Gears of War 2 is a beast of a game. Our review stated as much. Launching in 2008, in came in at what seemed like the end of an era. Halo 3, the then conclusion of Xbox's flagship series had launched the year previously, with no indication of where the franchise would go next. Then, of course, Gears of War 2 picked up the burden.
Giant in scope, knee-deep in bloody violence, it was a game focused on action, but still had a story to carry players through. Always painted as a darker alternative to the high-minded Halo franchise, I remember being downright intimidated by the first game's teaser trailer:
I remember when the third entry came out towards the end of my high school years (before 2014) and how that third entry also seemed like an end of an era.
Fast forward to now, of course, and it's clear that there are little to no signs of either franchise slowing down. While there may not be any good reason for them to continue, if a publisher sees good enough reason to continue, it will go on.
But with advancement in age there may come a resultant lack in focus. Take the latest comparison by Crowbcat, a YouTuber who makes a regular showing of dissecting the flaws of contemporary games and their moneymakers.
The video takes a look and compares the relative "weight and intensity" between 2008's Gears of War 2 and this year's Gears 5. Among the points made are a huge lack of detail in hit reactions from both player characters and enemies, as well as the amount of blood pouring out of enemies between titles, and a lot more.
How much does it matter? I'm not entirely sure. One thing I've learned over my years covering games is that even the littlest things matter a great deal. Even the smallest shatter in a window frame can cost a huge amount of money. But the same is true for the way a player might appreciate a game. I haven't played Gears of War since that third title in high school. For me, there are times when games should reach their end. My opinion is not the end all, be all of it, but when it's clear that developers have stopped putting in the effort to make their games as great as they used to be, it does beg the question of why they bothered with it in the first place.
