friends last left off so you can always start from that last wave that smoked you and then hopefully beat it. Beating all 50 waves of Horde is both a joy and a challenge, so make sure that you're playing with smart players for better team cooperation and better outcomes for each wave that you and your friends complete.
Overall, Gears 2 is a brilliant sequel that not only lives up to the original but even comes very close to surpassing it. It probably would have had it not been a bit bloated in some areas (i.e. one too many cinematic moments in the campaign, though awe-inspiring, hamper the replay value and one too many bloated battles are more of a grind than a joy).
Verdict: 9/10
Replay Value: Great (up to 3 or more) = Fun Factor: Extremely fun = Gameplay: Rich
Specials
Cover System: Tight = Multiplayer: Very fun = Horde Mode: Addictive