Epic sticks a fork in Gears of War 2

Anyone else's mouth not watering? Yeah, we've got the darn thing pre-ordered, we'll be there in line at midnight with the rest of you, and, once home, we'll be tearing through the cellophane with the usual patience of a two-year-old. We get it, it's meatier, moister and more tender than the first one, but gosh this bird sure looks and smells like the first one Epic served up two years ago.

Admit it, it's odd to think that a potential Game of the Year -- at least, sure to be a critical and commercial success -- is one we, who obsess over this industry, are not obsessing about. Gears of War 2 is just a sure bet. So sure that we don't have to think about it. Was there ever any doubt the game wouldn't "go gold" well in time for its November launch (that's today's news, by the way)? It's not that something's missing, it's that everything's there. Gears 2 is utter professionalism: excellence in design, execution and marketing, right down to the dropped "y." Almost bland tasting, isn't it?

Reader Comments (76)

Yeah, I've been a multi-console non-fanboy gamer since the Atari 2600 and I gotta say Gears is the most addictive game I have ever played. November 7th is a holiday for me.

Fenix you are a man among men and I admire your resolve.

Mmmmm.... Gears.....

*drools

I think I've got you beat Fenix, with 4 copies of Gears preordered (two to get at midnight and keep to play that night, and two for the preorder goodies where the game itself will be resold).

The only thing that has a chance at stopping me from playing Gears five days a week is Gears 2.

Vcize

NICE! But lets see who gets all 1000gp including Seriously 2.0 first ;)

joystiq writers give away GOTY awards all the time. they gave it to ninja gaiden 2 before it was released the took it back.

Oh yeah, i remember that. lol.

Maybe its misinformation, that didnt "type" out the way you were "thinking" it.. (happens to me all the time).

Joystiq says: "potential Game of the Year"
Why all the GOTY hubbub?

If you dont mind link up the N.Gaiden2 post, because im guessing that says something similar.

I didn't even know Joystiq handed out GOTY awards. What credibility do they have other than being first to play games... the same question is raised for all gaming websites. >:|

i remember it was mention in a couple podcasts. i don't think they were serious, or really handing out awards. someone would just declare a title GOTY and threaten to take back non existent trophies when the next hot game came along or the greatness faded

I like this, Brawl, and possibly MGS4 for GOTY.

This game is going to be unbelievable. I really liked the first Gears of War, and I will admit the online wasn't too stable at times, but it was fun nonetheless. I'm hoping the epic fixes the lag problems, host advantage, and ships a game that isn't plagued with glitches. The glitches are what I hate most.

LOL Brawl GOTY.

(rises to the bait neatly)

Of course. Just because parts of it were a letdown (non-friended online) doesn't mean it wasn't still epic win in a box.

Few games this year can stand up to Brawl's feature list (GTAIV alone can in that regard, i think), aside from the fact that the game was balanced down to the finest detail (aside from Ike being too good and Snake sucking too bad, imo), over 300 excellent re-orchestrated and remastered in-game songs

Again, if you rate GoTY by features alone, its a three-horse race between Brawl, GTAIV, and LBP. The more cinematic games (MGS4, Dead Space) are harder to compare in a direct metric, but still doesn't detract from Brawl's merits.

Well, I dunno, think it's a little too early for GOTY conversations, isn't it? I might be wrong, or just a dumb n00b.

Brawl is great and all, but the 1P mode and the fact that I don't live near my close friends anymore, eh, the game just loses its lustre.

GTAIV was an utter snoozefest. Sure, it's goregeous, has lots of character, but they didn't do enough new with the series that I actually cared. Finishing the game felt like a chore, and I was happy to finally be done with it. Zzzzzz....

Don't mean to rag here on LBP, but customization/level creation seems incredibly niche to me, what is somebody who doesn't care about any of that going to get out of LBP? Not trying to be an ass or anything, I'm genuinely interested, as I will be picking up a PS3 at some point.

I adore Boom Blox, but the fact that I can't easily get my hands on user created levels is incredibly, incredibly, incredibly stupid and lame.

We got front-loaded with good games this year (Brawl, MGS4, Mario Kart Wii, Ninja Gaiden 2, a few others i probably can't recall because i was too obsessed with Brawl at the time), so GoTY conversations started a bit early

But at this point, all of the other contenders have gone gold or are 1 or 2 weeks away from doing so, so it is time again.

GTA IV wasn't gorgeous in my eyes. Play Burnout: Paradise. It looks better, and has a far better framerate too. Yes, I realize they are different kinds of games, but if you're going just by looks, GTA IV is a pale second.

Burnout:Paradise is probably my GOTY leader right now.

GTAIV was definitely undersold in the graphics department. A sacrifice they had to make for size concerns

None of the GoTY contenders are without their negatives, if you count MGO in with MGS4, its problems weigh down that game, aside from the normal issue of cutscenes, GTAIV had graphics problems and (i've heard) did get rather boring in its later stages. Brawl of course had the broken online that they had fixed for like 2 weeks and then just got more broken, and its story was lackluster. Initial reports of LBP have (depending on who you talk to) put up concerns that its actual gameplay is lackluster. I haven't heard any outstanding negatives about Dead Space or Fallout 3 yet, but odds are they won't be "perfect" either.

It probably would have had "potential" for winning GOTY last year, but certainly not this year. It might be a nominee but it cant realistically compete with some of the other games of this year.

Damn, all this excitement for Gears 2 is making me want to play Gears 1 now. Haven't played it so far, didn't see what all the hype was about but now my interest is piqued.

Better try it on my brother's PC then, he plays it like crazy and wants me to delay selling my 360 so he can play Gears 2. : )

No PC version = no sale to me, and yes I actually bought Gears 1 for PC. We're not all pirates, not like those x360 people :)

The PC version came exactly a year after the 360 version, so us PC gamers will have to wait until November 2009 to get it, if we do. :(

Theres no PC version :( I had a PC version copy as well because unlike my 360, I can carry my laptop to any country without worry as to whether the electricity supply in that country is sufficient. etc etc

However, my 360 version is better for gameplay and online. Graphics wise, my PC version looks better.

The name they chose for thier company is perfectly ideal, they are as rightly put, Epic :D

You mean there is actual LBP quality concerns. The amount of hype Sony has put into this game is reaching Halo proportions, if LBP underwhelms will the Sony hype train be officially derailed?

Sony has a lot riding on this game, it would be bad news for the PS3 if LBP is not a critical success imo.

If its a huge success then I'll be very surprised. I think they're losing sales by doing this Beta and letting peeps see how teh game really is.

This is exactly how i feel.. It's going to be good so i don't understand why people are still going on about it, i'm just not psyched at all.

Previous 50 Comments

Epic sticks a fork in Gears of War 2

Reader Comments (76)

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 1:40PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 2:20PM MarkezJM said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 3:22PM Vcize said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 3:56PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 12:19PM jhowlett said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 12:32PM Mr Khan said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 12:38PM Negatron said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 12:52PM ZaxCG2 said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 1:01PM jhowlett said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 12:23PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 12:26PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 12:37PM Shagittarius said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 1:38PM Mr Khan said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 2:18PM MarkezJM said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 2:31PM Mr Khan said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 3:02PM spin cycle said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 4:09PM Mr Khan said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 12:38PM aughscreennames said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 1:03PM RKN said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 1:10PM Cranky Penguin said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 1:19PM RKN said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 2:34PM Spunky Monkey 190906 said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 2:32PM Spunky Monkey 190906 said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 4:33PM leobebes said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 4:37PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Oct 10th 2008 5:50PM (Unverified) said

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