Gears Of War

[Bleeders]

I've finished Act 2 and Gears unsurprisingly, is a ****ing solid piece of software. Does it live up to the hype? You betcha.

A few random thoughts; people will talk about Gears like they talked about Resident Evil 4. The scenarios the game takes you through have been nothing short of superb so far. It looks aesthetically stunning and the mechanics work very well, they take some getting used to for about half hour, but after that you'll be flanking and covering with ease.

I've been loving the "Active Reload" system and how well it integrates into the game mechanics. If you get it wrong and miss the window and an approaching Locust becomes a very, very tense experience. It's ****ing brilliant.

I've hit Act 3 and

->Open Spoiler<-

seeing that rain batter down and the textures on the trees blew me away, I've not seen anything look that good, period.

This game is worth the wait! No mistake!

[Spatial]

Jamie, i've read in a review that while in co-op mode and your buddy jumps out of the game - either because of a connection problem or he's just an unpolite idiot - you'll be forced back to the main menu and have to start the whole level all over again. can you confirm this?

No, the AI takes over again when they've gone.

I jumped into Boris' game a third of the way through the first campaign and then jumped out again at the end of that section. I checked the guide once I'd done this and he was still playing where I'd left him. Tres cool 8)

The only time you're forced to restart is when both of you die and neither can revive the other player, or you and your Co-op buddy take alternate paths and one of you dies. TBH though, even later on in the game, the checkpoints aren't too far apart so it's not a large amount of backtracking.

Whats the best difficulty level to start with then? Seems from what i have seen on the net that casual is to easy and hardcore is to hard

I'd say Casual is more like normal and Harcore is hard.

Having played about with it I'd say:

Casual if you're playing on your own, you aren't a sadist and want to enjoy it on your first run through - when things kick off it's still a challenge.

Hardcore if you're playing Co-Op - the human player will make up for Dom's dodgy AI and willingness to get himself capped. In co-op Hardcore is much more manageable.

[Jebus]

No, the AI takes over again when they've gone.

I jumped into Boris' game a third of the way through the first campaign and then jumped out again at the end of that section. I checked the guide once I'd done this and he was still playing where I'd left him. Tres cool 8)

People moaning about how the game isn't anything innovative should probably take note of that very co-op system, I don't recall ever hearing anything similar in a game. It's the coolest multiplayer innovation I've heard in ages, people really really don't bother with co-op but I personally love it and can't wait to jump in and out etc.

[Spatial]

*Chapter 3 Major Spoilers:* - only read if you've completed the Chapter.

->Open Spoiler<-

From the time that you hit this level it's one blistering moment after another and it goes from strength to strength - in terms of visuals and moments.

8)

By the time I hit the depths of the Imulsion mines my jaw was literally crushing my feet. It's vast and amazingly beautiful.

Taking on the whispering Locust Elite with the Torque Bow was another stand out moment. Notching it so it sticks, letting rip and the "BOOM!" - back in your hole!

The fear of the returning Krill alone was enough to have me with sweaty palms. And the Corpser battle was the icing on the cake - another gaming moment to be remembered.

[EvilBoris]

No, the AI takes over again when they've gone.

I jumped into Boris' game a third of the way through the first campaign and then jumped out again at the end of that section. I checked the guide once I'd done this and he was still playing where I'd left him. Tres cool 8)

Apart from it did actually kick me out of the game saying my co-op partner had left the game...

Maybe you didn't quite in the correct manor?

[EvilBoris]

People moaning about how the game isn't anything innovative should probably take note of that very co-op system, I don't recall ever hearing anything similar in a game. It's the coolest multiplayer innovation I've heard in ages, people really really don't bother with co-op but I personally love it and can't wait to jump in and out etc.

This was one of the big things that MS was going to push with the 360 version of live, they also wanted people to be able to hop into a game and just watch someone play.

[Spatial]

Apart from it did actually kick me out of the game saying my co-op partner had left the game...

Maybe you didn't quite in the correct manor?

It did? Sorry about that, I honestly thought that wouldn't / didn't happen - at least it was as the start of the second chapter so it wasn't a total loss.

Not sure how else you're supposed to quit the game in that case. I went to the games menu and pressed quit.

Sorry then Uli, I'm none the wiser about the answer to your question

[Kotatsu Neko]

Just finished Act 1 on hardcore and thoughly enjoyed it. With the right environment (big HDTV, dark room, 5.1 sound on ridiculous volume) it's the video gaming equivalent of playing something like Aliens. The visuals and audio are just ridiculously impressive, almost distractingly so as I find myself examining some beautiful mural on a wall only to have a locust creep up on me and tear my head off.

Top quality brainless entertainment. And did I mention that the visuals are good?

[Simmy]

Just finished a two hour coop session of this with momo to complete act 1 on hardcore. Absolutely fantastic game ! Was a little disapointed after playing the prison break section single handed, but after moving into act 1 and getting to grips with the controls it all came together. Coop was the icing on the cake, and the most fun I've had gaming in a long time.

This sort of experience is the reason I bought a 360, going to pace myself as not to rush through it to fast, but saying that I can see this having allot of replay value, especially on insane which looks like it will be the equivilent of Halo's legendary.

Hardcore is not really that taxing on coop, and if the difficulty does not pick up a bit in act 2 I can see me wanting to switch it up to insane. Just to make the whole thing last that bit longer.

Worth all the hype, you betcha !!!!!

Edit : Anyone know how the campaign saves work ? I played some SP to be middle part of act 1 - I then restarted the game on coop, at which point it told me that my previous save would be lost. Presume the intention is to have only one game running at one time as it is drop in and drop out coop, but I still would like a single player save and a coop save, as they are two different experiences.

[Garny]

No, the AI takes over again when they've gone.

I jumped into Boris' game a third of the way through the first campaign and then jumped out again at the end of that section. I checked the guide once I'd done this and he was still playing where I'd left him. Tres cool 8)

The only time you're forced to restart is when both of you die and neither can revive the other player, or you and your Co-op buddy take alternate paths and one of you dies. TBH though, even later on in the game, the checkpoints aren't too far apart so it's not a large amount of backtracking.



I'd say Casual is more like normal and Harcore is hard.

Having played about with it I'd say:

Casual if you're playing on your own, you aren't a sadist and want to enjoy it on your first run through - when things kick off it's still a challenge.

Hardcore if you're playing Co-Op - the human player will make up for Dom's dodgy AI and willingness to get himself capped. In co-op Hardcore is much more manageable.

Thanks for the info mate. I guess the only way ill find out for sure is when i play it myself. Casual it is to start with then.

Now i just need next Friday to hurry up.

Anyone got a spare Tardis

[Spatial]

Once you've cleared a chapter and it's subsection you can go back to it at anytime (and that includes in co-op I think). When it's giving you that warning about the save it's just about you loosing your progress for checkpoints within each chapter / subsection.

Once a sections cleared you can jump back to it anytime.

edit: Having read that back, it sounds as clear as mud

[momobeast]

Just finished a two hour coop session of this with momo to complete act 1 on hardcore. Absolutely fantastic game ! Was a little disapointed after playing the prison break section single handed, but after moving into act 1 and getting to grips with the controls it all came together. Coop was the icing on the cake, and the most fun I've had gaming in a long time.

Quite simply the best game ive ever played, and the most fun ive had online for a very long time.....roll on insane!!

->Open Spoiler<-

The Beserker at the end of chap 1 clearly fancied me. Didnt charge at Simmy at all!

[Kotatsu Neko]

Quite simply the best game ive ever played, and the most fun ive had online for a very long time.....roll on insane!!

That's something of a stretch I must say! It's a fun shooter and very well put together, but it doesn't do anything much new.

[Yoshimax]

it doesn't do anything much new.

Sadly not many games do these days - If it is the pinnacle of it's genre that's good enough for me

[chopemon]

just finished it

i was intending to have a night to myself, play some single player, play some versus and spread the love out for a few days

instead my friend came round and we battered through the campaign on casual in seven hours

from start to finish it was excellent

in my mind it is a kind of cross between resi 4 and halo. really solid gameplay mixed with great level design.

to be fair, all you do is shoot stuff, over and over again, but the levels are so well designed that it never gets dull

got 28 out of 30 cog tags

massively impressed by all of it

pity about the ending where marcus dies and dom and cole make out hard (joke)

i shall now be going through it on the other difficulties alone or coop

the trouble is, after playing it all coop, there really is no other way to play it. it was so much fun and works like a dream with another player

top game and is definitely the 360's killer app