• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Gears of War 2 |OT| ...Maria...MARIA!!!

I think it's Xbox Live. I've been having trouble for the past 15 or so minutes. Just a second ago I tried to start a Gears 2 MM session, and it wouldn't let me go into matchmaking.
 

Brannon

Member
GAH! I just wanna play Horde, but I keep getting the "UPDATING - Network settings are being updated" message.

What the hell.
 

RSTEIN

Comics, serious business!
Ok... what the hell just happened?

I was playing some Horde matches. I went back to the main menu and decided to play horde again. Then... it tells me I can't play because my firewall settings are strict? Then I do a test and its says my NAT is moderate? WTF? How could this change spontaneously after having no problems for like 3 years?

I don't even know how to change my NAT settings. It won't allow me to play any Gears 2 multiplayer matches whatsoever. GRRrrrrrrr.
 

Chinner

Banned
dark10x said:
Yeah, that would be great. I'm very interested in what others have to say about the pacing (rather than just "OMFG YOU'RE SO WRONG. GEAR 2 BETTAR BY A MILLION!!1 STOP SAYING THE SAME NEGATIVE THINGS EVEN THOUGH WE ARE ALSO SAYING THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN ONLY POSITIVE").

Just a quick spoiler warning. I'm not gonna openly post any spoilers, but I'm gonna describe the pace and some scenarios so if you still haven't play Act 5 then just skip this mass of text.

As I said, I feel that the variety in Act 5 (Gears 1) is lacking. Its a very short and aggressive act that doesn't have that much leeway in terms of freedom and replayabillity. Its samey. Okay, I'll admit you got that section where you defend the train from the reevers using the turrents. Although that only really fits into my samey argument cause you can only play it in like two ways. You also got the Berseker, but I feel that it was thrown in lazily as a last minute attempt to panic the player. Now don't get me wrong, I love the Berserker as much as the next nerd but it wasn't really needed in Act 5. Hopefully we'll see her again in Gears 3, but with a different gameplay strategy that differs from "Get her out into the open and use the hammer of dawn". Okay, I'll admit again that you don't actually use the hammer of dawn against her in Act 5, but all you basically do is lure from side of the train to another and press a button.

I'm painting a negative picture here, but let just state that although it was pretty short, and that the boss kind of sucked, Act 5 was pretty awesome. As you said the visuals are breathtaking and as previously discussed, it takes all the skills you've learned and puts you up against some difficult yet challenge scenarios. As a first play experience it is great, but it doesn't lend itself to replayabillity.

Now Gears 2 on the other hand opens up with the
Reaver chase
. Its different and it sets the pace for the rest of a act. Then the act progresses and gameplay changes to something more defensive where
you've got to defend the base
. Then once that is done the gameplay style changes again and now its more aggressive and
you're charging into the sunken part of the city and then after that you've got the Brumak
. Now I've been baggering on about replayabillity and freedom so I'll put my hands up and admit that the
brumack riding and especially the reaver chase
are not that replayable. The point I'm trying to get across is that there are a variety of playstyles and makes the experience less samey.

Just before I start talking about the bosses I just wanna mention the music. I can understand where you're coming from when you're talking about the music. Although I prefer the variety and quaility of the music in Gears 2, the main battle theme in Gears 1 was really great and memorable. It was just so over the top and dramatic that it worked with Gears in your face combat. It was overplayed throughout Gears 1, but it did work very well in the context of act 5. Just want to mention if anyone noticed, but in Gears 2 when you
get to the sunken part of Jacinto
is there a piece of music that reminds you of something from Doom? First time I heard it I instantly thought of Doom.

So yeah, RAAM vs
Mutated Brumak thing
. Which is better? They both suck. But RAAM sucks less. I mean, you didn't have to require THAT much skill to defeat him. He was a fairly easy target to hit because he moved so slow, all you had to do is make sure you didnt stay out in the open for too long and that you didn't get attacked by the kryll/crazy bats. Still, the boss battle stuck the core mechanics and required some skill, while the Gears 2 boss didn't at all. Its a shame though, cause the Gears 2 boss was so poorly done. They didn't give us any kind of feedback to whether or not we were hurting him! It doesn't keep to the core mechanics and it only takes like 10 seconds.

The most disappointing thing about the boss in Gears 2 is that it such a wasted opportunity. I mean, come on you
got a big mutated monster. There are TONNS of scenarios you could make using the core gameplay mechanics. For example, the big mutated thing knocks your helicopter down leaving you stranded untill another raven comes. You could for example have to avoid the imulsion. Maybe you could shoot down those rock spires from the top of the ceiling of the cave for cover so you could get closer to the mutated brumak. Maybe the big mutated thing smashes up cover unintentionally? Maybe you would have to use the mortar and grinder to remove the limbs while using your small arms to attack specific parts? These are just a list of ideas I just came up with right now and not to toot my own horn but they're better than the current boss in Gears 2

Also, OMFG YOU'RE SO WRONG. GEAR 2 BETTAR BY A MILLION!!1 STOP SAYING THE SAME NEGATIVE THINGS EVEN THOUGH WE ARE ALSO SAYING THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN ONLY POSITIVE.
 

Kydd BlaZe

Member
Dark FaZe said:
Epic really has dropped the ball concerning lag though. I've heard it might be an issue on Microsofts end, but really there isn't any excuse to have such a laggy experience especially when you hope to challenge some very clean online experiences like in Halo 3/CoD4. Considering that the number 1 complaint of Gears 1 over shotguns or anything else was lag, its really inexcusable.
I really think it's just the damn Unreal Engine. To be honest, i've noticed bullet lag in most online games powered by the unreal engine (Rainbow Six Vegas 1&2, Frontlines: Fuel of War, Gears of War 1&2, etc). But anyway, like I said...i'm staying the fuck away from Gears 2 multi for a while. Just thinking about it makes me want to vomit...

=(
 

KiKaL

Member
Hellraizer said:
Ooook, apparently I'm not allowed to play anymore, the game won't let me. I press A to launch the campaign and nothing happens? :/ I can't even start a new campaign :lol

That happened to me once. I think I ended up just loading it up in co-op mode and it worked fine. It has never happened again though and a reset most likely would of fixed it.
 

X26

Banned
A did nothing for me either, thought it was because my disc drive is a pos but now I see it was jsut xbl being shite

god help us when the nxe is out + holiday season
 

Amir0x

Banned
Fun game of horde. Only got to wave 20 on hardcore, which was pretty intense as all five of us squished into the place above the arcade and we fended up bloodmount after bloodmount while blocking their path with shields.
 

Tieno

Member
First time Horder and it was awesome. I love it, much more intimate. Probably going to play it more than regular MP. Too bad the people were random xboxlivers and they didn't say anything or give any advice.
First waves we were out in the open and as the waves progressed we started to pull back.
 

Papercuts

fired zero bullets in the orphanage.
I attempted wave 50 of horde on insane with 2 other people for the lulz.

Lulz were not had, only tears.
 

kaizoku

I'm not as deluded as I make myself out to be
Amir0x said:
Fun game of horde. Only got to wave 20 on hardcore, which was pretty intense as all five of us squished into the place above the arcade and we fended up bloodmount after bloodmount while blocking their path with shields.

yeah nice game. I think going across to that balconey was a lot harder than holding up the other one. Its a lot more open and its more difficult to block their path with a shield. Ammo is also further away, but I suppose the advantage is that's where the sniper and torque spawns.

Furthest I've been is wave 27 or so on hardcore, I'm determined to clear 50 eventually on hardcore so anyone who needs to achieve a similar task let me know. I reckon we'd need a determined party and not just a bunch of randoms.
 

Amir0x

Banned
kaizoku said:
yeah nice game. I think going across to that balconey was a lot harder than holding up the other one. Its a lot more open and its more difficult to block their path with a shield. Ammo is also further away, but I suppose the advantage is that's where the sniper and torque spawns.

Furthest I've been is wave 27 or so on hardcore, I'm determined to clear 50 eventually on hardcore so anyone who needs to achieve a similar task let me know. I reckon we'd need a determined party and not just a bunch of randoms.

I wanna hit 50 on hardcore, yeah. So I'm part of your crew when the time comes :D
 
Yeh, sorry for the bitching last night guys. Just beyond frustrated/disappointed with the MP. I'll keep playing it (when I can join :/) and see how it pans out.
 

Aladuf

Banned
Vustadumas said:
Yeh, sorry for the bitching last night guys. Just beyond frustrated/disappointed with the MP. I'll keep playing it (when I can join :/) and see how it pans out.
Yeah the hate was piling on from a few people last night, the game just came out so I think everyone can survive 'til a patch comes out, and if it still is rough then, then the bitching can really start. :lol
 

-tetsuo-

Unlimited Capacity
Finished the campaign. Incredible game. Ending was great, who gives a fuck if it wasnt hard. It was a crazy ass ride until the end cinematic.
 
I had the same problem with not being able to select my campaign save file.

Was able to do so when I reset the 360.

Also, unplugged my Ethernet cable. XBL is acting a fool.

Finished the game on Normal. The ending was a total letdown, but otherwise it was a great game. Not my GOTY, though.
 

Haden

Banned
kaizoku said:
yeah nice game. I think going across to that balconey was a lot harder than holding up the other one. Its a lot more open and its more difficult to block their path with a shield. Ammo is also further away, but I suppose the advantage is that's where the sniper and torque spawns.

Furthest I've been is wave 27 or so on hardcore, I'm determined to clear 50 eventually on hardcore so anyone who needs to achieve a similar task let me know. I reckon we'd need a determined party and not just a bunch of randoms.

I usually hang out there I find it ok as long as everyone sticks together and knows what they are doing. Ive got to 38 on that level on normal would be well up for trying to get to 50 on hardcore on tonight if you are trying.
 

JB1981

Member
I don't think I've ever played a game with a better cast of characters. :lol

This is the best franchise the Xbox has ever had.
 

Doodis

Member
Just spent an hour trying to get into a multiplayer game of anything. I finally ended up in a game of Horde with a bunch of French speakers that had no idea what was going on. I killed every enemy in the first wave and I think I revived every one of them. Then they left during the second wave.

Hope they get this Live issue worked out. It's maddening sitting there staring at the search screen for so long.
 

h3ro

Member
Doodis said:
Just spent an hour trying to get into a multiplayer game of anything. I finally ended up in a game of Horde with a bunch of French speakers that had no idea what was going on. I killed every enemy in the first wave and I think I revived every one of them. Then they left during the second wave.

:lol
 

HolyStar

Banned
Loved the game, they did nerf the shotgun considerably because that is all anybody used in Multiplayer in the first game, I actually like it that way as it forces you to actually shoot the enemy. The game is plenty intimate, the enemies don't fucking bum rush you as much, but it is still all good. Also, the Kantas seems to be smarter than the other drones.
 
I'll be on 10 minutes after this message is posted. I'm looking for a game of Horde. I may have some friends on, I'm not sure. Add me if you want in. I'll be playing until 8:30PM central time tonight before leaving to watch UFC.

Gamertag: Uno Ill Nino
 

HolyStar

Banned
Best quote of the game

"Man, thats a lot of juice."

"Man, shut up with all that juice shit."

"Thats still a lot of juice."

I was rolling. I had a feeling they would do something like that.
 

PhatSaqs

Banned
HolyStar said:
Best quote of the game

"Man, thats a lot of juice."

"Man, shut up with all that juice shit."

"Thats still a lot of juice."

I was rolling. I had a feeling they would do something like that.
Nothing beats Cole grabbin the mic. That shit was epic.
 

Dartastic

Member
PhatSaqs said:
Nothing beats Cole grabbin the mic. That shit was epic.

Hell YES. Also, I still... haven't played Horde, but I'd like to play with some of you guys later. My GT is Dartastic. Send me an invite and we'll play some. :D
 

Ecto311

Member
I'll play most anything, add me if you want:

GT: Ecto311

Me and me wife are going through the single player as we speak but we are not finished.
 

Recoil

Member
The best quote was Baird, after Cole's speech:

*rips out cables*

"There we go! One muzzled queen... Not you, her. You were great. I loved your stuff in the speech there, especially with the bitch-ass stuff. Very good, very enlightening."
 
Ok, for all intents and purposes, I never played the original Gears. I just purchased Gears 2 so I'd have an awesome-looking game to play on my new plasma HDTV (that I just got today). I just played 16 rounds of Horde mode with some gaffers (well, at least one of them was a gaffer), and it was pretty damn fun, even though I totally sucked and was learning the controls basically on the fly. Plus it of course looked pretty damn good (albeit not as incredible as I thought it would in HD). I look forward to playing with more of you in the future. :)

GT: JOjuice
 

JB1981

Member
Jesus christ this game is bleak.

I was actually kind of moved by
Maria's death
. Believe in Cliffy B. Man knows how to make things work.
 

Amir0x

Banned
Recoil said:
The best quote was Baird, after Cole's speech:

*rips out cables*

"There we go! One muzzled queen... Not you, her. You were great. I loved your stuff in the speech there, especially with the bitch-ass stuff. Very good, very enlightening."

Mine was the following:

MARCUS: "I can't see a thing, damn it!"
DIZZY: "Holy fuck it's dark in here, let me light up Betty's titties!"
 
Top Bottom