Gears of War 2 has one of the best and most expressive menus in video game history. It flawlessly encapsulates the themes of the game, conveying terror, horror, bloodshed, death, and humanity’s struggle — immersing the player into its universe before the gameplay even starts.
The worn-out, gritty UI elements, aged and eroded text, strong use of reds and blacks for its association with death and destruction, buildings engulfed in flames, the grainy look over the entire menu, and music that evokes elegiac and traumatic tones all work together to create an atmosphere of a dystopian world plagued with loss and despair, with fear that’s practically airborne. The twitching bloodied skull always present in the background is reflective of a mind afflicted with fear, anxiety, and restlessness, symbolic of the erratic dance of a psyche consumed by uncertainty.
Yet, despite the portrayal of a world where death and brutality looms with each step in its fragmented and ruined cities, the heroic tones throughout the music pull the strings of the heart, invigorating the innate drive to serve and protect humanity, and allow a glimmer of hope to shine through its blood-red skies and burning world.
I’ve never felt a video game menu present so many feelings and make the player wander a labyrinth of emotions. It portrays a threatening and dangerous world, but lures us in with its hidden whispers. This entire ominous theme is consistent throughout all of Gears of War 2’s menus. Even navigating the UI feels heavy and clunky, there’s a weight in its animations and transitions. The harmonious marriage of colors, textures, figurations, tones, melodies, and presentation create the ideal setting to immerse the player into its world.
Gears of War 2 is a culmination of great design with emotions woven into its gut-wrenching theme. It’s a true masterpiece, and is why it’s one of my favorite games.
What do you think of the original Gears UI?