New Gears 2 Info in latest Game Informer [Update]
by Terrence Stasse 
{ Apr 7th 2008 at 9:30PM }
As is often the case with video game news, a sharp-eyed forum-goer brings us this story. Over at NeoGAF, a poster with the latest issue of Game Informer has been relating some of the Gears 2 info contained within. There's a ton of information, most of which is new (and from the sound of it) awesome. There's only part of the story online at NeoGAF, and we'll only list some of the better sounding stuff here, so be sure to buy the magazine if you want the full scoop.
- "We have creatures that make the Brumak look like a baby panda bear." -Cliff Bleszinski
- "We hear hints of all sorts of new multiplayer features, from dramatically expanded co-op modes to multiplayer content that takes advantage of Unreal's new ability to deliver huge numbers of the Locust horde at one time, but confirmed details will have to wait until a later date."
- Different difficulty settings for each player in co-op. One person can play on Hardcore, one on Casual.
- COG Centaur Tank (Monster Truck + Tank) There's a dedicated level where you get to pilot one.
- Drop in/drop out co-op, with a fourth, easier, difficulty.
- Forced walking scenes replaced with a dynamic conversation camera system (which is skippable).
- Hundreds of Locust troops, all acting independently.
- "Gorgon burst pistol and poison grenades, both of which can become part of your arsenal if you play your cards right"
Tali Kaliso is a new member of Delta Squad and will be around when the game opens. Chairman Prescott is the military leader above Hoffman and leader of COG forces. Dizzy is your driver, getting you from place to place with a southern drawl. Maria Santiago is the last new character mentioned, and Dom's search for her will be one of the game's major plot points.
- There will be many, many, more underground enviornments, with much, much more complicated layouts.
- New Locust enemies called the Kantus, which are "monk-like devils" and hit you with sonic attacks.
- Kantus have the ability to "revive their fallen brethren from afar."
- Moving cover. Think: "giant slithering rock worms"
- "We want to fulfill the promise - it is a war. It's more than just these four guys."
- They've worked on the story and sense of depth with the characters, it's a "darker and more heartfelt narrative."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Eddy @ Apr 7th 2008 9:38PM
woot woot!!!
but not this time x3f, i saw this on gamespot forums 45 minutes ago!!!
lmao it's all good. this is the type of info that gets me pumped for this game. this is gonig to be my favorite game EVER. and im not playing cuz i still play GOW competitvely. this game is going to be insane and i cant wait for my new GI this month.
SR590 @ Apr 7th 2008 9:39PM
come on 4 player co-op
Curtis @ Apr 7th 2008 9:39PM
Sweet.
Kiltman67 @ Apr 7th 2008 10:01PM
Are my eyes deceiving me? Is that an actual back story for Gears characters?
Any chance of finding out what was going on in that Fenix's father's house or am I pushing it...
Anticrawl @ Apr 8th 2008 8:00AM
Are you shitting me? They gave a back story for the first one via trailers, literature online and in the booklet. Just noone paid any attention, they were to obsessed with the pretty graphics.
The Master of Truth and Justice @ Apr 7th 2008 10:16PM
It kind of annoys me that they seem to think the story in the last game actually was good and substantial and worth giving any sort of nods to, or the characters.
They seem to REALLY believe that.. and it's not just this, but past interviews as well, and other things they've said.
Neuromancer @ Apr 7th 2008 10:45PM
Yeah I know it's kind of sad, that a group of grown men would come up with a story and characters like this and think that anyone would take it seriously. Did you ever see that trailer that came out before the game, with the song "Mad World" playing- like Marcus was some kind of deep and sensitive guy?
Kiltman67 @ Apr 7th 2008 10:58PM
I may be wrong on this, too lazy to check, but I'm pretty sure that Mad World was added by fans and the original had different music.
Kevin Gass @ Apr 7th 2008 11:26PM
Wow^
Delgado @ Apr 8th 2008 12:46AM
You're really stretching it, complaining about one of the most popular video game advertisements of all time.
Digital Limit @ Apr 7th 2008 10:16PM
"Forced walking scenes replaced with a dynamic conversation camera system (which is skippable)."
Thank God.
I couldn't believe Halo 3 had this, after the obvious annoyance it put forth with Gears.
Neuromancer @ Apr 7th 2008 10:46PM
Yeah it's like, let's punish people for wanting to play this game by making the action grind to a halt to watch a bunch of beefy space marines talk to each other over their headsets.
xFenixKnightx @ Apr 7th 2008 10:17PM
Holy crap thats alot of info, good stuff!
SadisticHam @ Apr 7th 2008 10:37PM
Why is it a year away. :(
Dammn it
DjDATZ @ Apr 8th 2008 12:17PM
Learn how to do math. It's seven months away. That is in no way close to a year. Next month it'll be 6 months, which is half a year...idiot.
SadisticHam @ Apr 8th 2008 3:41PM
Excuse me for not knowing the exact release date? lol?
I'll send ya my email, you can forward me all the latest release dates so it wont happen again oh great wise one.
Still, nice attitude you have, you'll go far in life.
Jomolungma @ Apr 7th 2008 10:43PM
Is there any other game that offers co-op with different difficulty settings? I'm wondering how'd they do that without making it seem like all the baddies were running at one guy and blatantly ignoring the other...
Kiltman67 @ Apr 7th 2008 11:01PM
The only way I can think of is to perhaps weight the weapons of players according to their difficulty. So someone on Easy's Lancer would do more damage than someone on Hard and someone on Easy would naturally have more health.
Kevin Gass @ Apr 7th 2008 11:28PM
Then you would have people playing only on easy just for that boost, and it would become VERY UNBALANCED
Cal @ Apr 8th 2008 11:47AM
Kevin, it's co-op, balance doesn't matter. People can always agree to all play on insane...
AoE @ Apr 7th 2008 11:09PM
"There's a dedicated level where you get to pilot one." Eugh, by "get to" do you mean "are forced to"?
Correct me if I am wrong... but there really is no such thing as an FPS with good driving... I seem to recall that these levels are usually not skippable and totally drag down otherwise enjoyable shooting games... am I wrong here though? Did Epic develop some totally great racing game in the past I somehow missed?
legendtaker117 @ Apr 7th 2008 11:33PM
Halo 3 has some of the best driving mechanics (especially for the warthog) in any game period in my opinion. Better than any racing game ive ever played.
Noshino @ Apr 8th 2008 2:59AM
legendtaker117
It shows that you haven't played racing games in ages...
Vcize @ Apr 8th 2008 10:06AM
To be fair Noshino, the driving sections of Halo 3 were indeed extremely well done.
You're right though, the poster saying "the driving mechanics are better than any racing game I've ever played" is pushing things by a longshot, but they are quite good and better than many racing games in their own right.
erivera3 @ Apr 7th 2008 11:28PM
Only 2 player coop? That sucks.
ZenGaijin @ Apr 7th 2008 11:34PM
"COG Centaur Tank (Monster Truck + Tank) There's a dedicated level where you get to pilot one."
Already the worst part of Gears 2.
Neon Jebus @ Apr 7th 2008 11:34PM
"We have creatures that make the Brumak look like a baby panda bear."
I hate to admit this but when I read that line the first thing that popped in my head was "add you'll not play against them on the version we release on Xbox360!"
THE RPG NERD @ Apr 8th 2008 12:06AM
My biggest complaint with the first game was it's story. If I hadn't read so many interviews and previews about the game I would not have been able to tell what was going on. For some reason there are monsters that crawl out of the ground and want to kill you. None of that backstory that was created for the game was in the plot at all. Did that bother anyone who didn't read everything they could about the game? Oh and the obligatory vehicle section was crap and it sounds like they aren't changing what was wrong with the first.
Cutty @ Apr 8th 2008 12:28AM
I hate when people have nothing positive to say about a great game.....
First of all, the storyline was indepth, and Epic made it clear that the first game was just the introduction to the story as a whole, and the characters....Gears 2 is either going to be the story before the first game, in which you get all the info on Emergence day, or it is set after the first game.....(i hope it will be Emergence day)
ZenGaijin @ Apr 8th 2008 7:46AM
It clearly says set 6 months after the first game.
Vcize @ Apr 8th 2008 7:48AM
Agreed about the rail car part. It must've taken us 30 tries to get past that on insane, but for whatever reason it felt like the fun kind of difficult/challenging, rather than the annoying kind.
B Tizo @ Apr 8th 2008 12:58AM
Seriously? Let's all bad mouth a game before it even comes out... Where does that get fun? Did anyone read this list? Gears 2 sounds amazing. Bigger enemies? More enemies at once? New characters? Better story? Big ass tank thing? Sounds awesome!
Yeah, let's all bitch about the driving level! Umm... I actually liked that level... it was a nice change of pace and it was difficult. Maybe everyone hates it because they died a lot? I mean, I died a lot, but it was enjoyable. And the rail car section? Awesome! Gears 1 had all sorts of varied settings and gameplay, which is why it was so enjoyable. Honestly all this new info makes me so excited. I can't wait for my Game Informer to arrive!
The MAJOR thing I'm interested in, though, is the online settings. I REALLY hope they implement a party system and matchmaking. In a game that is so much about a 4 person squad, to not make this addition would be a mistake, but I'm sure I'd play it until I have every single achievement and rack up an insane amount of kills (21,000 and still counting).
BRING ON THE CHAINSAW!!
edward camp @ Apr 8th 2008 1:53AM
I can't believe a few people are talking $#it about a game NOBODY here has even seen.....I loved the driving level and even in the blurry pictures the game looks phenomenal.
ZenGaijin @ Apr 8th 2008 7:51AM
Thats all well and good but when you take a game thats all abut shooting things and tag on a driving section that completely diviates from the standard gameplay. Then not do it well it becomes the least fun part of the game.
Nobody is saying Gears 2 is bad they are just saying that they are disappointed that Epic is trying to cram another driving section down their throats.
It's like when a game throws in random stealth elements for no other reason just say they have stealth elements.
oops @ Apr 8th 2008 3:00AM
Wow, haha. I took those pictures and posted them on Gamefaqs earlier.
Link: http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/genmessage.php?board=938611&topic=42447011
Aero @ Apr 8th 2008 3:26AM
No news on Carmine? ;_;
OBM @ Apr 8th 2008 8:36AM
I lol'd! Best comment yet!
MDJ2010 @ Apr 8th 2008 6:23AM
All the people that are moaning on here must be really depressing people. I personally cant wait, Gears of War raised the bar and Gears 2 will do the same again, can't wait!!!!
Boff @ Apr 8th 2008 7:41AM
The hype is pulling me in and I'm powerless to resist!
Choo choo!!
Can't wait!!
Nixontech2071 @ Apr 8th 2008 7:50AM
whoa. What is with the two different colored GI's?
xFenixKnightx @ Apr 8th 2008 8:57AM
Have to go out and get this mag when it drops!
stefan @ Apr 8th 2008 9:14AM
PC version???????????????????????????????????2009
LiqwidZero @ Apr 8th 2008 10:00AM
Cole's not in the team!?
LiqwidZero @ Apr 8th 2008 10:02AM
Reply on myself, for clarification:
Cole best not have been removed. That'd suck
Cal @ Apr 8th 2008 11:50AM
Saw this earlier and didn't read it fully, but I think it said that you have a re-union with Cole and Baird and they join you, after playing with Tai and co for a bit
cminh @ Apr 8th 2008 12:26PM
cole wouldnt be removed... thats against affirmative action practices.
TheFireBoy @ Apr 8th 2008 2:32PM
Why have they made an easier difficulty Gears 1 was piss on Casual! but i'm very exicted about this best FPS of 08 its gonna clean up at the awards at the end of the year
i would like to see cole and baird return for a large section
Carmine would be awesome but hes dead :'(
The co-op thing sounds awesome finally my brother won't keep dying!
It gonna be tough as shit on insane with those Kantus though!
Eddy @ Apr 8th 2008 3:42PM
Cole and Baird aren't in the Delta Squad for the first part of the game, however you do eventually meet up with them.
If they're going to make an even easier difficulty (wasn't casual easy enough you scrubs?), then they HAVE TO implement the "beat the game at a higher level and unlock that acheivement AND the lower difficulty" type system. I'm sure the story will b longer this time around, so i dont wanna play a 3 year old difficulty for 7-10 hours.
I can't wait to see the remake of Gridlock
I also can't wait to see all the new weapons that have been added
One final request...NO VEHICLES IN MP!!!
Other than that, ykno, fix all the glitches, party system, lag, and host problems and you will have the GoTC(Game of the Century)
Eddy @ Apr 8th 2008 3:42PM
@TheFireBoy
This is a third person......not FPS........
potato @ Apr 8th 2008 10:47PM
If matchmaking is as good as Halo 3 and COD4, I'm sold.
And I want to see a damned war this time, not set piece battle after set piece battle. I swear, Epic is becoming like id - purveyor of fine game engines and brainless shooters.