While Gears of War 2 bears significant improvements over the series' debut, it doesn't quite go the distance. The visuals are spectacular, the sound is awesome, the weapons and combat features are great and there's enough new stuff to keep both fans and newbies happy.

An epic; unforgettable experience; incredible atmosphere; one of the best shooters out there

Not quite there yet in terms of innovation; a few AI bugs and intermittently glitchy driving sequences

Cliff Bleszinski ( née : ‘B') may have spent much of the year talking about how Gears of War 2 has problems with its bottom, but the only piles on display here are the ‘of setpieces' variety. Immensely loud and dumb the series remains, but when playing it is so much fun, who needs Proust

Honestly even though 2008 is not quite finished yet. I feel that This game lived up to all the hype and expectations. Graphics and gameplay is way better. GTA IV did the same but I felt that game's hype was over the top. Bring it on for more great games.

Bigger, better and more badass. These are the words Cliff Bleszinski used when referring to Gears of War 2, raising expectations higher than its pred

Vastly improved campaign and online; Great new weapons and enemies; Excellent audio/visual presentation; Horde can get addicting

Improved yet basic story; Lacks major gameplay progression

There is sometimes a misconception that one of the key ingredients for an excellent gaming experience is innovation. On the contrary, a brilliantly-designed but unoriginal concept has much more value than an avant-garde idea that fails in practice.

Gears of War 2

Like a more intimidating and brutal Dick and Dom, Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago once again lead Delta Squad into combat with the Locust Horde along old favourites Damon Baird and Augustus Cole.

The worm has turned!

Video games have become a multi-billion dollar industry and some video games are the equivalent of summer blockbuster releases. These games are usually highly anticipated and hyped to death. Unfortunately, not all these titles live up to the hype.

Improved gameplay from original; Better story and plot; Improved AI; Horde mode is fun as hell; Beautiful visuals and audio; Superior multiplayer options

Vehicles drag momentum down; Getting behind cover doesn't always stick

Shooter/Action The gaming equivalent of placing a ‘kick me' sign on your own back returns. “Bigger, better and more badass†is what Cliffy B used to describe Gears of War 2 way back when. It sounded like over-the-top PR speak at the time but he couldn't have been closer to the truth.