To this day, Gears of War still has a strong following in online multiplayer. As awesome as the single-player campaign looks in the sequel, most fans’ questions pertain to the new and improved multiplayer. So X-Play sat down with Cliff Bleszinski to talk about what sort of changes they’re planning to implement. Aside from new weapons and maps and such, it seems the team has thankfully identified some problems plaguing the first game, which they hope to correct (i.e. more cover-focused action and less problems from achievement whores). So far, it definitely sounds like they’re on the right track.

Via G4TV

This is the fourth and final post in our Gears of War 2 Screenshot Extravaganza. Where as part three showed campaign artwork, these are actual screenshots and this time we have more than just pretty pictures, we have some actual multiplayer map descriptions too.

Here are the maps we know about so far:

• GRIDLOCK: A tranquil highway next to a river rapidly filled with evacuating vehicles immediately after the Locust emergence. Few of the panicked owners made it out alive as ruthlessly efficient Locust squads swept through the area, taking out civilians one by one.

• RIVER: Old grain mills located on the outskirts of the city of Landown make the perfect setting for a cross-bridge clash.

• SECURITY: Older Coalition technology was built to last, as witnessed by the laser fences and security turrets located in this Pendulum Wars–era work camp. Soldiers must first deactivate the lethal defenses before making a dash for the weaponry in either wing of the arena.

Screens for each map are posted after the jump along with more screens from the game featuring Grenadiers, Hammerheads, Dizzy, Cole and more.

Be sure and check out the other GoW2 screens posts:

• Pt. 1
• Pt. 2
• Pt. 3

Read the full article »

Part Three of the Gears of War 2 Screenshot Extravaganza is here and full of Campaign Artwork featuring not only some really nice looking locales, but artwork depicting some of the characters and bad guys you will encounter in the game.

If you though the concept art in Part Two was neat, these are even better.

Hit the jump for more.

Read the full article »

If you enjoyed part one of the Gears of War 2 Screenshot Extravaganza, here is a bunch of artwork depicting the weapons available when playing multiplayer. At your disposal will be the Hammerburst, Locust Gorgon Pistol and the Locust Poison Grenade, plus we have some Stranded Flame Thrower and shield concept art as well.

Next up will be Part Three: Campaign Artwork.

Enjoy.

Microsoft and Epic released so many screenshots for Gears of War 2 today that if I were to put them all in one post, the thin silver cord connecting us to the Prime Material Plane would snap and all we know would be lost to us as we floated around in the different Astral realms – that or the Matrix would collapse, or any other sort of nerdy reference to all hell breaking loose. Therefore, my fellow gamers, I have decided to break these up into different posts so as not to wreak havoc or to put it bluntly, get called out by my boss for making a “monster” post.

Part one of this Gears of War 2 screenshot extravaganza contains five campaign screenshots featuring Markus fighting a rockworm, environments, and a couple more.

Check back later for Part Two: Competitive Multiplayer Artwork.

ChannelFlip has five copies of Unreal Tournament 3 for the Xbox 360 to give away. Each of the games include an exclusive preview of Gears of War 2. Gamers have a chance to answer an Unreal Tournament trivia question to be entered for their chance to win one of the games.

The Rules

• This competition is open to all ChannelFlip viewers
• Emails must be received by 11:59 AM BST Friday 4th July 2008 to qualify.
• Multiple entries will be disqualified – please include your forum username in your submission.
• The five winners will be chosen randomly from correct entries
• The Editor’s decision is final.
• Prizes cannot be swapped for a cash alternative.
• Any questions, post them in the comments section below!

As you can see there is nothing in the rules that disqualifies ChannelFlip viewers outside the UK from participating. You just have to be a registered user. To register with ChannelFlip if you’re not already on the list and enter the contest, pop over to ChannelFlip Unreal Tournament 3 competition page.

Great lineup of games for this week’s 1UP Show, with three big name games fighting for your attention. You can expect Dan Hsu to get the answers to your questions about Gears 2 directly from the face of the franchise, Cliff Bleszinski.

If that’s not your thing, then perhaps a little Battlefield: Bad Company talk will interest you? I think the general consensus is that the game’s trailers have been hilarious — who doesn’t like poking fun at Metal Gear Solid, Rainbow Six and Gears of War, after all? — but that won’t count for much if the game doesn’t live up to the franchise’s name. David Ellis and Shawn Elliott will discuss.

And finally, the newest addition to the lineup of 1UP podcasts, 1UP FM, gets a major plug during the segment featuring Atari’s Alone in the Dark.

Now make with the downloading and check out this week’s 1UP Show in the format of your choice:

QT M4V (Podcast)
WMV 640×360
QT 640×360

Good news Gears of War fans. Today Microsoft released new Gears 2 screens featuring campaign and multiplayer aspects and 1Up/EGM has an exclusive interview with Cliff which also features footage showcasing new multiplayer modes, new weapons and tons of lovely gore.

Enough with my rambling, watch the video, check out the screens and remember to read 1UP’s preview here.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LnmR1X3G9I[/youtube]

Already having slapped Metal Gear Solid right upside its head in hilarious fashion, two new trailers for Battlefield: Bad Company have been released, each poking fun at another big name game. I’d recommend watching this Gears of War trailer before watching the trailer above as a refresher so that you know what’s being made fun of. As for the Rainbow Six one, it’s simply a matter of having played any R6 game or ever having seen SWAT-style hand gestures being made.

The Gears one was much funnier in my opinion, but they’re both quite good. As I remarked previously, hopefully the game’s humor lives up to this marketing campaign; I haven’t played enough of the game yet to tell if it has, but I’ll say this: I haven’t laughed out loud at anything in the game through the first level, so take that as you will.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK9wPfUB0ak[/youtube]

New Line Cinema has chosen Len Wiseman (”Live Free or Die Hard”) to direct the video-game adaptation of Gear of War for the silver screen.

Set on the planet Sera, the game (and subsequently the movie – if they stick with it) brings to life the battle between a human Delta Squad (as opposed to what?) and the Locust Horde. Chris Morgan (”Wanted”, “The Fast and the Furious 4″) is also on board and will be writing the screenplay.

Considering how most movie/videogame adaptations work out, this is really not something to get overly excited about and the subject is honestly just becoming a the proverbial “dead horse” so to speak. They will suck usually and there is nothing we can do, so we should just either go see it or not and just stop bitching about it because it will never do us any good. Hollywood has never done gamers any favors really, now have they?

However, Cliffy B Cliff Bleszinski seems to think that a videogame to movie adaptation is simple:

“Hollywood needs to take the source material seriously, win over the avid gamers and make it work for an audience that is young and old, male and female.”

Thank you for that mind blowing insight Cliff. No one has ever said that before! How profound and impressive Master of the Obvious!

He goes on to say:

“Disney made a great movie out of a theme park ride, and somebody is sooner or later going to make a great one out of a video game. Having someone like Len really helps the odds. I think we’re going to create something special here.”

The thing about the Pirates movies, although inspired by an amusement park ride, is that there never was a “backstory” to begin with therefore the script writer had carte blanche to come up with something fun and exciting. No “ride” at a theme park has a script to it so to compare it to a game is slightly silly.

Anyway, as soon as we hear more about this upcoming atrocity we will be sure to ruin your day with it.

Via: Yahoo News