So I got Gears of War 2 on Friday for my Xbox 360. It’s an astonishing game: the graphics are second to none, the animation is very realistic, and the intensity of some of the gameplay is just awesome. The online play is also very well done. You get your regular deathmatch, but what’s brilliant about this GOW release is that there’s also cooperative play. You can go through the campaign/story side of the game with a mate, or team up with 4 of your friends and take wave after wave of Horde monsters on for up to 50 levels. It’s intense and a lot of fun.

I’m not sure what demographic it’s pandering to, because although the game’s very impressive and it’s got a huge fanbase, it is all very scripted. There’s no open-ended outcome. You’re just going through the motions, doing as you’re told. You have no real affect on the overall outcome. Perhaps I’ve been playing too much Fallout 3 for my opinion to remain neutral. It does feel however that some parts just don’t require any thought whatsoever. You can’t play intelligently or manipulate your environment to better your situation. That said though, it’s still very fun.

The longevity of the game comes from its online offerings. The co-op and deathmatch side of things cannot be knocked, and I hope to see online co-op play emerge in other games too.