Although its been almost a year since Gears Of War 2 hit stores amid a blitzkrieg of aggressive marketing, nothings come close to trumping the games close-quarters chainsaw chopping, macho heroics or irrepressibly cocksure attitude. But even if youre desperate for more testosterone-fuelled carnage, think twice before downloading the latest GOW2 expansion packs
Whether you choose Dark Corners which contains seven new maps and a deleted scene from GOW2 titled Road To Ruin or the All Fronts Collection that includes the Dark Corners content and all previous GOW2 map packs, these downloads are a superb way to keep the games multiplayer thrills alive, thrusting players into a wide range of beautifully-designed arenas, each with its own unique challenges and hazards. From the new Allfathers Garden map that favours players who are a dab hand with a sniper rifle to the deranged Sanctuary that funnels warriors into a tight space where the action invariably becomes intense and chaotic the slick head-to-head battlegrounds are worth the Microsoft Points alone, and will add months of life to the explosive experience.
But if youre hoping to extend the single-player adventure, Road To Ruin will be a huge disappointment. Ditched from the original game as it dramatically slowed the pace of the story, this lost episode finds players either blasting their way through an underground Locust stronghold or wearing Theron armour and using stealth (yes, stealth in a Gears Of War game!) to sneak through the buzzing hive. But while this subterranean outing reveals a hidden side of a much-loved story, Road To Ruin is repetitive and dull when compared to other episodes in the original GOW2, and adds nothing to a delicious quest youve already gorged yourself on.