Gears-of-War posts (Subscribe to this feed)

This past Saturday brought us the Spike TV Video Game Awards and – before experiencing the litany of world exclusives that awaited us inside – we spent some time outside cruising the red carpet and talking (briefly!) to many of the game developers and talent. We squeezed them for information as fast as we could while simultaneously wishing them holiday cheer and good tidings. Yes, it was as awkward as it sounds. HHere's what we learned from Epic's Cliff Bleszinski.

So you segued from Gears into Shadow Complex ... what are you working on now?

I can't tell you that! It's actually quite agonizing for me right now, because there's a bunch of awesome shit we're working on, but I can't say a damn thing about it no matter how many alcoholic beverages you might try and feed me! Well, maybe if you bribe me with hookers and blow, that might work.

Shadow Complex will be on sale during the holidays. Was that Microsoft's idea or Epic's?

Microsoft is doing that promo. They're doing some other stuff as well to help drive the holiday sales. I mean, in this day and age look how crammed Christmas is, and it's like March is the new holiday. Everybody's moved out to March. I think it's good because the good games will rise, and the bad games will sink, right? I was getting tired of the fact that everyone had to cram everything into the holiday season. Hopefully we'll get some quality releases in March that will do well, and the gaming industry can sell more than 80% of its games outside of a three month period.

What are you playing right now?

I'm playing the hell out of Modern Warfare 2 and I hate those guys, because those guys are so awesome. Uncharted 2 I beat, which was absolutely stellar. Borderlands co-op is amazing ... that's the only way to play, really. I gush about it not just because it's our engine but because Randy and those guys are good friends, and it's the kind of game I really want to play. It's the perfect blending of the shooter and the RPG.

So when will we hear about this "awesome shit"?

Maybe sometime when the weather's warm, you'll be hearing something.

Tecmo's Gears of War clone is no longer a PS3 exclusive. During a recent interview in Tokyo, Tecmo revealed that Quantum Theory will also be coming to Xbox 360 in Spring 2010. That's the same North American release window given to the PS3 version, which is currently 70% complete. While Tecmo has traditionally focused on making engines and games exclusively for one system at a time, Quantum Theory is being developed on an unnamed internal PC-based engine designed to make multiplatform development easier, much like Square Enix's Crystal Tools. However, we still have our doubts about the engine: the latest build we saw of Quantum still suffered from performance issues.

Quantum Theory has been largely panned, not just for its gameplay but its rather uninspired look. However, Tecmo responded to these claims, saying they can provide a unique look for the genre. "One of the ways we're looking at differentiating Quantum Theory and one of the things that we can bring to the genre is an emphasis on story, art and visuals," Tecmo's Producer Makoto Shibata told us. "Most third person shooters are military-based and kind of brown. We're trying to bring more color and beauty ... We think this kind of style is kind of unique to us, and says about what Tecmo can do differently," Shibata added, noting that over half the art staff is female.

There are some decidedly Japanese gameplay elements, including a mechanic that's been described as "R-Type-esque." The AI-controlled female partner is, in many ways, exactly like the arcade shooter's Force: players throw her to inflict massive damage via her melee attacks. Ridiculous? Certainly, but it's quite possibly the most original thing Quantum Theory has going for it.

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Editor's note: Interview conducted by Joystiq Japan correspondent Ittousai.

With Shadow Complex setting very specific week-one sales records on XBLA, Epic and Chair would be kind of nuts to not consider a sequel. One job listing out of a recent crop on Microsoft's employment boards seems to out that likely scenario, implying that Shadow Complex is a bona fide franchise for Microsoft Game Studios and Epic. Said listing specifically calls for a Lead Producer to "lead the publishing side of games made by Epic: Gears of War and Shadow Complex."

Additionally, Microsoft appears to be looking for more able bodies to join its growing pool of Project Natal and 343 Industries employees. Existing job listings call for everything from designers to engineers to even a few artists. Sadly, the company isn't looking for MJOLNIR armor models yet, but just in case, Microsoft, you know how to reach us.

[Via Develop]

Now that Epic's rolled out TU5 for Gears of War 2, it's geared up to celebrate the game's first anniversary of existence with a triple XP event spanning the next nine days. Starting tomorrow at 9 AM EST through Monday, November 16 at 9 AM EST, all players will not only get triple the delicious experience points, but also access to a new tactical mode across all game modes -- which adds increased weapon damage and decreased ammo counts. On top of that, there's going to be "a few subtle tweaks," including a longer down-but-not-out phase for revivals and individual playlists that will allow you to play the exact gametype you want.

For you masochists out there, Epic will crank up Public Horde's difficulty to hardcore -- and if you've been playing Gears of War 2 through all of its changes, odds are you kinda are.

[Thanks, Nick!]

In celebration of Halloween and the impending release of a new title update, Epic's Rod Fergusson has announced that Gears of War 2 will be hosting a double XP weekend starting this Friday, October 30. In addition to awarding double XP in all multiplayer modes, the game will be featuring an extra "scary" lineup of Locusts in Horde mode. Specifically, Fergusson notes that Horde mode will feature lots of extra Boomers, including some waves comprised entirely of Boomers. An entire squad composed of Flamers, Grinders and good old Boomshot Boomers?

Yeah, pretty scary.

[Via VG247]

NECA's Gears of War inspired figures are heading to the UK in a special Delta Squad box set, according to Electronic Theatre. Originally available in various packages across North America, the special UK release of the Delta Squad package will include fan favorite characters (sans the Carmine brothers) Marcus Fenix, Dominic "Dom" Santiago, Augustus "Cole Train" Cole and Damon "The Annoying One" Baird, as well as new weapons and accessories exclusive to the set.

The series also includes a feature some gamers would prefer to do without: The ability to completely repel the opposite sex if located within 30 feet of your bedroom.

Epic's latest list of fixes to Gears of War 2's online multiplayer aims to satisfy what seems to be an ever-growing community of dissatisfied gamers.

The new Title Update (#5) reverts the roadie-run camera back to its state in the first Gears of War and fixes an exploit where "a player could modify the game's behavior due to a security vulnerability introduced in an earlier title update." The update also kills the ability to use turbo controllers with the game -- something folks have been using to increase their rate of fire -- and turns off the ability to mantle the shield in competitive multiplayer matches, eradicating the ability to escape the map or glitch certain pieces of geometry.

The fixes sound all well and good, but is it enough to bring folks back to the game and satisfy those still playing with a chip on their massive, hulkish shoulders? We'll all find out when the update goes live, which Epic's Rod Fergusson says could happen as early as today or Monday.

Cheaters beware! Epic's Rod Fergusson recently popped into the Gears forums to let everyone know that Gears of War 2's fifth Title Update is currently in the works and will hit Xbox Live sometime soon. The new update will not only add some new features to the game -- no more "sticky walk" and you'll be able to see friendly grenade plants in Tac/Com -- but will also put an end to a rather nasty cheating hack that surfaced shortly after TU4. Cheating in Gears -- who'da thunk it?

We'll be sure to let you know when the TU5 is available.

[Thanks, Kyle B]

Epic and Microsoft have long been cozy bedfellows, comfortably sharing the covers with each other for years. Now that partnership has extended to Microsoft's proposed game changer, Project Natal. Speaking to Epic's marketing maestro, Mark Rein, OXM asked what Natal's use of the Unreal engine implied for the futures of both companies.

"I think any future Xbox games we make will have some Natal support," Rein commented. "We always want to have something that exploits the unique capabilities of a platform." While Rein had no idea what type of game Epic would make with Natal, he did have some ideas on how Natal could improve the hardcore experience -- namely, simplifying the controls.

An example he used was taking one's hand off the controller to mimic throwing a grenade, or using a hand gesture to signal your squad move to a certain location. On paper it sounds great, but we have to question how much such controls could improve on what is arguably one of the easiest things one could ever do: pushing a button.

Aping a popular franchise's mechanics and style may be seen as a safe business proposition, but in terms of critical evaluation, the copy-cat game is likely to face stricter judgment. After all, if you're going to copy the good stuff, you've got to get it right.

Tecmo's PlayStation 3 exclusive, Quantum Theory (just Quantum outside of Japan), certainly succeeds in evoking memories of Gears of War -- at least, if you remember Epic's shooter being a technically unsound and completely unappealing disaster. If the Tokyo Game Show build is any indication, Quantum needs to undergo crucial work before its early 2010 release.

"Our experience with the first Gears of War was very frustrating," Dr. Michael Capps said at his Gears of War panel at Tokyo Game Show. He noted that translating into Japanese is no problem, but passing the censors? "Huge problem," echoing the sentiments of Square Enix's Yoichi Wada yesterday. Essentially, Epic was forced into making two different games: "Japan version and 'rest of the world' version'" A separate team was needed in customizing content and removing much of the violence featured in the game. "Every Title Update, and all Downloadable content, had to be done twice."

In spite of all the effort, Japanese sales of the first GoW represented "less than 1% of Gears sales worldwide," prompting Epic Games to simply give up on working on a Japanese version of the sequel. "We could never make a version for Japan that would fit our creative vision," Capps said, content with avoiding a Japanese release of GoW2.

"But our fans in Japan were very vocal about playing the new game." According to Capps, about 50,000 Japanese fans in Japan imported the game from America. With encouragement from Microsoft Japan, the team discovered that censorship had become a bit more lax since the release of the first game. Development ended, with a Japanese release of GoW2 in July, over half a year after the US release. Capps was happy with getting the critical reception in Japan, but the trials of the Gears of War franchise show the continuing problem of games censorship in Japan.

"Everyone expects sequels to be bigger and better," Dr. Michael Capps said in his Gears of War panel at Tokyo Game Show. While talking about visual prototyping, he showcased a new type of cover that was in development for GoW2 called "perching" that was ultimately removed from the game. This system would allow for the player to take cover behind a wall as usual, but by pushing up, Marcus would be able to grab the top of the wall, and pull up. Hanging from the top of the wall, players would be able to fire their gun, with an improved vertical vantage of the battlefield.

It looked really cool, yes, but Capps talked about how they couldn't implement it in the game because it simply broke the game -- especially in multiplayer. It would be unfair if players could see the entire battlefield, while still being able to stay in cover. Too bad ... because it did look really cool.

To be more specific -- and much less acronymic -- it appears that the super speedy Xbox 360 802.11n Wi-Fi adapter has been spotted on a promotional flier inside the Italian version of the Gears of War 2 Game of the Year edition. Italian gaming site Mondobox.com (translation) posted an image of the leaflet, which you can see above. Assuming it's authentic, it seems to indicate that both the original 802.11a/b/g and 802.11n adapter will continue to exist in the same market. And that, hopefully, indicates a price drop on the ridiculously overpriced original adapter.

We've contacted Microsoft about the peripheral and will update this post with new information if and when we receive it.

Ignore the fact that Gears of War's "Imulsion" wasn't meant for consumption and has mutagenic properties: some clever company is bottling the stuff and selling it as an "energy drink." Not only that, but at $4 (a can?) -- with $5 shipping -- we'd better see a Pendulum War break out from the distribution and sale of this stuff.

Oh well, if anybody does start mutating, we can always try to subdue it through the use of the Resident Evil T-Virus Energy Drink, which we're almost positive was actually meant to suppress the zombie outbreak caused by Avon's Derma-full face cream. We're all doomed.

[Via Destructoid]

Attention, all you Silver Xbox Live members out there. It looks like the Gears of War 2 "All Fronts" celebration has something for you too. Specifically, online play is free this weekend. That is to say, a Gold membership is not required. So, go out there and chainsawdomize Locusts (or COGs) to your heart's content. The promotion is already underway and will last until 11:59am Eastern on August 3. So, you'd better get to it on the double, soldier!

[Via VG247]