Even though GeoW2 is a 360 exclusive, you're clearly trying to compare it to all games - on other platforms as well. Thus it is safe to say that this is the wrong section for this thread.

Anyway, I don't think so. I haven't played either the first one or the second one but judging by how they look, they'll be pretty similar. Nothing groundbreaking, that is. They are definitely polished games but they bring nothing new. However, we already have several extremely polished games so there won't be a big difference so I think new benchmarks are either very hard to set or are pretty worthless without bringing something new as well. And please remember that I'm not saying GeoW2 will be a bad game, though I'm not interested in it personally, either.

Gears 2 looks that same as gears 1 soo answer is no. Uncharted has better graphics also.

I dont want to go into the Gears vs Resistance debate but as far as comparing it to GTA4 then there is only going to be one winner when it comes to sheer entertainment.

GTA4 was scored as a technical work of art.

Gears2 is going to be pure adrenaline and entertainment.

Whether reviews should concentrate on "art" or "entertainment" is another matter but i think the vast majority of the gaming public all agree that GTA4 was scored too highly (i am not slaggin off GTA4, just saying that the scores were a touch high)

You're trying to be funny, right? seriously, how can it be a benchmark game?

So did Halo 3, Gears of War, Dead Space, Bioshock, Mirror's Edge, Resistance 1 & 2, The Orange Box, Call of Duty 2, 3, 4, and 5, Far Cry 2, and Medal of Honor Heroes 2. And that's just shooter games.

Gears of War 2 is going to be an amazing game for sure, but it's not going to be a benchmark whatsoever (unless it does what the first game did and convinces more games to use a cover system).

Easy:

- Is the framerate constant with over 50+ Locusts on screen? Checked!

- Is the multiplayer bringing new things to the table and still fluid? Bots? Checked!

- Is the gameplay different from what we've seen before Gears? Checked! (I mean, look at all those FPS utilizing the cover system now, Quantum of Solace and Killzone 2 comes in mind)

- Is the environment destructible? Checked!

- etc.

A game's engine makes all the difference IMO. Staples like these need to stay there for a genre like this one (FPS, TPS), but I agree that it probably doesn't work (or doesn't need to be there) for all game genres.

It looks like its going to define gritty 3rd person shooters for 360 for a while and set the tone for Live. But new benchmark for Video Games? Nope. That takes it up against the best of the best including PC games and it doesn't eclipse the best of the best already available.

But it does look damn fine.

It is an amazing game and I must say it's a pretty big improvement over the original.

But I would say this gen has had its fair share of amazing games, MGS4 is still the best in my books. I have yet to play R2.

OMG I can't wait for this.

That is all.

OK to answer you I will say this.

When Gears 1 came out it blew me away I had never seen anything like it.

This game had to live up to a lot of hype and did that judging by reviews.

So for me and I stress the word me having read reviews and watched lots of videos of this game it looks better than anything I have seen to date hence my question has it set a new bar.