On November 7, 2008, Microsoft will release Gears of War 2 for the XBOX 360. Without a doubt this game has been one of the most talked about, and sure to be one of the most popular games, of this holiday season. Ever since the first Gears of War, this combat action shooter has been wildly anticipated. The action in the game is frenetic and the controls of the game are some of the best seen in action games such as this.

For those not initiated, the Gears of War franchise is a third person shooter by Epic Games, exclusively for Microsoft Studios. It is an exclusive Microsoft title and can only be played on XBOX 360. The first Gears of War was also released for the Windows operating system. To power the game’s considerable graphics and gameplay, it relies on a modified version of the Unreal 3 engine.

The game continues with the player as Marcus Felix as leader of COG Delta squad. Their operation is to stop the Locust Horde from continuing to take over the world. The storyline of Gears of War 2 continues with you using the vast array of weapons to kill the Locust Horde with the help from your COG squad. The favorite weapon has been the machine gun/chainsaw combo that allows you to shoot down and saw your opponent. A really cool new feature of Gears of War 2 is being able to use a downed opponent as a shield to keep yourself from getting shot as you continue to fire. Those that have seen previews of the game have enjoyed this new tactic available to the player. Killing the Locust Horde or your opponent has never been more thrilling.

Multi-player promises to be where Gears of War really shines. There have been a reported 15 new maps available for multi-playr action, which should help keep interest in the game until well into 2009. The multi-player option has numerous games that will keep players interested. It has been reported that there will be three different on-line multi-player modes. The player will also have the option for Co-op play with a friends or friends.

Gears of War2 is a game that a lot of fans of the original will be looking forward to. They have raised the bar on action and violence. If you liked the first Gears, then you will like the second, as the gameplay has improved across the board. No other game is more anticipated for the XBOX 360 than Gears of War 2 during this holiday season. For those that enjoy Gears of War action figures or Gears of War toys, new versions of those will also be released during the launch.