Gears of War 2 Flashback map comparison pics

by Dustin Burg { Oct 15th 2008 at 12:30PM }

With Microsoft's official confirmation that Gears of War multiplayer maps Gridlock, Canals, Mansion, Subway, and Tyro Station would be remade for Gears 2, comes new comparison shots. The comparison photos (galleried below) show what each map looked like in the original Gears and the prettified version that'll be a part of the free Flashback Map Pack DLC for Gears 2. Let us be the first to say an icy Canals makes a chilled tear run down our cheek. It's lovely.

So, take a gander at the Gears vs. Gears 2 map comparison photos as well as the newly released multiplayer screens. Long live Tyro Station.

Gallery: Gears of War 2 - Flashback Map Pack

Gallery: Gears of War 2 - Multiplayer

Tags: epic, epic-games, gears-of-war-2, gow2

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

kazo @ Oct 15th 2008 12:36PM

Looking damn good but not feeling the "mansion" remake though.. I liked the rain and it looked good at dark :/

D dogg @ Oct 15th 2008 2:56PM

I agree 100%, Mansion will be SORELY missed without the rain, thunder and darkness.

Given the power of Unreal Engine 3 though (and they did it in Grand Theft Auto 4), couldn't Epic implement a real time weather system??

xFenixKnightx @ Oct 15th 2008 12:36PM

I just finished looking at all these on IGN. Daytime Mansion and Icy Canals look sweet. Man, I love Tyro Station but its never on the playlists :( and no I dont like hosting.

sifer2400 @ Oct 15th 2008 1:36PM

fuk wheres war machine

Doug @ Oct 15th 2008 4:03PM

Old maps look better/grittier in these shots.

Cal @ Oct 15th 2008 7:51PM

I definitely prefer the old maps, just looks like they took Garden's style and applied it to these maps...

DBoyFlex @ Oct 15th 2008 12:52PM

Beaut. I stopped playing the first online due to school time demands and then never got back into it. This is certainly gonna do the trick though. All of the vids and pics are getting me way excited to get back online.

Doug @ Oct 15th 2008 1:02PM

This site is certainly Epic... 'cause of you know... all the great Gears news...

nevmind...

Hatredkopter @ Oct 16th 2008 5:49AM

Haha I get it.

ExMcCloud @ Oct 15th 2008 1:13PM

I love these maps I cant wait for GEARS OF WAR 2!!!! Yes!!!

Delgado @ Oct 15th 2008 1:13PM

They have certainly done a lot of things that are sure to subdue the "brown-gray-graphics" complainers.

Can't wait, midnight purchase for me - and I've never done that.

DBoyFlex @ Oct 15th 2008 1:25PM

Good point. I though the colors were a bit drab at first, but with a decent set, the preset graphic options did actually spice things up a bit. Gears 2 seems to be taking that a bit further, really going for vivid colors. I always felt like the color schemes added to the mood of the game, and it was always quite appropriate.

CB @ Oct 15th 2008 2:19PM

Agreed, the added visual effects are truly awesome.

D dogg @ Oct 15th 2008 3:26PM

Color for the sake of having color does no one any favors. Gears of War had the PERFECT color scheme... metal, brick, vegetation, explosions, blood, bodies.

A rainbow in the sky or red ball in the streets wouldn't seemed way out of place.

I think Nintendo has a patent on colorful games anyway, don't they?

Edboy @ Oct 15th 2008 6:29PM

I was going to write something along the lines of "soon after GoW2's release, people will complain about color in their game" but it seems that dogg decided to go ahead and start.

iFester @ Oct 15th 2008 1:23PM

Canals looks great. I wonder if we'll have sliding physics with the ice. That would be challenging trying to ready up a shot while you're moving toward the enemy even if you've stopped.

A bit disappointed with the others though. Too bright, especially the Mansion. Those maps had great gloomy atmosphere.

FAC3xLESS @ Oct 15th 2008 1:47PM

I really like what the did with canals. I don't really play canals too much, but it'll really be something if the frozen water was actually slippery. Gridlock and Tyro station don't look too bad either.

Vcize @ Oct 15th 2008 2:20PM

Woah...

Canals in the snow?
Mansion in the daylight?
Subway not during a rainstorm?
Tyro overgrown?

Sweet!

I wonder if they'll release more of these as DLC in the future until all the old Gears 1 maps are remade. That would be awesome, particularly Rooftops and War Machine.

Ryan Hartman @ Oct 15th 2008 4:37PM

BONER-RIFFIC!!

I wonder if they polled the fans on which maps should be brought back or if they just decided in house that these maps would work better with the new mechanics.

Because other then Canals, none of these are in my personal top 5. I like Fuel Depot, Clocktower, (Canals), Escalation and Rooftops, with an honorable mention to War Machine.

Although I understand everyone and thier mother always wanting to play Gridlock, what's with Tyro being in there? Seems like Tyro and Rooftops are the two most hated levels in the game (at least among maps not called "Old Bones").

This would be a good debate; the merits of each multiplayer level from Gears of War 1. One of you guys whould make this a poll or something, "Which of the un-included multi maps would you like to see added?"

Raven Down!

Sev @ Oct 15th 2008 6:33PM

I don't like the new mansion and Subway, I liked the rain and darkness :(

T.J. @ Oct 15th 2008 7:46PM

The bell is mysteriously back in gridlock!

These look bad ass.

mjfahmi @ Oct 16th 2008 4:20AM

these looks great ;)

the best thing that they really improved graphics and visuals , and not using a dark theme like gears 1 to make it look good , very impressive , i think they have worked good on improving the unreal engine after all the money the got