Gears of War 2 Features Both Language and Violence Filters

What They Play Reports: "Sure to be one of the biggest games of this year, Gears of War 2 for Xbox 360 will no doubt be at the very top of the vast majority of kids' pester-list this holiday. The original game was incredibly successful, but it earned it's "M" rating for plenty of blood, violence, and strong language. In our report on the first game we found that, "Shotgun blasts tear the heads off enemies, while machine guns, and pistols tear through flesh until the blood of the victim sprays crimson. Of particular note is the gun with the chainsaw attachment that allows the player to cut through foes in such a way that the blood splatters against the television screen, obscuring the player's view of the action for a few seconds."

Gears of War 2 will be released on November 7, but has already received an "M" rating from the ESRB, for "Blood and Gore," "Intense Violence," and "Strong Language." For many families, that may immediately eliminate it as a possibility as a holiday gift. However, a new point of negotiation will become a factor this year; Gears of War 2 includes filters for both the violence, and the language. Microsoft informs us that the violence filter "turns the blood into sparks," while the language filter "takes out all the swear words."