Do you remember the first Gears of War? When it came out, people were impressed by the graphics, the innovative cover mechanics and the over the top macho vibe of the entire gaming experience it offered. Epic Games, led by Cliff Blezisnki, managed to create a title that revolutionized the way shooters looked and felt on the Xbox 360. The game received a PC port and then Epic Games went on to work on Gears of War 2, a game more expected by some than Halo 3.

The title arrived in November and did not disappoint. Gears of War 2 is quite a gaming experience. As the Locust regroup and try to take out Jacinto by using a giant worm to dig under the city, the COGs and especially Delta squad need to go deep into the bowels of their territory in order to take out the Locust threat once and for all. The creators managed to add an emotional aspect to the game and the story is more important and interesting than in the first release in the series.

Gears of War 2 looks truly beautiful. Character models, even if bulkier than ever, move with a certain fluidity, which infuses the fighting with a ballet like quality, while the scenery is dull, yet very much what you'd expect of a land threatened with destruction. The weapons are satisfying and even if you do not use them extensively, the chainsaw and the duels increase the level of excitement.

One of the most interesting aspects of Gears of War 2 is the multiplayer, especially one mode guaranteed to make you have fun during the holidays. A player only needs to get a group together, with copies of Gears of War 2 and with Xbox Live Gold accounts to get to play Horde mode, where you choose a map and survive on it as the Locust come charging in ever more powerful waves. Real team play and coherence are required to survive the high level hordes and the mode is incredibly fun to play around with.