Cheats and Secrets for Gears of War 2 on XBOX360

Unlockables

• Insane difficulty: complete the game.
• Multiplayer skins: Dizzy Wallin = Act 1 in single player; Kantus = Act 2; Tai Kaliso = Act 3; Flame Grenadier = Act 4; Skorge = Act 5. From the first Gears of War (you must have that game's achievement): Anthony Carmine = Act 1; Lt. Minh Young Kim = 10 COG tags ("Time To Remember"); RAAM = defeat RAAM ("A Dish Best Served Cold").
• Gamerpics: campaign on Insane = Marcus; achievement "Seriously 2.0" = another Marcus; "Friends With Benefits" = Marcus and Dom. With the Collector's Edition, in the bonus disc open "Game Images" to unlock both sets (COG and Locust).
• Hidden sequence: at the "Press Start" screen, do not press anything for a few minutes: a bonus video plays. Hidden message: complete the game and watch the credits to the very end.

Tricks

• Regular weapons with the Boomshield: while holding a Boomshield equip the pistol, perform a melee attack and immediately press X + D-Pad left or right: you can use the weapon of the chosen slot together with the Boomshield (it does not work with the Mulcher and the Mortar).
• Kung fu flight: take cover behind an object you can jump on (for example a Boomshield), quickly press Up + A, then A again; wait half a second and press Down + A.
• Fire Grenadiers: shoot the gas canister on their back: they become a walking grenade; do not stay too close.
• Skipping videos: press Back during the cutscenes, for example while Marcus talks to Control or to Alpha 2.
• Cowboy hats: Act 1, Chapter 3 "Rolling Thunder" on Insane: shoot the three cowboy hats at the start: you, the COGs and a Corpser wear them until the end of the level. Toaster: Act 4, Chapter 5 "The Best-Laid Plans", after meeting Dom again, at the end of the corridor with the Locust ammo shoot the pedestal in the middle along the wall and press X: a toaster spits out toast.
• Jack Thompson: in the multiplayer map "Day One" enter the arcade: a fake machine is called "Assassination Simulator".

Collectibles (41)

• Act 1: Eagle Newspaper (Chapter 1, at the start in the middle of the street after the Training); Ambulance Booklet (garage on the right after the stairs); Jacinto Medical Center Newspaper and File, COG Letter and Proclamation and Dylan Murphy's tag (Chapter 2, in the hospital and at the exit behind the column); Grindlift Sheet and Ammunition Requisition Sheet (Chapter 3); Jacinto Sentinel Newspaper, Memorial Inscription, Driver's Note and Samuel Lee's tag (Chapter 5).
• Act 2: Engines Newspaper and Kantus Papyrus (Chapter 2); Locust Emblem (3, near the ammo after the Drones and Kantus); Ilima's Request for Help and Hank Bissell's tag (4); Jennifer's Newspaper (5, after freeing Baird); Golden Machines Newspaper and COG tag (6).
• Act 3: New Hope Newspaper, Note and Medical File (Chapter 2); New Hope Newspaper and Mark of Captivity (3, before the last train); Newspaper (5, among the small steps in the middle of the area).
• Act 4: Locust Terminal (Chapter 1); Locust Prisoner's Newspaper (2); Locust Jailer's Document and Necklace of Human Fingers (3, you need a Rodie rifle to enter the room with a Troika before it closes); Locust Calendar and Locust Defensive Plans (4); Locust Invasion Map and Worm Trinity (5); Locust Tablets (6).
• Act 5: COG Report and Sergeant Devon Jackson's tag (Chapter 2, to the right of the Longshot in the final fight); Jacinto Sentinel Newspaper and COG tag (3); Newspaper (4, in the corner behind the desk after the building collapses).

Easy Achievements

• A Parting Gift: in local split-screen multiplayer, the player going for the achievement tries to throw a grenade with LT but does not throw it; the others down him (without killing him) and stay on his body: the grenade explodes and kills both. Repeat 10 times.
• Around The World, Again: local multiplayer with 1 match of 2 minutes against a bot and win on every map; or from the Training Arena "Build your own", with 1 bot, Casual difficulty and 1 round of 2 minutes (easier with the COG team).
• Hoard The Horde: in Horde mode, after wave 6 or 7 the Maulers attack: take the Boomshield of a dead one and press A to plant it in the ground, on a flat surface, facing away from the enemies; plant more shields. Two Boomshields on the stairs of a tower in Gridlock, Jacinto or Blood Run, in front of a flamethrower, are an easy way.
• Kick 'Em When They're Down (11 executions): Rude Awakening = Lancer + B; Meatsnap = A, then X; Curbstomp = any weapon + X; Triple Punch = non-execution weapon + Y; Snixecution = sniper + Y; Torque Nudge = Torque Bow + B; Pistolwhip Deluxe = Boltok + Y; Boomshield Headache = Boomshield + Y; Shotgun Golf = shotgun + B; Torquapitation = Torque Bow + Y; Head Cutting = sniper + B.
• Party Like It's 1999: with 2 controllers, multiplayer, levels at 15 and time limit 1, Security map: take turns killing each other with the shotgun (about 19 shots, 16-18 seconds per level). Pound Of Flesh: with a frag grenade, take down a bot and aim with B, then press A to use him as a shield: the grenade kills him. Repeat 10 times.
• Suicide Missionary and Friends With Benefits: finish the game on Insane in co-op with a partner on Casual difficulty: he holds the difficult spots while you stay back.
• Variety Is The Spice Of Death: in local Warzone against a second player, 2 minutes, Canals map: kill with the starting weapons, then change the Torque Bow's spawn weapon to the one you need and repeat. Weapons required: Digger, Ink Grenade, Gorgon, COG pistol, Lancer, Boltok, Boomshot, Hammerburst, Longshot, Mulcher, shotgun, Torque Bow, Hammer of Dawn, frag grenade and Mortar.

Achievements (Gamerscore)

• Story: 10 points per chapter (17 in all, from Act 1 to 5, for example "Green as Grass", "Freebaird!", "Brumak Rodeo"). Campaign completed on Casual (25), Normal (50), Hardcore (75), Insane (150).
• Collectibles: 5 (5), 20 (15), all 41 (30). Co-op: One-Night Stand (10, chapter 1); Open Relationship (30, 10 chapters); Friends With Benefits (50, all acts).
• Kills: Takes a Licking (30 Tickers in melee); Organ Grinder (30 with the Mulcher); Shock and Awe (30 with the Mortar); Said the Spider to... (10 with a planted grenade); Smells Like Victory (30 with the flamethrower); Variety Is The Spice Of Death (30, one enemy with every weapon); Seriously 2.0 (50, 100,000 enemies).
• Multiplayer: Party Like It's 1999 (30, 1999 rounds); Around The World, Again (30, a win on every map); Dirty, Dirty Horde (20, 10 waves); Hoard the Horde (30, 50 waves); Crossed Swords (10 chained duels); A Parting Gift (20); Pound of Flesh (10); Kick 'Em When They're Down (10).
• Flashback and Combustible DLC: wins on every map, Wingman and Horde of the two packs (15-75 points).