Gears of War 2 details emerge from X360 magazine

by Griffin McElroy { May 24th 2008 at 7:00PM }

Though other shooters have surpassed it in terms of Xbox Live activity, we still hold a dear, dear place in our heart for the multiplayer portion of Gears of War -- a place intricately carved by an enemy chainsaw. Sure, the character advancement of Call of Duty 4 and Vegas 2 led to a more compelling overall experience, but they lacked a certain panache that only a well-timed curb stomp can supply.

Imagine our excitement when we caught wind of the intimidating flood of details for the sequel's multiplayer component in the upcoming issue of UK's X360 magazine. There's a full list of said details on our Microsoft-related sister site, but to inspire you to continue reading, here's a few tantalizing buzzwords you'll find behind that link: Meatflag, Poison gas grenade, Flamethrower, Ten person multiplayer, Chainsaw duels, and last but certainly not least, Verandas. If that didn't sell you, we don't know what will.

[Via X3F]

Tags: cliffyb, details, epic, gears-of-war, gears-of-war-2, gow, gow2, meatflag, microsoft, multiplayer, preview, x360

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

theturtle363 @ May 24th 2008 7:08PM

I hope to god that when i get someones health to zero they die, and that some bitch who didnt fire a single shot get the credit by stepping on my enemy's head

Mr.ESC @ May 24th 2008 7:36PM

That sucks but I don't care when people steal my kills, which happens a lot but I don't cry about it but damn I have heard grown ups and kids argue about it

"URbzzzFKRIGNbzzzBIATCHbzzzYOUbzzzSTULEbbzzzMAYbzzKIL"

At first it was funny but it gets annoying. Seriously you will get more kills unless you are a n00b,just report the other player and move on.I had to disable communications because most of the time my teammates argue about stupid sh*t like that with their stupid squicky voices, really don’t do it is just plain pathetic.

Is really hard to imagine I’m fighting for the survival of the Human race when morons argue about who stole what or who took the sniper rifle. I had to give up the sniper rifle several times just to shut up the other guy.

Anticrawl @ May 24th 2008 7:46PM

In response to Mr. ESC and theturtle363.

This is why in my (and my friends') room(s) we have teamkill enabled. You play by our rules our you face the barrel of my shotgun.

Mr.ESC @ May 24th 2008 8:09PM

I rarely host, it takes ages to get a party ready.

There are good people in Gears of War but for some reason in Ranked matches players are just jerks. The only time the members in my team worked together was when some French guys were insulting everyone for not speaking French but I did so I told what they were saying and we pretty much own them until I lost the connection with the host.

theturtle363 @ May 24th 2008 8:17PM

i dont really like GoW multiplayer the downs/kill system is just one reason why. I don't care enough to complain about it in the game and I won't i just wished they'd change that in the sequel, or at least make downs worth as much as kills. Or even better have the option to turn off downs. That is a good idea too Anticrawl but I only have 1 friend who owns GoW.

Mr.ESC @ May 24th 2008 8:30PM

Make downs worth as much as kills

Like TF2,Assistants counts.I got the top score in a TF2 match as medic once.Too bad the medic achievements were not avalible back then.

Vcize @ May 24th 2008 8:33PM

You guys really need to start playing with friends instead of the GP. Playing Gears with 7 friends is pretty much the most epic (wow, pun NOT intended...I'm not that lame) experience possible in videogames. A good team that can communicate well, then joke around in the dead room and laugh and have a good time.

It's like being back in a college dorm room except you don't have to hide the alchohol.

Mr.ESC @ May 24th 2008 8:46PM

Separate comments.

Team kills are only possitive if you are in a coperative team other wise that little 14 year old punk is going to own you.(Never happened to me tho' since I never host)

I have played with friends and you are right is pretty cool but my friends play in diffirent hours and they are not pretty good at the game.

Also I won't lie to you I like achievements.

Anticrawl @ May 24th 2008 10:29PM

I haven't played one ranked match and I don't teamkill for no reason. It just makes it easier to deal with the riff-raf and having it on with warzone makes the game so much more team oriented. In non-friendly fire execution it's just a rambo match.

bigsofty @ May 24th 2008 11:51PM

http://forums.gametrailers.com/showthread.php?t=366685

...scans

OTAM @ May 25th 2008 8:48PM

One guying having 15 kills,but your team having 0 rounds won doesnt equal a win. Learn it. If someone goes down,kill them regardless of "who's down" it is.

You and your group arguing over who got the down is just wasting time while the enemy is regrouping or getting better position.

Ninjakamster (XBL: RNK2K) @ May 24th 2008 7:19PM

This is one game my little brother got a 360 for. He played the first game on PC.

I find it dissapointing the extra content from the PC version (extra chapters) won't make it to the 360 version as DLC, since most GOW players have played the 360 version, where the series started and become so popular and Games for Windows and 360 are so closely connected.

Jake11 @ May 24th 2008 7:25PM

these sound like great additions, meatflag especially

Mr.ESC @ May 24th 2008 7:26PM

Mai roflchainsaw goes sliec sliec sliec sliec.

Jhongerkong @ May 25th 2008 2:35AM

lol wut

DBuck_Eye @ May 24th 2008 7:38PM

TEN person multiplayer! What's next? Twelve people? Man that is so crazy.

Mr.ESC @ May 24th 2008 7:43PM

The first was 4 vs 4.If they added more players into a match in a game such like this one it would cause lag issues making the game unplayable for several users.

John McPoop (PSN:johnnynumber5) @ May 24th 2008 8:33PM

If Microsoft wanted to do some dedicated servers for the game they could do more players ... SInce the game runs using P2P they can't have more players or it would be a lag fest ...

My hopes for GOW 2-

Remove the glitches! That killed the last game completely ...
Balance out the shotgun a little better ... The shotgun whores were nearly unbearable ...
No host advantage this time around!

Obviously a campaign worth playing through - The first campaign was Gawd Awful but from what I have seen of GOW 2 it looks like they put more effort into it ... It also helps the fist one was highly successful with the first one and they have been able to improve upon the single player experience ...

I am not trying to sound like I hated the first one - I did like the gam alot ... However, I am not going to act like it was the pinnacle of online gaming or that the campaign was anything special ...

This is one of a hand few of 360 exclusive games i am HIGHLY anticipating this year ... Gears 2, Ninja Gaiden II, Conan: hyberian MMO and Champions online all look like unique experiences ... I know I could get half of those on PC but I prefer to game on consoles ...

Poison gas grenades! Sounds very cool ... Tagging someone with a poison gas grenade would be interesting ... Not so crazy about the chainsaw battles but anything is better than the random chainsaw duels from Gears 1 ... Flamethrower sounds neat as well but we will see how that works with the active reload features from the first Gears

I also think they should remove the active reload ... It just turned into total BS ... I mean why should I get downed from a bullet that was loaded faster when normally I would not get downed ... I appreciate the effort but it needs to be removed

How the hell is Carmine back in the game?

Mr.ESC @ May 24th 2008 8:48PM

The shotgun is cheap indeed but I used the Lancer and the Pistol most of the time,the shotgun was the fight between who had the better connection so I rarelly won in square dancing.

Anticrawl @ May 24th 2008 7:42PM

I'll say it again, if matchmaking is mandatory for this game in Ranked AND Public matches this news may kill any excitement I had for this game. I'm all for the browsing optimatch type system. They could simply add net-code that allows room/party leader to choose the match types and weapon placements but not the allocation of host, which should be chosen based on "best suited connection" for the room itself. Plenty of games have done it, then perhaps the group kick function seen in Shadowrun would remove the hassle of needless kicks.

I don't see why everyone finds matchmaking so great, I like my friends and I have controll over how we are going to spend our short afternoon worth of free time. Private matches are out of the question, I like playing against new people.

Mr.ESC @ May 24th 2008 8:00PM

So that's what you do with your friends when you aren't giving hand jobs to each other. Revenge for the DBZ post now we are even (Nevar forgive nevar forget)

Well while I complained about how many players only played in 3 maps out of the 12 maps available at least you had the option to create your own match which is good or at least choose which of the 3 maps available at the time you wanted to join.

Matchmaking fixes some problems for example more people will play a different variety of maps but you won’t be able to choose your favorite which is bad but eventually you will be able to play it but if you really want to practice in that particular map it all depends on luck also that you depend on other players too if there is a vote option to change the map. Giving other players control over the map in matchmaking was a nice idea for part of Bungie in Halo 3 but damn it how many times people changed Ninja Team Slayer with Guitars in Valhalla for Wack-a-mole Hammerzeit in Epitaph in Halo 3 just because they could. Hopefully this won’t happen in Gears 2.

I’m not really affected by this change in particular but it would be nice to be a host at least in non-ranked matches.

What I really want to know is if I can get the achievements in normal matches because I really hate ranked matches.

Vcize @ May 24th 2008 8:19PM

Yeah matchmaking has never really been a big deal to me since I typically stick to friend-only games anyway.

However, I'm not sure that random host would be the best way to go in friendly games if host advantage is still a big thing (they said drastically reducing it is at the top of their priorities so hopefully it won't be anymore). We generally try and have some of the weaker players host when we play to keep things balanced. There are some people that are already extremely good, and if they have a good connection and always end up being selected as the host automatically it would be bad.

Vcize @ May 24th 2008 8:21PM

Although, now that I read it again when they say "Halo style matchmaking" they mean "Halo style party system", at least that's what I hope. I don't think they're intending on going the Halo route and not letting you pick the exact gametype you want to play.

Anticrawl @ May 24th 2008 10:33PM

Revenge huh? I just think anime games (though generally terrible) should stick to the source material and have the classic anime cel-shaded look. Again I don't buy anime based games.... with the exception of that Naruto: RotN because I was in desperate need of a new platformer and it wasn't half bad either.

Obie @ May 24th 2008 8:00PM

I loved the first games co-op campaign, but the multiplayer felt a bit clunky and unbalanced. But I am looking forward to the sequel anyways.

Mr.ESC @ May 24th 2008 8:11PM

Me too. The Campaign mode in both single player and co-op were amazingly good especially insane difficulty

Vcize @ May 24th 2008 8:15PM

Holy wow.

I am a bit worried about weapon specific executions on the B button though. So now there's no way to just melee someone when they're down as you run by to finish them off? You have to either shoot them (wtf do you do if you have a boomshot or torque or something out?) or go into some long execution maneuver? That sounds really lame.

Other than that, awesome though. Wingman mode sounds sweeeettttt. 2v2v2v2v2.

Vcize @ May 24th 2008 8:16PM

Oh yeah, not sure if I like bullets slowing people down either. I really hope that doesn't turn things into more of a n00b lancer whore-fest.

It will also make those 1v3 or 1v4 (or now 1v5 even) miracle comebacks even more difficult, which is too bad because nothing in a videogame (or any form of media entertainment really) has ever given me an adrenaline rush like being the last guy and taking out an entire team in succession.

Eric @ May 25th 2008 9:38AM

Not to bust your balls, seriously, by why is the lancer the 'noob' weapon? It's the default weapon for crying out loud! If you listen to some of the idiots on GOW here's the breakdown:

Lancers are gay
Host shotgun
Boomshot is for noobs
Sniper is cheap

My friends an I have decided that the only weapon that is acceptable for use, i.e. not gay or for noobs, is the smoke grenade.

Use cover and flank and the lancer is minimized
Maintain distance and the host shotgun has no benefit
If you know someone had the sniper and you get shot you suck
Bait someone into wasting both their boomshot rounds

Even when jerks slide out weapons a good team can rip him to shreds while he picks it up - a glitch that they must remove however.

tmacairjordan87 @ May 24th 2008 8:22PM

Seems pretty insignificant to me. I'll stick with the campaign and (hopefully) 4 player co-op

xFenixKnightx @ May 24th 2008 9:18PM

You WOULD say that.

*nods head

SpekOpz @ May 24th 2008 8:41PM

Cant wait!!Q!

xFenixKnightx @ May 24th 2008 9:17PM

All in all it sounds great. New matchmaking system was a must and they addressed it. Anybody saying 5 vs 5 is lame probably hasn't played Gears MP much. It's not supposed to be a lot of players like COD4 or Resistance. It's slower pace, more tactical (especially with friends) and wayyyyyyy more intense that Halo3 and the likes IMO. Also more satisfying.

I'm sticking with Execution mode and will play the other modes when I get bored and need a break. Yup Gears 2 is shaping up to be the best damn game all around. Another tidbit I've heard includes a 15 hour campaign this time around which sounds awesome. I wonder what the Gears haters will say this time around since they are pretty much adressing everything with this title.

Lord Bowser @ May 25th 2008 5:55AM

Phallus of Bore brings out the excitement of the proles, eh. It would be nice if they added some challenging ideas to the story mode this time, but I'm not holding my breath.

Eric @ May 25th 2008 9:51AM

@ Fenix:

Hell, yes. Execution mode ftw. Even w/its' flaws my friends and I play it nightly. Can't wait for the sequel.

@ Bowser

My God, you're a psuedo elitist bore. Guess what, your idea of a good game does not define what a good game is.
If I want 'challenging ideas' I'll read Ayn Rand. When I have a precious hour or two to play a videogame, i.e. play with a toy, I just want to have fun.

If you depend on videogames for deep, meaningful, innovative experiences you are sadder than you actually sound. While you love to call action games 'base' I am sure your 'base' addiction to pornography is epic at this point (pun not intended).

If you must sit at home enjoying the smell of your own flatulence please do it in private and spare the rest of us.

fred @ May 25th 2008 10:11AM

You ACTUALLY used the phrase proles, unironically, to describe people who play a game you don't like. Does Joystiq ban people? I think that alone deserves a huge smash from the banhammer.

Lord Bowser @ May 25th 2008 10:10AM

I never claimed to be an elitist. I would never claim such a title. You, my sir, are attempting to shoehorn words in my mouth.

I just want valid reason for the violence on show, that is all. A game purely based on decadent violence, without showing the psychological cause and effect of such tremendous actions, is a nothing. A pure unadulterated nothing, and as such, a waste of time.

But, Eric, considering you read Rand I'm not particularly surprised you expose yourself to be quite the selfish brute. No offence intended, of course.

fred @ May 25th 2008 10:13AM

Do you do anything but insult people while acting like a smug little pissant?
No one said you claimed to be elitist. They were simply calling you an elitist prick because that's what you are being.

fred @ May 25th 2008 10:14AM

also: srs business

Lord Bowser @ May 25th 2008 10:28AM

Unironically isn't a word.

I don't understand how that is irony. If you could enlighten me I would be grateful.

Eric @ May 25th 2008 10:55AM

Alright you schmuck, here we go.

I never said you 'claimed' to be an elitist, I called you one. A psuedo-elitist to be exact since all you really do is take that stance to make yourself feel like you are better than others. I hope I don't have to explain why that is pathetic in and of itself.

You continually state that games that depict violence for the sake of violence are 'base' and ' a waste of time' and that they should show the 'psychological cause and effect' of such actions and if they don't they are nothing. Well, I don't need them to be anything more than what they are. They are games, toys. When I play them I just want to jump online, blow some shit up and have fun. You state your opinions like they are facts, like your opinion of violence in games defines their worth; then go on to insult the people that play them. To that, fuck you. I am well rounded intellectually, physically, and emotionally and I don't like being labeled as a 'prole' or a 'brute' because I enjoy Gears of War.

I used Rand as an example, I never said that I ascribe to her theories and ideas; but she is certainly a fine example of concepts that challenge convention. I get my intellectual stimulation from books, art and film. I don't need or want it from games. I am well aware of the devastating result of war and violence and don't need to it to be reinforced when I just want to play a game and be entertained.

Before you are temted to call me a 'selfish brute' again know that one of my greatest role models, outside of my father and matial arts teacher, is Mahatma Ghandi.

And I'm pretty sure he'd want to curb stomp your fucking head in too.

Lord Bowser @ May 25th 2008 11:16AM

"I get my intellectual stimulation from books, art and film. I don't need or want it from games."

Well there we disagree. All forms of entertainment should attempt to offer some sort of intellectual incentive. Even if it's misguided or tawdry, or such. I respect the form of entertainment, including video games, which at least aspires for a some sort of cognitive stimulation than the nothing that wallows in its own mess of "baseness". This is where we disagree and I believe our positions are entrenched. I'm sorry for that.

Allowing ourselves to submit to statements like yours is to allowing for cultural decay, a decay that celebrates anti-thought and anti-mind. These game designers are some of the most intelligent people working in the entertainment industry. These are brilliant people. Yet, look at what they constantly pump out. Roided men with fantastical weapons set in dead worlds. Is that it? Is this what the future of video games really entail? Low level shlock which appeals to the guttersnipes. They're capable of better and we, as the audience, should desire better. I'm not being high-minded or judgemental, I just believe that there's so much more. But that is one Bowser's opinion.

Kid, you really sound well rounded when you say your father, Ghandi, or your "matial arts teacher", will curb stomp me.

Eric @ May 25th 2008 2:14PM

First of all, way to demonstrate your reading comprehension. I said 'he'd' want to curbstomp you - referring to the proper subject (Gandhi) from the previous sentence. THAT is irony, professor, that the pentultimately peaceful man would be so annoyed by you that he'd give you the COG treatment.

"All forms of entertainment should attempt to offer some sort of intellectual incentive." Really? Did the original (or current) Mario platformerss do that? How about a game of tag? I race sportbikes but we don't do too much meaningful intellectual discourse in the paddock. I guess I'm not being entertained 'properly'.

"Allowing ourselves to submit to statements like yours is to allowing for cultural decay, a decay that celebrates anti-thought and anti-mind." Are you kidding me? That games of any kind can be fun simply for sake of being fun is submit to 'cultural decay'? Does it occur to you that after a day of business decisions, writing, perhaps exchanging political discourse or what have you that person might want to (and need to) just shut the cognitive process off and release through a pure sensory experience. Whether that's "Rayman Raving Rabbits", a wild daliance with your mate, or jumping into a pool. Pure unadulterated fun is the Ying to the cognitive Yang and if you don't understand that you must be horribly boring (picked up on that already, thanks), a terrible lover, and drive people away in droves.

And there you go, categorizing people and calling them names like 'guttersnipes'. If you're so sophisticated you wouldn't make statements like that, and all that shows is a lack of social education and narrow mindedness. You don't sound intelligent enough to be a snob.

There's a place for high concept videogames, certainly the field is ripe for expression of this kind; and there's a place for the silly, the visceral in games just to appease the id, which is as much a part of the human experience as intellectual pursuits and it isn't a snapshot of the totality of a person if they enjoy either.

Cyro @ May 25th 2008 5:07PM

@Fenix: I knew you would be happy to hear all the great stuff thats being included in GOW2. Its going to be better than the first. :) ! Match making alone will make it 10 times better.

GOW2 FTW !

fred @ May 25th 2008 6:34PM

"Unironically isn't a word.

I don't understand how that is irony. If you could enlighten me I would be grateful."
lern 2 english
ur doin it rong.

xFenixKnightx @ May 25th 2008 8:53PM

Cyro

and you know this, MANNNNN!!!!

Superstar90 @ May 25th 2008 10:58PM

Nobody pointed out the fact that his name is Lord Bowser. Not to bash on Mario/his games, but it lacks any real "intellectual stimulation" as well.
@Bowser
And I know that you may not like Mario/his games and you are just using the picture, but what is your favourite game. Is it mentally stimulating? Is it more stimulating than maths equations, rubiks cubes or sudoku puzzles?