Yup, that's an actual screenshot above (and below). Gears of War 2 is officially the best-looking game ever.

And though I'm only part of the way through the game right now, it's obvious to me that Epic went out of its way this time around to deliver gamers from the dull grayish browns that so many have complained about as the cliche of "next-gen" gaming. Color has been infused into the war-torn atmosphere of Gears and coupled with the incredible detail has helped make Gears 2 the best-looking game of all time.

I should mention that it's also fun. The few new guns that have been added, a flamethrower, minigun, and mortar, along with the new poison grenade and mobile cover system are welcome additions to the game. There are new enemies to blast, huge levels to explore, and more story and cut-scene elements as well. Many parts of the game that remain from the original game have been re-tooled, and the game has a much more grand ("Epic?") feeling to it than the first.

The only thing I've been disappointed with so far (aside from a small plot point which would be a slight spoiler, so I won't mention here), has been the game's music. It sounds great, and I love that Epic stuck with the orchestral tunes, but it doesn't have the character the music from the first game had - it seems more like background music, rather than part of the action. To me, that kind of sucks. To others, they may not even notice it, or they might appreciate the change of pace. It's a small irk to be sure, so I wouldn't worry about it if you're planning on buying the game and you still haven't gotten it yet (for shame!).

Anyway, I'm going to get back to playing... as well as to a few other domestic tasks. A pile of dishes in the kitchen is calling my name, and I've got a few things I want to box up tonight - I'm moving to a new apartment soon!

If you have the game and you're on my Xbox friends list, drop me an invite sometime - I've been ignoring them up to this point, but I think I'm ready to play online now. Thanks for reading, and maybe I'll see you in-game!