I was playing Gears of War 2 last night, and I couldn't help but feel that the game didn't look as good as I remember the original Gears of War looking. I started to think that perhaps maybe it was just that the engine was no longer as impressive as it was two years ago. The visuals just looked washed out.

Eventually, I decided to tweak the brightness level of the game. Turns out, dropping the brightness level by just a few notches makes an incredible difference. The game in fact looks noticeably better than its predecessor once the brightness has been reduced. However, on the default setting -- at least on my HDTV -- the brightness is too high and gives the game a washed-out look. I can't objectively say whether or not this is an isolated case caused by my TV, but I doubt it, considering I've never had the problem before.

So, when you get the game, if you think it looks washed out, drop that brightness level. You'll be surprised and impressed by just how damn good-looking Epic's sequel is.

Edit: I just want to clarify on a few things. My HDTV is a DLP, and it's well-calibrated. Also, if I ever have to adjust the brightness for a game, it's because it's too dark, not too bright. The majority of the time, though, I don't have to change a thing.