New Gears of War 2 Preview - The Good and the Bad

[QUOTE="JediRiff"]

Yes, it does. If they drastically changed the gameplay, it wouldnt be Gears anymore. How is that a good thing? They have apparently fleshed out the campaign story more, have tweaked things, given more environments and executions, and added more "toys" to kill each other with.... where is the fallacy in that????

Cloud_Insurance

Thats why I said in my first post:

"There are a variety of ways to significantly improve a game without changing the core of the game which made it so successful in the first place."

Look at all the new features/improvements in Resistance 2. Its pretty damn significant. And yet, the gameplay is the same.

I expect more than "tweeks" in a sequel. So far, I haven't seen it from Gears 2. Sure, its possible the devs have done more for the sequel than what has been released. But as of right now, the improvements/changes are not looking that impressive...especially when compared to Resistance 2.

Yeah, but significant changes in Resistance 2 most likely cant change that gameplay, because its pretty much run and gun! Its gameplay was pretty much grown from a generic shooter type genepool, whereas in Gears you HAVE to use strategy and cover, or you are dead. The gameplay between the two is completely different.

[QUOTE="Cloud_Insurance"]

Look at all the new features/improvements in Resistance 2. Its pretty damn significant. And yet, the gameplay is the same.

Ninja-Hippo

Like what? What are the "pretty damn significant" changes?

um, a separate campaign for co-op? That supports up to 8 players? That scales in difficulty depending on your level and how many people are playing?

um, a separate variant for multiplayer where the game becomes a class based shooter? That supports up to 60 players?

[QUOTE="Dante2710"][QUOTE="Cloud_Insurance"]

Ah, another poster that hasn't played Resistance. Compared to Gears, the first Resistance had:

more multiplayer gametypes

more maps

more weapons

2 different races with distinct advantages/disadvantages

more potential players per match (up to 40)

So um, how exactly was Gears multiplayer deeper than Resistance again?

Cloud_Insurance

lol, um tf2 has nothing to do with anything. Why are you talking about a CLASS BASED FPS in a thread about Gears and Resistance?

[QUOTE="Cloud_Insurance"]

No it doesn't. Thats nothing more than damage control, giving Epic a pass for apparently resting on their laurels instead of attempting to innovate and expand on the original Gears of War with Gears 2.

Resistance wasn't broken (haters hold your tongues), in fact it was a deeper multiplayer shooter than Gears, and yet IG has put forth a ridiculous amount of effort to make Resistance 2 significantly better. There are a variety of ways to significantly improve a game without changing the core of the game which made it so successful in the first place.

Dante2710

Reisistance 2 MP will be deep. Anyone who disagrees must not know what it offers.

[QUOTE="Cloud_Insurance"]

Ah, another poster that hasn't played Resistance. Compared to Gears, the first Resistance had:

more multiplayer gametypes

more maps

more weapons

2 different races with distinct advantages/disadvantages

more potential players per match (up to 40)

So um, how exactly was Gears multiplayer deeper than Resistance again?

Ninja-Hippo

"Deep" is entirely subjective. You could easily argue that Gears had a fairly unique set up of small teams fighting over tight spaces; it forced strategy and team work, especially thanks to the no respawns. I'm not hating on resistance at all, i'm just saying i'd have to disagree with you to write off Gears' multiplayer in favour of it. They're both simply shooters with online modes, at the end of the day.

As for Epic being lazy, i dont understand why Resistance is being seen as such an epic advancement over the first. It isn't massively improved graphically, and i honestly cant see what all the fuss is about. What exactly have they added? More players online? Huge bosses? That's the innovation and expansion you're bragging about?

Let me clarify: by "deep" I was talking about the variety of the multiplayer. How different the game is from match to match, since it offers so many options. I wasn't talking about deep in terms of requiring strategy or tactics to play. Its impossible to prove that Resistance or Gears requires more strategy/skills to play than the other.

um, a separate campaign for co-op? That supports up to 8 players? That scales in difficulty depending on your level and how many people are playing?

um, a separate variant for multiplayer where the game becomes a class based shooter? That supports up to 60 players?

Cloud_Insurance

So more players and online co-op? :|

Dont get me wrong here, i'm not bashing resistance at all. I think i'll be a great game. What i dont like, is this myth that they're really overhauling the game and making a plethora of improvements while lazy epic arent doing anything.

The way i see it they've both had fairly minor graphical improvements, are both running on the same engine, both have new campaigns, and have both added more players, more weapons and more modes to their multiplayer games.

Resistance has added online co-op, but Gears had that in the first place. They've expanded it to allow a full team of four players to take on the campaign however.

So really, how can you possibly say Insomniac have made "pretty damn significant changes" while complaining about epic?

[QUOTE="Dante2710"][QUOTE="Cloud_Insurance"]

No it doesn't. Thats nothing more than damage control, giving Epic a pass for apparently resting on their laurels instead of attempting to innovate and expand on the original Gears of War with Gears 2.

Resistance wasn't broken (haters hold your tongues), in fact it was a deeper multiplayer shooter than Gears, and yet IG has put forth a ridiculous amount of effort to make Resistance 2 significantly better. There are a variety of ways to significantly improve a game without changing the core of the game which made it so successful in the first place.

TREAL_Since

Reisistance 2 MP will be deep. Anyone who disagrees must not know what it offers.

that is one lame preview from unknown website. yes gears 2 is pretty much the same as gears 1 coz its a sequel (and its a good thing thats its same, coz gears 1 was almost perfect)......honestly wtf do people expect from sequels? I bet they would be happy if gears 2 was a racing game

[QUOTE="Cloud_Insurance"]

um, a separate campaign for co-op? That supports up to 8 players? That scales in difficulty depending on your level and how many people are playing?

um, a separate variant for multiplayer where the game becomes a class based shooter? That supports up to 60 players?

Ninja-Hippo

So more players and online co-op? :|

yeah thats all it is

here is a smiley face for you:

:roll:

[QUOTE="Adrian_Cloud"][QUOTE="WillieBeamish"][QUOTE="Adrian_Cloud"]

Atleast resistance 2 is better, gears 2 is just gears 1. Who wants to ppay 60$ plus live fees, plus and HDD(if you dot have one) to play the same gme/.

SpruceCaboose

Who wants to pay $60 for the sequel of an underwhelming first-person space alien shooter? I haven't seen a R2 video that didn't put me to sleep.

you COMPLETELY missed the point. RESISTANCE 2 IS BETTER. 8.6+ guaranteed.. AAA game.

How can you claim one unreleased game is better than another.

cow logic ftl

8.5 confirmed?

I still think GeoW 2 will score 9.0 here though.

Way to pick the one preview that is the worst of the bunch, and broke the NDA to get a few cheap hits. Why not post the Eurogamer preview from today where they say the game is great. Or this one

http://www.videogamer.com/xbox360/gears_of_war_2/preview-1292.html

As our time with Gears of War 2's campaign came to an end, we were left gagging for more. And that's one hell of a reassuring feeling to have. It's a very familiar experience, but undeniably it's a better one. And we've only played through the first act. We'd tell you to get very, very excited for this game, but we've got a funny feeling you already are.

[QUOTE="TREAL_Since"]

Reisistance 2 MP will be deep. Anyone who disagrees must not know what it offers.

Dante2710

Players will be split into lobbies of six-to-eight-member squads, each with unique objectives. Specific areas on each map will foster frantic large-scale battles, but most of the fighting should come in the former of smaller skirmishes. This is very similar to the Battlefield games on PC which is a deep aspect of it's MP.

Character classes each with specific weapons. This alone allows for more strategic firefights resulting in deep gameplay.

Humans and Chimera have respective character traits in MP. This can be used strategically to overcome the other team. (Beserker mode ect.).

Smaller features such as profile pages, clan support, and other social networking bonuses will be avaiblable. But they just add to the expereince.

Even IGN calls it deep :): "Although I only had a few hours to play all three modes of Resisatnce 2, it struck me as phenomenally deep -- much more than we'd ever expected."

Way to pick the one preview that is the worst of the bunch, and broke the NDA to get a few cheap hits. Why not post the Eurogamer preview from today where they say the game is great. Or this one

http://www.videogamer.com/xbox360/gears_of_war_2/preview-1292.html

As our time with Gears of War 2's campaign came to an end, we were left gagging for more. And that's one hell of a reassuring feeling to have. It's a very familiar experience, but undeniably it's a better one. And we've only played through the first act. We'd tell you to get very, very excited for this game, but we've got a funny feeling you already are.

_Donnelly_

I picked the preview this morning. It was the only new preview for today at the time (around 9 AM).

I don't go looking for good or bad previews.

Those are my thoughts exactly. Thats why i changed my Gears 2 preorder to Far Cry 2 last week ;)krp008

Get both if you can :). But the map editor in Far Cry 2 will be AMAZING!

[QUOTE="krp008"]Those are my thoughts exactly. Thats why i changed my Gears 2 preorder to Far Cry 2 last week ;)TREAL_Since

Get both if you can :). But the map editor in Far Cry 2 will be AMAZING!

I had to cancel my Fallout 3 preorder as well because of the lack of money :(

Ill wait for the reviews and if Fallout 3 scores high, ill buy it day 2

8.5 confirmed?

I still think GeoW 2 will score 9.0 here though.

W1NGMAN-

I don't know man. GS might give it 8.5. GS would give it a 9 if the single player campaign was 16 hours and it had 10 versus 10 online matches. GS rates sequels high only if it trumps the first. Lets be real GEARS2 isn't revolutionary like its predecessor and will score much lower on that alone.

[QUOTE="Dante2710"][QUOTE="TREAL_Since"]

Reisistance 2 MP will be deep. Anyone who disagrees must not know what it offers.

TREAL_Since

Players will be split into lobbies of six-to-eight-member squads, each with unique objectives. Specific areas on each map will foster frantic large-scale battles, but most of the fighting should come in the former of smaller skirmishes. This is very similar to the Battlefield games on PC which is a deep aspect of it's MP.

Character classes each with specific weapons. This alone allows for more strategic firefights resulting in deep gameplay.

Humans and Chimera have respective character traits in MP. This can be used strategically to overcome the other team. (Beserker mode ect.).

Smaller features such as profile pages, clan support, and other social networking bonuses will be avaiblable. But they just add to the expereince.

Even IGN calls it deep :): "Although I only had a few hours to play all three modes of Resisatnce 2, it struck me as phenomenally deep -- much more than we'd ever expected."

Exactly. But you forgot to mention the 8 player co-op :). With a parallel story to the single player, strategy enducing cl@sses that support each other, and leveling it'll be deeper than the freakn ocean lol.

[QUOTE="W1NGMAN-"]

8.5 confirmed?

I still think GeoW 2 will score 9.0 here though.

Gamersince81

I don't know man. GS might give it 8.5. GS would give it a 9 if the single player campaign was 16 hours and it had 10 versus 10 online matches. GS rates sequels high only if it trumps the first. Lets be real GEARS2 isn't revolutionary like its predecessor and will score much lower on that alone.

Gears 1 wasn't revolutionary. :| Also, God of War 2 scored high, yet it was nothing new, nor was it revolutionary. Anyone who thinks this won't score AAA is trying to kid themself.

well i think gears 1 to gears 2 is gonna be something like rockband 1 to rockband 2.

few improvemnts, few tweaks here and there, new story HOWEVER STILL A SOLID GAME AND PPL ARE STILL GONNA BUY/LOVE IT. (i.e halo 3)

well i think gears 1 to gears 2 is gonna be something like rockband 1 to rockband 2.

few improvemnts, few tweaks here and there, new story HOWEVER STILL A SOLID GAME AND PPL ARE STILL GONNA BUY/LOVE IT. (i.e halo 3)

Noobsy

I never thought about it like that. Sound about right, but I still say it could very well get 9.0 at the highest.

[QUOTE="Ninja-Hippo"][QUOTE="Cloud_Insurance"]

Ah, another poster that hasn't played Resistance. Compared to Gears, the first Resistance had:

more multiplayer gametypes

more maps

more weapons

2 different races with distinct advantages/disadvantages

more potential players per match (up to 40)

So um, how exactly was Gears multiplayer deeper than Resistance again?

Cloud_Insurance

"Deep" is entirely subjective. You could easily argue that Gears had a fairly unique set up of small teams fighting over tight spaces; it forced strategy and team work, especially thanks to the no respawns. I'm not hating on resistance at all, i'm just saying i'd have to disagree with you to write off Gears' multiplayer in favour of it. They're both simply shooters with online modes, at the end of the day.

As for Epic being lazy, i dont understand why Resistance is being seen as such an epic advancement over the first. It isn't massively improved graphically, and i honestly cant see what all the fuss is about. What exactly have they added? More players online? Huge bosses? That's the innovation and expansion you're bragging about?

Let me clarify: by "deep" I was talking about the variety of the multiplayer. How different the game is from match to match, since it offers so many options. I wasn't talking about deep in terms of requiring strategy or tactics to play. Its impossible to prove that Resistance or Gears requires more strategy/skills to play than the other.

Ok, so going by that logic, it sounds like its trying to hit on the depth of Halo 3's multiplayer. Nothing wrong with that. But Gears 2 will have alot more depth, as well. Wingman, horde, Meatflag, etc. It will definitely offer alot more options. I'm like Ninja-Hippo, I'm not bashing Resistance 2... the first one was one of the best games on the PS3 to date. I'm just saying that its not going to blow the doors off of Gears 2 in diversity. Both should be tremendously fun games.

If the gameplay is good i don't see a problem. Everyone already knew it was a corridor shooter. I don't think anybody was expecting Crysis gameplay/environments here. I'll probably be waiting for the PC version though. Either way, it'll be a great game.Puckhog04

I thought it was stated that Gears 2 will not be going to the PC.

That's why I'm more hyped for Resistance 2, it getting an absolute ton of new additions and improvements. But in this case, more of the same isn't necessarily a bad thing.Floppy_Jim

Sounds right- gears 1.1 LOL!!!

pretty much what i expected, horde mode would be lame just like the story.

[QUOTE="Puckhog04"]If the gameplay is good i don't see a problem. Everyone already knew it was a corridor shooter. I don't think anybody was expecting Crysis gameplay/environments here. I'll probably be waiting for the PC version though. Either way, it'll be a great game.JediRiff

I thought it was stated that Gears 2 will not be going to the PC.

The first one was stated as a 360 exclusive as well. *looks at copy of Gears 1 on PC*

I told someone else this and i'll tell you, if you honestly do not think that there will be a PC version then you're very naive. More versions = more money. Gears 1, Halo 1&2, Mass Effect, all were released on PC soon after 360 counterpart. That's what Microsoft Game Studios does. You can't that surprised that they'd say something like what they did, can you? They want to maximize sales on the 360 version of Gears 2. Of course they're going to say that. If they don't then people would just wait for the PC version possibly. They can't have that.

I'm not saying it's Guaranteed but, realistically, it almost is. It just means another title for me to buy next year at a cheaper price on the PC. Too many games to buy this year anyway on PC. Wouldn't be able to pick up Gears 2 anyway.

Halo 2 all were released on PC soonPuckhog04

I wouldn't call 3 years "soon."

[QUOTE="JediRiff"]

[QUOTE="Puckhog04"]If the gameplay is good i don't see a problem. Everyone already knew it was a corridor shooter. I don't think anybody was expecting Crysis gameplay/environments here. I'll probably be waiting for the PC version though. Either way, it'll be a great game.Puckhog04

I thought it was stated that Gears 2 will not be going to the PC.

The first one was stated as a 360 exclusive as well. *looks at copy of Gears 1 on PC*

I told someone else this and i'll tell you, if you honestly do not think that there will be a PC version then you're very naive. More versions = more money. Gears 1, Halo 1&2, Mass Effect, all were released on PC soon after 360 counterpart. That's what Microsoft Game Studios does. You can't that surprised that they'd say something like what they did, can you? They want to maximize sales on the 360 version of Gears 2. Of course they're going to say that. If they don't then people would just wait for the PC version possibly. They can't have that.

I'm not saying it's Guaranteed but, realistically, it almost is. It just means another title for me to buy next year at a cheaper price on the PC. Too many games to buy this year anyway on PC. Wouldn't be able to pick up Gears 2 anyway.

I am acutely aware of everything you are talking about, I am just saying that I am pretty sure I read somewhere that it will not be going to the PC, and will remain a true 360 exclusive. Honestly, I have been wanting them to do this for a long time, because I think they are shooting themselves in the foot by letting these games go to the PC. They are costing theirselves console sales, and I sincerely hope they start putting out 360 exclusives that do not go to the PC. I think they would make alot more money by keeping it on the console, honestly.

[QUOTE="Gamersince81"][QUOTE="W1NGMAN-"]

8.5 confirmed?

I still think GeoW 2 will score 9.0 here though.

BioShockOwnz

I don't know man. GS might give it 8.5. GS would give it a 9 if the single player campaign was 16 hours and it had 10 versus 10 online matches. GS rates sequels high only if it trumps the first. Lets be real GEARS2 isn't revolutionary like its predecessor and will score much lower on that alone.

Gears 1 wasn't revolutionary. :| Also, God of War 2 scored high, yet it was nothing new, nor was it revolutionary. Anyone who thinks this won't score AAA is trying to kid themself.

Pretty much, GOW2 was able to score AAA but it wasn't till the third GOW game that couldn't score AAA here....I think GeoW2 is a shoe in for a AAA score.

gears is almost flop proof

jk

it looks great i hope it scores a perfect 10naruto7777

don't give it bad luck only the greatest among greatest can score a 10 cough mgs4 cough

Dang, this preview seems brutally honest. But Gears 2 will own regardless of innovation and/or additions. It's enough for me :).Episode_Eve

Agreed.