Gears of War is a bit, meh.

[Monkeymadness]

Last week, out of loyalty to my 360 I was quick to defend it on another site, but after a bit more play and some thinking I've come to the conclusion that I'm quite disappointed with it, and have been left thinking that's it's a half finished product.

My thoughts (which I'm sure you're all eager to hear) break down into 3 areas, things GOW does well, things it does badly, things it doesn't do:

Well

The two-button reload feature is really good - I think it's a great idea. I like the way that if you don't use it then you have to find cover while the rest of the reload takes place. I think it's a neat way of changing reload times to reward the player with the best drills.

The use of cover, and specifically moving out of it. Whilst I prefer the R6 method of moving into cover, I like the way you move out of it and can also vault some of the items that act as cover.

Does Badly

Chainsaw. I don't think I need to go about this, and it'll probably be fixed in a patch. Suffice to say, I'd like them to remove the event horizon aspect of it, where it sucks you in. One game last night had me being killed by it even though I had leap away. Weird.

Moving around. Why no option to crouch or jump? Why can't you sometimes roll off a ledge?

Multiplayer options. Only 4 vs 4. That's rubbish frankly, I liked COD2 but assuming all games after it would be at least 16 people.

The assault rifle. It's pap. I don't mind it being useless compared to the sniper rifle at long distances, but even at mid range it's pretty crap. It's reminds me of the Klobb in goldeneye, and what a useless weapon that was.

Doesn't do at all

Firing positions. Like above, why can't you crouch or lie down? If GOW wants to be a tactical shooter, why doesn't it have (like nearly every other FPS i've played) the option of lying down or crouching, with the natural benefit of it improving your accuracy. And it would be useful for when you're caught with no cover.

Rechargable health. Yes, it has this, but I think in multiplayer it should have the option to get rid of it. I think it makes the rifle (see above) a useless weapon as at mid distances you can get a good few shots in, but it takes so many to kill someone that they can get into cover, get health back and then they're away again.

Anyway, I have enjoyed playing GOW, but I'm just left with the impression of an unfinished game.

A rushed post, I may revisit it later.

[skull_leader]

Some fair comments there. one thing i should let you in on. in depends on where you aim the assault rifle, it's better if you aim for the head. i've killed plenty with the rifle.
The chainsaw can be aright pain in the bum, well...actualy everywhere. nothing you can do if somebody sneaks up, but shoot them and the chainsaw stops.
You don't need to be prone to improve the aim, as it's steady already. But it would have been nice to asist in hiding.
larger teams could be good. Imagine the carnage left each round

[Andy Kurosaki]

You have some valid points,which i'll try to add my thoughts on.Here goes:

Chainsaw-i too had a few matches where i was nowhere near someone and got chainsawed,and another where i was trying to chainsaw someone,only it didn't work so i got shot.Annoying,but i think the new patch has fixed this...

Multiplayer-Agree with you there,only 4 by 4 does get a bit repetetive after a while.It's great when you've got a lobby filled with your mates,but Rainbow 6 Vegas online modes are far superior.

Assault Rifle-I find this goes from being useless to great depending on who's using it.If i'm firing at someone on the run,i can empty clips into someone and no death.But when someone else does it,they kick your arse in 5 seconds...

As for the rifle,i've had a few decent kills with it,and my mate swears by it.But unless you know the layout of the map very well,you're in big trouble.

So yeah,as i say,the online mode is good,but you're right in pointing out it's limitations.

[toneeblair]

I've found it comes with time... and the multiplayer is definately the best part of it.

Crouching is possible, simply by clicking the left stick in, but only when you're in cover.

Playing the multiplayer regularly, especially with the same group of people, it becomes apparant just how much depth that aspect of the game can actually have - despite it's 4v4 structure. Most of the levels are excellently designed for tactical play, especially when you've become such good shots the all-out offensive isn't an option... I'm not sure having the ability to go prone would actually be beneficial in GOW, if anything it'd probably make it easier to get killed.

Can't comment on the R6V gameplay, as I haven't touched it, but from what I've heard of others playing it, the two game styles aren't really comparable, but both are enjoyable in their own right.

[R33PER]

I feel the story could of used a little bit more work, the game was built from a single short story that really needed a little bit more time to mature, the whole part of the "Humans scorching the earth" was very un-original and the game was carried from start to finish on very little info for the player, just a quick reference to "they emerged we fought back" and so on.

While playing the game i had a constant itch for more info as to what was actually happening but nothing that i wanted to know was explained.

While i did enjoy the actual game play experience(my 360 purchase was solely based on this game) i was really disapointed with the lack of detail that was put across in the story.

Why go to all that effort to get the veichle when it would have been quicker to walk? the veichle section was so short and pointless, how on earth do the survivors defend themselves in those shanty towns? when the majority of earths military forces cannot? who was Fenix's dad? and why did he have a MAP to the tunnel system in his house? i mean no one even questioned it? what happened to Fenix in his prior mission that made him so notorious known and inprisoned him? how did the prison become a battle zone and all the inmates get released except Fenix? and he even question's it like he had no clue! how did they know that RAAM was gonna be on that train? and why did RAAM have a device that was capable of killing his own RACE on a very large scale? was it human made? and if so why only build ONE! why did the chopper not empty its RAIL gun on RAAM? why did the bats not attack the chopper? if the train was Human controlled at first where were the dead bodies? i do not think that the bad guys would of thrown them over board...... some evidence of a resistance to be overtaken would have been beleivable.

Anyway for a story line of such a good playable game it was full of holes that should not have been there, after watching the Documentry supplied with the special edition game it was clear why aswell all the efforts went towards art design and game physics there was very little mention or coverage as to the story line team if there even was one.

Obviously more will be explained to the player in future titles but i feel that more should have been explained in the 1st game.

I will however buy the next game but story line wise it does not excite me the way Halo does.

[rumblecat]

I've got to be honest and say I didn't really bother paying much attention to the storyline- pretty much saw it as working on 'action movie' logic : sure, there are a hundred and one things people could probably do that would be a lot more sensible, but then things wouldn't blow up as much.

But I think you're over-thinking some of your questions there. Like why get the vehicle when it would have been quicker to walk? Possibly because of all those killer bats that were swooping around.

And as for why Marcus is in prison, it tells ya in the instruction manual. Not in any great detail, though- they possibly think the four pages of gun porn that follows is more important...

Although hats off to you for being able to follow the Halo storyline- I got totally lose halfway through two and have very little idea about the what the hell was going on.

[Dark_Knight]

I felt that the game was too short like there was a chapter missing from the game, plus if you remember the advert for the game it shows Marcus running down a street and ducking into a building to fight a corpser, now maybe this was just something cobbled together for the advert or was it something removed from the game?

[dw2k6]

someone needs to play online co-op with a mate, or a match with a ton of mates. Fucking amazing then.

[Biohazard]

I brought Gow on launch day and to be honest im a bit miffed why it scored so high,graphics are fantastic no question about that but i've seen it and played it all before it offered nothing new to the genre,in my opinion.

I just couldnt connect with the characters either and the story didnt help me connect with them nor did the appearance of the characters,I mean come on they look like they have been on steroids since the age of 11 and looked in pretty good physical condition to say the main hero had been in prison.

I really wanted to like this game but just didnt,while the online option of the game is great,i feel the single player was definately lacking.

[manicm]

Well i havent played online so only have the story to go by, but i did play co-op with the other half, and loved it, i thought the game was a little short and could of done with another chapter or two as well, maybe another level underground or another section after the train?? which i thought the train level was well executed and my favourite of the game, i know its planned to be a triology but cant wait for part 2!!!

[Biohazard]

I feel if you take the graphics away from it, its a very average game.
Style over substance in my opinion,maybe they will get it right with number 2

[ZappyMcZap]

I see your points, especially with the chainsaw, but regarding the assault rifle... shoot at the legs for a quick down! Shooting the body does naff all, it needs to be legs or face.

I still love playing this if I'm in the right mood; it's a cracking 'few beers' game.

[space munky28]

I brought this too on launch day and to be honest Ive only played up to act 2. I've had ago on LIVE which was alright but I have to admit I wasn't really impressed.

[Robo-robot]

I loved the game. It was sucsessful in being the first shooting type of game that ive truly loved ( i tend to go for rpg's as i dont suck at them).

I think they achieved what they set out to achieve, a tactical shooting game that isnt al slow as the others on the market. You could argue this misses the point of Tactical action games such as GRAW but thats another topic.

[Magius]

Does Badly

Chainsaw. I don't think I need to go about this, and it'll probably be fixed in a patch. Suffice to say, I'd like them to remove the event horizon aspect of it, where it sucks you in. One game last night had me being killed by it even though I had leap away. Weird.

Agreed. Whilst highly amusing, especially in multi-player, it does seem that once its been activated you're going to get maimed no matter what. I've had similar ocasions where I've dodged out of the way only to be 'sucked' back into the chainsaw.

Moving around. Why no option to crouch or jump? Why can't you sometimes roll off a ledge?

Agreed, its something that Epic need to incorperate into the next installment.

Multiplayer options. Only 4 vs 4. That's rubbish frankly, I liked COD2 but assuming all games after it would be at least 16 people.

Disagree. With 8 friends, (not random people), 4 Vs 4 is superb given the small enviroments multi-player is played out in. Anything more and it would take away the tatical edge of GoW and get all to messy.

The assault rifle. It's pap. I don't mind it being useless compared to the sniper rifle at long distances, but even at mid range it's pretty crap. It's reminds me of the Klobb in goldeneye, and what a useless weapon that was.

Disagree. Its all about aiming. Get it right and the assault rifle is a powerful weapon.

So yes, whilst there are a few issuses GoW is still bar far one of the best shooters in recent times and the multi-player element is up there with the best. GoW is very far from 'meh'.