Gears of War Comments by Kristan Reed

Ugh. They're back again in force.

Sweaty, horny Xealots rolling around wanking and shagging in a pit of their own spunk. Looks like someone gave them a shot of adrenaline too.

There's not been so much offensive hormone over-production since the Halo2 thread. Someone please turn a pink light on here.

Hmmm, carrybagma, what's the point in being a prick? This thread has spawned a genuinely interesting debate around how a game should be rated. On top of that the game in question has been heralded as perhaps the first of the 'next generation' of games that everyones been waiting for and getting so pissed off about not showing up. Why so bitter? Because the next generation hasn't started when Sony said it would?...Take that back, it has started when Sony said it would...Ironically on their rivals format.

Cock.

"The more I play this game the more certain I am that Eurogamer got the review wrong."
Funny, I'm the opposite.

Bollocks. If you think this is a 'genuinely interesting debate' rather than a fanboy wank-fest then you should really wipe the spunk out of your eyes and re-read the thread.

For what it's worth, I actually *like* the sound of GoW and it's something I'll look forward to playing when I get around to getting a 360, but I don't for a second kid myself that it's somehow elevated FPS to a new plain of existance - it just seems to be a case of nothing partiucularly new, but done very well. Like Halo2 was. FEAR on the 360 sounds like a far more interesting or challenging game, yet why do the fanboys not go into a frenzy over that? Oh, and I'm no Sony fanboy.

I had a go on the multiplayer last night... and it was AWESOME :D

/goes to play some more :)

If anyone's interested my GT is: asphaltOnline

Oh and according to Major Nelson, GoW is now THE top Xbox LIVE game... not just 360!

@Martin, I'm sorry but I disagree. All team based games fall over when you get idiots playing on either side. If someone on your team in GRAW or Rainbow doesn't play the game properly and goes off on a Rambo then he dies, and you're left with uneven odds. It's the nature of the beast, and to criticise one game for having no every man for themselves and not do the same for the others smacks of inconsistency to me. It's just plain odd. It's like saying, lets give PGR3 a 7 because you can't get out the car and shoot people like you can in GTA. Or complaining that there are no licensed race tracks in TDU. It's not meant to be Halo. It's meant to be a futuristic GRAW/Recon style game, and to me the only issues it has a lack of party/clan support and a few exploits that need to be patched. For a Squad based shooter there's little else to fault, and nothing that's not patchable. And you know what, in 6 months time when all the idiots get fed up dying, what'll be left is a core fan base who want to play it properly, just like they don on Recon and Rainbow.

@der_tol_emil - Are you seriously suggesting that in battlefield you don't find folk running off doing a rambo and and getting themselves killed at your teams expense? Rubbish.

@zerolight: Well, I still think you're comparing apples and oranges in a way but I understand where you're coming from.

Unfortunately I don't think that the idiots will stop playing this in 6 months. We need another Operation Flashpoint, only for the X360. ;)

"Bollocks. If you think this is a 'genuinely interesting debate' rather than a fanboy wank-fest then you should really wipe the spunk out of your eyes and re-read the thread."

You should stop hopping on the bandwagon and have an original thought, tit.

@Carrybagma: The thing with FEAR is, its isn't as startlingy 'Next Gen' as GoW in the melt your eyes kinda way. I had a play on it today at a friends, and it just has that immediate 'wow, I've never played anything like this before' kind of feel. That feeling like this just couldn't be done like this on current gen. Something I havent had since playing halo for the first time Co-op. (Oblivion didn't really strike you right between the eyes like GoW does).

As for whether or not you think this is an interesting discussion, I think that yeah there are some interesting points being made about the state of online play on 360 and other points. Ones that I'm finding interesting to read, especially not having gotten a 360 (yet?). So some people are getting a little excited? So let them, this is the first game in a long time that has made the next generation look a little more exciting than the money grabbing microtransaction filled shit hole that its been looking like turning into...

But if you dont think this thread is up to your level, then why act like an arrogant prick about it? Why not just not bother getting involved, or try raising the bar to your level of thought.

I fail to see the problem with the lack of party feature. Jump in a game and and invite your friends.

Been doing this all yesterday and today, ok your not spoon fed like halo but it hardly breaks the game.

The sheer amount critical nit picking that is being directed at this game is absurd, if all games were to be treat this way you woud see some seriously low scores.

It seems glaring flaws are acceptable in games that are not hyped but slightest problem with a hyped game is blown out of proposion. Sure the reviewer then becomes as much a casualty of hype as any other.

Commenting on the lack of team work in YOUR on line game. Oh i'm sorry was this games ment to alter social behavours?

Its not original!
the characters are too butch !
B is the meele button
I have to invite my friends to make a party(Oh god forbid!!)
I can't do ranked matches with my friends
dribble dribble

Its a game, not the scientific break through of the millenium. Its ment to be fun and it is.

You lot seem to spend more time finding faults than enjoying games, well you loss.

As for EG, another exercise in bumping up those hits i see, well you have to sell those add spaces some how.

As good as FIFA Street then?

You gave them both 8/10.....

I love the 3 page spread, purely for the advertisers right?

You shameless shower of -

@Ace_McCloud: Fair points about the thread. The game, well, based on what I've read, I see nothing new. As with Halo2, anticipation and excitement have been pumped up too much for anyone to see it for what it is - 'merely' a good game, well put together, offering little new. Put it this way, Team Fortress(2) will be a lot better than GoW when it finally comes out on the 360, and yet it's essentially an old design.

Ach. I simply intended to 'Troll and go' and now I'm getting sucked into the discussion. :o(

What's "add space"? Is it somehow related to negative space perhaps?

Oh man, the trolls are going to have to multi-task today

lol!

"Hmmm I must ward off these magic missiles whilst eating fanbois and also vomiting on... uh..." *brain explodes*

Bollocks. If you think this is a 'genuinely interesting debate' rather than a fanboy wank-fest then you should really wipe the spunk out of your eyes and re-read the thread.

lol, +1

I'm not a big fan of this game, I find the controls too hard to use ... been playing for 5 hours, though will give it another go before returning it.
I'm a fan of RE:4 which uses the 2nd person view perfectly with a easy control system.

eg. I'm near cover and getting hit standing up, the obvious thing to do would be to duck for cover ... how do you do that without running to and locking onto a wall or nearest cover thus taking more damage?

The clan point is a very good one - in many ways it does feel like some elements of Xbox live have taken a step back over the last year. Halo 2-style matchmaking would have been nice. It also would have helped had games been reported as they were found, rather than a minute afterwards. Overall though, most of EG's multiplayer niggles give the impression of a review needing to fit in with the pre-given score, rather than the other way around.

With that said, its nice to see a critical review of the game (even if it is a little TOO critical). Too many reviews for this and Zelda have simply been exercises in advertisement.

I've been playing this all weekend, and for what it's worth as post number 190+ I do think EG have underrated this. I'm not particularly bothered about it, though, and the scores aside I think the reviews read fairly - the criticisms therein are valid.

I do agree with the earlier assertion that EG, somewhat like Edge, do take some pleasure in occasionally taking a contrarian viewpoint. I think that nine times out of ten they are correct to do so, but occasionally I just get this sneaking suspicion that they just like to be different.

One thing that does strike me that someone else has already pointed out, is that overhyped games are judged more harshly on their flaws than non-hyped games. If this dropped out of the blue unannounced I just flat out do not believe you'd judge it to be a 'very good game' as opposed to an exceptional one.

I understand that review score consistancy across the board is not possible, and accusations of Sony or MS bias are clearly nonsense. But I just can't get away from the feeling that EG take a somewhat perverse enjoyment out of being the stalking Hubris of the game review world.

/goes back to GOW

GOW is far from perfect and I agree with alot of the criticism.
That said, the game looks superb and its amazing fun to play both on and off line.
The EG score is a little off and they probably know it.
We'll no doubt get a back handed apology in a few years time.

Other EG blunders
Halo review: 8/10?
E3 2005 - Playstation 3: the only true next gen console?

Silly Eurogamer :)

I caught sight of this today, and it seems equally appropriate in this thread.

@ Carrybagma: Lol, fair enough. Damn pride ay? will always suck you in!!

Cheers Hughes, that was an interesting read =)

"Horrific personalities, however... there's no patch for that."

Capital punishment.

@Ace_McCloud: :o)

With that said, its nice to see a critical review of the game (even if it is a little TOO critical). Too many reviews for this and Zelda have simply been exercises in advertisement.
Hughes. provided a link which I'd come across elsewhere, where the reviewer who gave Zelda an 8.8 was torn a new one. Massive hate on the forums from people who hadn't even played the game and his Wikipedia entry was destroyed. For an 8.8, and the EG staff thought they had it bad.

SONY WILL DESTROY YOU XBOTS. PS3 RULES. IT'S A REAL SHAME YA'LL HAVE TO WAIT TILL MARCH OR BEYOND FOR THE REAL DEAL
Well, GoW will teach people to duck and cover before the shooting starts in the PS3 lines in Euroland. Also, for some reason the phrase Monkey Balls comes to mind.

Fair doos, I cannot be bothered with the whole detahmatch thing generally, but the co-op through main storyline is great. Something that has been lacking in titles for a while on the 360 platform. Halo3 take note, I want co-op through the main story thread.

Great title, which has obliterated a lot of the preceding weekend.

/looks forward to R6 review.

"I caught sight of this today, and it seems equally appropriate in this thread."

Wow, I'm not alone. My heart is warmed.

@pinhead

I believe Halo3 is going to have online co-op through the main story.

Is the co-op in GeOW just split screen or online?

GoW features instant joinable co-op via splitscreen and also has "host/join coop" menu items - but I don't know if those are online modes are just systemlink.

I have yet to try multiplayer. Currently I am stuck at the last boss (on hardcore, never tried casual) with crappy weapons and I cannot backtrack - I just hope I don't have to replay the entire chapter, because my efforts yesterday all failed. I wasted about 2 and a half hours trying to kill that guy. Makes me really hate that checkpoint system. It is quite flawed at some places.

Even system link would be nice. I never found split-screen to be a problem in co-op Halo, but Halo 2 suffered a bit because of the daft amount of space some weapons took onscreen (plus their rather odd decision to split the screen vertically if you were in widescreen mode).

After extensive playtime with the game (both offline and on), I have come to my own conclusion.
Usually, when EG rate a game lower (but 8 is still great. That rhymes), i may initially disagree with them, but after finishing the game, end up grudgingly agreeing (see PDZ for more info).

However, this is one of those rare cases where I can honestly, fully disagree with the review.
Many of the "flaws" aren't even flaws at all. This game is pretty much like a rollercoaster. Where most games have great setpieces within the game that warrant you to play through again just to get to those bits, GOW is simply a multitude of great setpieces.
Granted it does nothing "new", but on pure funfactor alone, this game is right up there. I hgonestly cannot see how people can find this game dull, unless they hate shooters to beging with (or just played the first 2 levels).
On fun factor alone, this game is up there, and isn't that what gaming is about?
Honestly, I cannot think of a single part of the game so far that I have no intention of not wanting to play again. Every part, act, & setpieces is so enjoyable (bascally, the game kicks off when you first confront a beserker) that I am shocked that krudster founf FEAR more fun than this (shocking).

And don't get me started on the multiplayer. Granted I've never played a ranked match (and I have no intention of doing so), on player matches, this is easily the best console online shooter. So much so, that I'm planning on getting a full year's subscription of LIVE just for this game.

Oh and one more thing, the review GREATLY exaggerrated the "machoness" of the game. Really, thier aren't any cringeworthy "yankeeness" in the game. The only person with the cheesy line's is cole.

Bird:" There's sh*t everywhere".
Cole: "Come on baby. A little bit of this builds your immune system".

>"You are correct; it's because almost every reviewer reviewing it fell for the hype and/or couldn't/wouldn't give it the score it deserves."

Ah yes. Because God forbid reviews actually LIKE the game and give it a great score. God no. They must ALL be wrong. The possibility that all of them think it is a great game must be so slim, that the only reasonable answer is that they refuse to give the game a low mark.

Riiiiiiiight.

But 8 is not a low mark.

/repeat until death.

"I don't think the Graphics have set a new standard either. To my eyes they are good, but no better than the other top 360 games."

You're playing on a 14" portable, right? RIGHT?

"But 8 is not a low mark. "

But it's the same as Pac-man. :)

/loads gun.

"Is the co-op in GeOW just split screen or online?"

Both.

Online has public and private co-op. Additionally, if you're playing single player and you see a mate come online, you can send an invite; if accepted, he joins in (taking over one of the guys who fight alongside you) without having to restart.

And if that's not good enough, it's lag free too. I've played plenty of co-op online now and not experienced any problems whatsoever with lag.

Hopefully its success will spur other publishers into giving the green light for online co-op games.

@kangerootoo

I hope Halo3 is going to be co-op online because Halo 2 was sorely missing it. Having played through the original cooperatively off of one xboxen, I was sorely dissapointed that they did not bundle in online co-op for number 2. Listen up Bungie.

/waits for R6 review, hopes they mention online co-op in there.

/tigerwoods07 review?

>"To my eyes they are good, but no better than the other top 360 games."

/backs away slowly....

>"But 8 is not a low mark."

Everyone has moved on from that.
I'm just baffed that you felt FEAR was more fun than GOW.

"These are good graphics, but they are not striking."

Would you like a spade to help with that hole you're digging?

@The Bodybuilder: I just troll with the punches. ;)

And if we're moving on from the "8 is not a low score" argument could we *please* leave the "I can't understand why you don't think GoW is as fun as game XYZ" resoning behind as well?

I love to ride the roller coasters at the local amusement park but I have friends who wouldn't set foot in them. They enjoy other rides that I couldn't care about though. It's as simple as that.

GoW visuals are vastly superior to Oblivion et al.

@MMUK: I'd would like to get in touch with you, could you please drop me a line at martinnr5 AT hotmail DOT com?

thankyou for the 2nd part of the review...
it has flushed out the few remaining imbeciles that needed ignorin

@Bodybuilder - I'm equally baffled people can't see that FEAR has better combat and AI, and therefore offers the better gameplay. Hey ho. Each to their own.

Thanks to those who suplied info on GeOW co-op options. Co-op is a game seller for me, otherwise I probably wouldn't look at GeOW as a purchase.


I have to say, as the subject came up, I think the whole issue of graphical superiority is never going to be a clean argument. Does a really nice water effect count for more than realistic fogging? Do huge vista's count for more than realistic metallic surfaces?

In 'some' ways, the original Ghost Recon looks better than GeOW, as it made me feel like I was in some field in the rain. GeOW does look kind of static in comparison (this is admittedly a tenous angle before anyone flips out, as of course GeOW looks extremely superior to poxy old GR, I was just making a point).

Most would agree that Shadow of the Collosus (a better example) looks stunning, but its texture and polygon work is clearly not a patch on GeOW. Most might say that GeOW "looks better", but its not really comparing apples with apples and opinion could reaonably differe between gamers. Peaches with apricots... maybe.

GoW had 'best looking game ever' sealed with me the moment I approached the imulsion plant in the rain in chapter 3 (or whatever part that is).

I agree with the above that graphical excellence is a function of many things - the capability of the game engine, artistic quality and also that 'spectacle' factor that Oblivion and SOTC have in abundance. I do think that GeOW has this, however. Obviously the game engine is extremely accomplished, but beyond that this game exudes atmosphere, IMO.

I played online with some friends last night, and it was fucking amazing fun. When you've got people ready for a good laugh, who will work as a team it's probably the best thing to hit Live.