Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Ambitious"

Sequels are notoriously less convincing than their predecessors. Not the case with the ambitious GEARS OF WAR 2.

*Bigger* are the game levels, the enemies and the bosses, so much so that in one occasion you are literally –inside- a monstrosity for the entirety of a level. *Darker* are the story and the environments, which make your adventure that much more gruesome and poignant; there is a true sense of hopelessness to this sad world.

*Better*, finally, for this entertaining sequel concludes on a very troubling note: the final act of this trilogy will plunge the player into an even more intense hell for sure.

Pros: Addition of bots in multiplayer maps is an enormous plus for the occasional player who, like me, doesn't always want to get online to enjoy testing his or her mettle against worthy enemies.

Cons: Still no Mad World song…

WOW moment(s): Lake monster. Burmak. Reaper riding. That big worm (slimey, gory, yucky, cool).