Gears of War 2 Sells 2 Million Copies First Weekend

Gears of war 2 is the mega gore smash hit that has parents and teens equally engaged in the very realistic game that some have been aptly calling "game of the year"

Once you've had chainsaw guns, you can't go back to regular chainsaws or regular guns.

Everything that was great about the first "Gears of War" re-emerges in "Gears of War 2," either meeting the high standard or surpassing it. The visual presentation is stunning, the battles intense and the mechanics spotless.

What separates "Gears of War 2" from its predecessor is a story line that delves deeper to add emotion to the visceral experience, the element that invests you in the characters and the dire situation of the humans as they fight for existence on the planet Sera.

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"GoW 2" takes place after the failed attempt in the original to destroy the subterranean terror, the Locust. Back with a vengeance, the Locust horde have a plan to take out the city of Jacinto, humanity's last refuge.

The twists keep coming and quick, with many of the game's juiciest bits off-limits for discussion because I don't want to risk spoilers. Although "GoW 2" resolves some questions, even more tantalizing ones get the brain itching.

While Marcus Fenix remains the star of the show, fellow gear Dom gets his due. It's through Dom that we are shown the emotional toll of war. He's searching for his wife, his reason to keep fighting. Other characters are introduced, but not in a way that bogs down the pacing, and, as in any war, there are casualties.

More cutscenes pepper the sequel to flesh out the story line, but the cinematics aren't used as a crutch. The dialogue doesn't go overboard on the drama, either, with just enough to sell you the emotion or make you chuckle.

The new "meat" physics are put to spectacular use in one level that adds a heart-pounding dimension to the gameplay. Of course, expect extra meatiness when dispatching any enemy up close and personal with the standard-issue lancer.

There also are new ways to finish off a wounded enemy, besides the popular curb stomp. One example that comes in extremely handy is the meat shield.

The A.I. on both sides is solid. Your squadmates no longer need constant revival or direction from you, and, except in one particular fight, keep you from bleeding out.

Ordinary battles up the lethal ante with Reaver, Corpser and Brumak appearances, and because of this, ordinary courtyards quickly can turn into boss fights. However, the big boss battle near the end is a little disappointing, largely because of the lather-rinse-repeat strategy that, once determined, feels stale.

To keep things fresh, the environments range from dilapidated cities, deep underground in Locus territory, old COG facilities, boats and vehicles, and even a Reaver and a Brumak. You'll want to pause in some scenes just to take in the details and the outstanding backgrounds.

If the campaign mode is the heart of "Gears," the multiplayer is the testosterone-pumped muscle. Co-op plays a huge part in this installment, with the addition of Horde, where you and as many as three friends fight to survive waves of Locust horde. You can even play the campaign mode co-op, and, thanks to a split screen, attack the objectives strategically as you progress through the story.

The online multiplayer modes are where the bloodthirsty go to play, especially with all the wonderful weapons -- from flamethrowers to mortars to mulchers -- execution moves and 15 maps, including five flashback maps to download. There's occasional lag when searching for players to join a match, which is aggravating, but hopefully the delay will subside as more people pick up the game. And aside from a few glitches here and there, the overall experience met expectations.

The "Gears" franchise continues to climb in quality and substance, and, with four levels of difficulty, it's accessible to noobs and challenging enough for hard-core Gear-heads.

And, if you wait for the end of the credits, you'll immediately get fired up for "Gears of War 3."