Gears of War 2 picks up six months after the events of Gears of War, and thrusts players back into a deep and harrowing story of humankind's epic battle for survival against a nightmarish force of underground creatures known as the Locust Horde. Players continue the story of Marcus Fenix, a reluctant war hero, as he leads Delta Squad on a series of perilous and adrenaline-pumping missions. Gears of War 2 blends a best-in-class third-person shooter with unsurpassed high-definition visuals, all layered on top of an engaging story of survival, loss and retribution.

Contestants will compete to be the first to play the full game of this much-anticipated holiday blockbuster. To reach victory, gamers will face real-world challenges that test their skills as they attempt to save humanity from the vicious Locust Horde.

Over the next six weeks, the Game U Best Buy G3: Games, Gear and Gadgets Tour will hit 20 major colleges and universities across the country. Featuring the latest videogames, game technology and digital music, students will have the rare opportunity to play “Gears of War 2” before its much anticipated November 7th release.

Videogame fans can compete in the “Gears of War 2” Wingman Challenge, sponsored by Xbox 360 and GamePro Magazine. Wingman is one of the many multiplayer modes new to “Gears of War 2,” and involves up to five two-player teams competing in point-based battles. The top players from each college will later compete online for the grand prize: a trip to Epic Games to meet the creators of the “Gears of War” franchise and a Best Buy prize package.

Attendees can also play the latest blockbuster titles on Xbox 360, including “Madden NFL 09,” “Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09,” “NHL 09,” “NCAA Football 09,” “Far Cry 2,” “Saints Row 2,” “Facebreakers,” “Rock Band 2,” and last year’s #1 selling game, “Halo 3.”

The Best Buy G3 Tour launches on Monday, September 29 and will visit campuses nationwide such as the University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, Oklahoma State University, Arizona State, UC Berkeley and more. The event is free to the public and the full tour schedule is listed here.

Key Features:

• Gears of War 2 builds upon the gameplay of the first title in every way. First, the scope of the action is bigger. New characters, more weapons, nastier enemies, bigger vehicles and grander locales offer players more action, more emotion and more thrills. Next, every major aspect of the game has been refined to create heightened, more immersive experiences. Finally, the overall tone of Gears of War 2 is more badass – replete with new weapon-specific executions, chain saw duels and shocking boss fights.
• Gears of War 2 raises the graphics bar for next-generation games through its breathtaking visual effects, which are made possible through advances in Unreal Engine 3. New visual effects in Gears of War 2 include ambient occlusion, dynamic shadows, improved character lighting, the ability to render hundreds of on-screen characters simultaneously, improved water physics, additional blood and bullet decals, advanced destructible environments, new weather effects, and the introduction of fluid objects. When combined with the sweeping vistas and evocative locales in the world of Sera where the Gears of War 2 story unfolds, these additions help make Gears of War 2 the most gorgeous game available this generation.
• Gears of War 2 continues to push deep, immersive storytelling in video games to greater heights. Humanity's epic battle for survival is felt on both personal and epic levels as players explore multiple story arcs that introduce new characters and flesh out the histories of familiar ones.
• Xbox Live is a robust online entertainment network, and allows gamers to enjoy GoW 2 either competitively or cooperatively. Enhanced competitive multiplayer gameplay over Xbox LIVE will introduce new modes and weapons, and a multitude of new maps.2 Also new to Gears of War 2 is the ability for gamers to drop in and drop out of the co-op campaign at any time, while playing at their own difficulty setting. Enjoying the visceral thrills of Gears of War has never been easier.

Gears of War 2 will be available in a Standard Edition ($59.99) or Limited Edition ($69.99) and is scheduled to launch Nov. 7, 2008.