More of the first game...a lot more.

For those of you who have played the first Gears of War, your biggest disappointment with the game was probably the short campaign. Rest assured that this game delivers what feels like a campaign whose length is comparable to the campaigns of similar-type games. The campaign feels like it was designed more with the focus of playing co-op instead of just being thrown on (which I felt sometimes with the first game) and it is a lot of fun, whether you are playing by yourself, with a friend or online and the addition of the Horde mode is a nice touch. Now, no game is perfect so here is what I felt were some faults with the game: the game feels easier than the first game. Not saying that it can't be challenging enough for some people but it seems like this game did not make me struggle in certain areas like I can remember the first one doing. The levels also don't seem as varied. Once again, when I played through the first one, I felt like the story progressed and led you deeper into enemy territory and there were unique levels (like the mine cart level, the mansion, power plant, etc.) that each offered something different. With this new game, the levels all look great but they lack the same kind of uniqueness to them. I am not saying that the developers didn't try to have unique levels (I think they did), but the levels just all come off as one of two types: either a standard get-to-this-point level or an on-rails shooting mission. Arguably, this same thing can be said of the first game (and maybe it is just how fresh the first game felt when it was first released that has left a lasting impression on me) but it feels like the levels in this game are either the same underground level or the same rubble-ridden open space. Perhaps I am comparing the game too much to its predecessor. So for those of you who have not played the first Gears, let us take a step back and try to see how the game holds up on its own. The game looks great graphically. It has a solid campaign (both in size and substance), fun online games, and ultimately it is worth the price. Even though the game has its shortcomings (one of which is a disappointing final boss battle), I still would recommend this game. It is just great fun and can be found fairly cheap now that Gears of War 3 is out. I hope this review has helped gain some insight for those of you who were unsure or on the edge about this game and have fun.Read full review