Rumor: Gears of War 2 to feature chainsaw duels
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Feb 23rd 2008 at 3:00PM }
You may have come to this conclusion when you saw the debut trailer for Gears of War 2, but Variety blogger Ben Fritz is claiming that the hot, chainsaw-on-chainsaw action featured in the preview wasn't just a stylish cutscene -- it's also going to be a gameplay mechanic in the uber-anticipated sequel. Fritz apparently spoke to people who are "close enough to the development team at Epic to know" that chainsaw wielders will now be able to repel, and possibly counter, each other's attacks.
Epic hasn't confirmed this, but given the feature's appearance in the trailer, and the frequent complaints about an "unbalanced" chainsaw combat system in the first Gears of War, we think it's safe to assume we'll be spending many long winter nights playing Lumberjack Bushido Blade when the game drops this November.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rivals Of The Silver Fox @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:05PM
Gears Of Wars 2, Meets 3rd Strike? BRING IT!
OTAM @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:09PM
As a daily Gears of War player I have no idea how they plan on getting this to work. It was hard enough to chainsaw someone and survive it. The minute your blade lowers after cutting through someone you would get shotgunned,chainsawed,or have your head sniped off. I honestly can't imagine surviving after adding a little chainsaw dual game in as well.
I don't want to be the Negative Ned,but this idea sounds like one that looks good on paper,but in the actual game will be disregarded and never used (much like the Kryll on Bullet Marsh).
peacebyanymeans (AKA: Moorio) @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:27PM
Well then, I guess you shouldn't be running around willy nilly with your chainsaw revved.
Benny @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:33PM
He doesn't... for the exact reasons he stated in his post.
Fail?
OTAM @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:51PM
peacebyanymeans
I don't run around with my chainsaw revved for the obvious reasons I stated. I take my chainsaw kills carefully.
The chainsaw animation takes about 3-4 second and 80% of the time the person doing the chainsawing WON'T survive because your enemies will wait for you to be done and blast you immediately after. I can't imagine people surviving at all standing there dueling back and forth for a good 10-12 seconds and not be noticed or killed. It would be a cool feature to add to single player,but in multi-player I can't see this working out well.
Rival Of The SilverFox @ Feb 23rd 2008 4:18PM
Your absolutely right, this has to be a Campaign feature. That's the first thing that cross my mind. Let's see what happens. Hope they fix the Hitboxes in this version of Gears.
Cal @ Feb 24th 2008 1:19PM
Maybe they could make different animations of different lengths, or the battle length would vary depending on how well matched, at whatever happens during it, the two combatants are.
However they implement it, some defence against those late revvers who soak up so much damage and still get you, as well as a way of resolving chainsaw vs chainsaw battles would be nice.
giga26 @ Feb 25th 2008 12:42AM
in gears pc they cut the animation time back to around 2 seconds
Doom3killer @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:09PM
oxm speculated on it in their recent podcast
J @ Feb 23rd 2008 5:27PM
This could just be a way for the chainsawee to defend themselves.
Dauragon88 @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:15PM
This post has succeeded in making me want to dust off my copy of Bushido Blade.
Trippy_Haps @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:44PM
This post has succeeded in intensifying my want for a Next-Gen Bushido Blade. -Le sigh-
Dauragon88 @ Feb 23rd 2008 4:17PM
*sigh* thats never gonna happen :(
It's OK, we can be sad about it together :D
AnonyMack @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:25PM
orgasmatastic to the max
Benny @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:31PM
Ugh, chainsaws were so easy to avoid anyway. If this ends up being some crappy real-time event I'm gonna swallow a locust. Yeah, a whole goddamn locust.
jacobfarr13 @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:40PM
If they are going to put in chainsaw battles it is fine with me. I am more worried about getting some dependent servers from you guys at epic. I would die for 'em. Come on Epic. We all know you have the money to do it.
A-Troll-Named-Slickback (Yes the A Troll Named part, and yes every time!) @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:43PM
Why will they not announce the upgrade? the exciting 6 on 6 multiplayer! DVD9 yeah!
Benny @ Feb 23rd 2008 4:02PM
Yeah, 'cause Resistance was such a triumph.
DemonGSides @ Feb 23rd 2008 4:26PM
Spartan Matt?
Matt B @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:06PM
LOL
I don't understand what disk space has to do with multi-player, but I can see the P2P being a hindrance.
A-Troll-Named-Slickback (Yes the A Troll Named part, and yes every time!) @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:26PM
P2P vs dedicated servers I see you point but still, add a "2" to mediocrity and it still is mediocre. *covers ears from Killzone jab*
Jawmuncher @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:54PM
Didn't we all assume this after seeing the trailer?
Mr.ESC @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:54PM
Oh sweet, it really doesn't get better than this. Okay maybe laser chainsaw nun chuck duels but other than that it really doesn't get better than this.
I hope they make it work; the chainsaw and the sniper rifle were my favorite weapons.
They should also fix the shotgun, killing someone online with the shotgun was more about luck than skill.
Chase @ Feb 23rd 2008 4:00PM
It would be neat if the chainsaw offered temporary shield from bullets. Maybe two to three body shots before dying. Combined with Gears of War's dynamic sprint, it could make for some fun in the multiplayer, and in the game itself.
ThornedVenom (Ludwig Defense Force) @ Feb 23rd 2008 4:20PM
I'm in a flaming mood right now: THIS NEEDS TO GET ONTO THE WII.
Croove55 @ Feb 23rd 2008 4:22PM
I know it's just a game, and a science fiction game at that, but does anyone realize what would happen if you slammed two operating chainsaws into each other? Two rapidly rotating blades (designed to *grab and tear*) hitting each other would be less like a duel and more like an endurance contest for shrapnel to the face and throat. I know I'm looking at this too hard, but the best thing that could happen is that the blades would catch each other and whip straight out of the duelist's hands.
mike @ Feb 24th 2008 9:48PM
Some1 needs to send this request to mythbusters. I want to see to stationary objects holding a chainsaw and able to keep it held firmly as they clash (assuming locust and marcus feneix are ultra powerful and can hold the chainsaw.
Chase @ Feb 23rd 2008 6:24PM
Sounds like a job for Mythbusters.
Croove55 @ Feb 23rd 2008 7:14PM
Oh hell yes.
Microswirl @ Feb 23rd 2008 4:44PM
The best way to accomplish this would be to have the player immediately start tapping X as fast as possible (like the A button to rivive) and whoever tapped X... let's say... 10 times the fastest would push the other player back a couple feet. At this point the other player could still roll quickly away, but if they hesitate for half a second, you'd press X again to lunge forward (like the energy sword in Halo) to stab them with the chainsaw. Also, I think there should be a little support for teammates who are getting chainsawed. If, for instance, it's only about 20% through the chainsaw animation and the chainsawer gets headshot, then the guy who was about to be ripped in half should survive, albeit with 90% health drained. Also, they need to either reduce the bullet damage done by the chainsaw gun... OR increase the bullet damage done by the Hammerburst, to make the game more balanced and especially to give the player a reason to use that gun (cuz it's pretty much useless in GoW). Also there should be a way to unstick granades. You'd have to stand still and tap B really fast to get that grenade off you, but I also think thrown grenades should have wider splash damage. I'd also prefer the torque bow took longer to charge up, but you should be able to charge it up while crouching behind low cover WITHOUT having to go into blindfire mode (leaves you vulnerable to sniping). Finally, the sniper rifle should remember the zoom level you had it at when you're holding and releasing the L trigger.
wickedpheonix @ Feb 23rd 2008 5:44PM
I read about half-way through that...
1) Too complicated.
2) Next time, break it up into bullet points or something at least, OK? This is more a forum than a rapid-fire IM chat.
Microswirl @ Feb 23rd 2008 6:08PM
1)I'll rapid fire into your face.
2)Don't bother replying if you're only paying attention to grammar and writing style but not content and ideas.
3)It's not complicated; your brain is simple.
4)HTML formatting is not allowed so you can't use BULLET points, dumbass.
There, I broke it up for your convenience. You're welcome.
Rususeruru @ Feb 23rd 2008 6:21PM
Ok all I got out of that comment and it's replies was:
"1)I'll rapid fire into your face."
hahaha
caramelzappa @ Feb 23rd 2008 7:12PM
The beauty of Gears controls were how simple and persice they were. What your suggesting is adding a lot of button mashing and while it would technically work, I think this would take a lot of fun out of the game.
thomashenwood @ Feb 23rd 2008 4:55PM
It would be nice if you could saw through doors as well, kicking them down is soooo 2006.
TrojanGuy @ Feb 23rd 2008 4:56PM
That's pretty cool! Well, hopefully.
J @ Feb 23rd 2008 5:27PM
I know they've wanted to do this since the first one. If you watch some of the bonus video that comes with the Limited Edition, there's a quick shot of an early build where a Locust is fighting back as Marcus chainsaws him.
Matt @ Feb 23rd 2008 7:52PM
Bad netcode + chainsaw = really annoying situations.
Anyone that played online knew that the chainsaw, grenade slapping, and just about everything else in Gears was ruined by poorly implemented netcode. It was rare that you actually saw someone chainsaw someone that was right next to them. It was usually someone dying from ten feet away, unaware how they were cut right down the middle at range.
Anything that might require precise timing is going to require something better than what Epic managed to crank out in Gears 1.
Console gaming in general has garbage netcode, mainly because it almost exclusively relies on playing on Little Billy's DSL instead of a server that, you know, can actually handle network data for more than three people.
GoonieGooGoo @ Feb 24th 2008 12:22AM
As someone who loves HALO 3 Sword clashes..... :)
This is totally something that is needed for GOW Series.
Now i hope they increase the # of players.
Exodus @ Feb 24th 2008 1:47PM
I am still waiting for duel swords in the Halo series.
krazy @ Feb 24th 2008 4:48AM
How about we get some grenade duels net? :p two people try to tag each other but keep smashing nades together eventually it blows up and they both die YAY!
the end....
freelance @ Feb 24th 2008 8:53AM
I don't think few of the big name games including GoW2 are going to coming out this year. I think we are going to see the string a long strategy, that PS3/Konami played on us last year with MGS4, by announcing games that they know won't be ready. So expect delays.
baby sea tuna @ Feb 25th 2008 8:56AM
MS can't really afford to not release GoW2 this year.
giga26 @ Feb 25th 2008 12:53AM
you could have a well timed tap on B and then that would make you quickly smack your lanser off theirs then they would be stuned like with a grenade or melee.
NINJA GAIDEN @ Mar 20th 2008 7:56AM
GOW2 IS GONNA BE TOP NO1 WAS SO WILL THIS EVEN BETTER LONG LIVE MARCUS FENIX
emirabal @ Mar 27th 2008 2:39PM
Finally, a way to get back at those chainsawing mofo's
SmokeSignal @ Apr 9th 2008 9:02PM
There is only one way to do this. It isn't going to be a long drawn out thing.. you guys are crazy. If I were to do it I would make it like active reloading. Just a really quick mini-game type thing. Maybe a paper rock scissors type of thing. If you are too slow picking... you lose.