These calculated low points turn out to be one of the game's best tricks, ratcheting up your anticipation until you're shooting at shadows luring you deeper into its labyrinths before springing the trap.

This time the design is a bit bolder, allowing you lengthy periods where there's nothing at all to blast or chainsaw, and offering up the odd assault course, a simple puzzle, or even a chance to take in the scenery instead. The first Gears could often fall into the trap of shunting you into a box and pouring in the enemies, before coaxing you into the next box and repeating the experience. As it gets more experimental in its surroundings - and at least one level I'm not allowed to talk about is surprisingly experimental - its structure frees up as well. Each of the five acts manages to be distinct, and yet consistent, with a broader colour palette, and a wider range of landscapes than the first game's. It's an inventive approach that's echoed in the game's settings.