The gameplay mechanics of the first game is what made it so addicting, so it should come to no surprise that gameplay in Gears of War 2 is simply spectacular. Seeking cover, blind-firing, and the ever-famous curb stomp are all as fun and brutal as they were in the first game. That doesn’t mean that nothing has changed. Several new weapons and enemies all make an appearance throughout the game breathing new life into the familiar franchise. All have a very distinct feel, but immediately feel right at home in Gears universe. Particularly the flamethrower – oh, how I love thee, flamethrower.
The game does a nice job of breaking up the pace of combat by including at least one driving sequence in each of the five acts. Luckily, all of them are more fun than the one driving mission from the last game. Epic Games have also included two significant changes: chainsaw dueling and human shields. Both are pretty self-explanatory, but let me say they are both extremely useful. Chainsaw dueling can, at the very least, provide a fighting chance to a charging enemy carrying a 
chainsaw, and human shields can be as deadly as a shotgun when used with the correct pistol.
That doesn’t mean that all the appropriate changes in Gears of War were made though. It’s still not as easy to throw grenades (accurately) as it should be, and the in-game cut scenes still drag on longer than they need to. The thing that puzzles me the most is why the game still won’t let you crouch when you’re not roadie running. They’ve got more than enough buttons to map it to, but yet Marcus still cannot crouch. Maybe he’s the descendent of a Spartan and refuses to partake in any form of kneeling. It would most certainly explain his deadly demeanor.
