DC

Checked out some shots from gowfans.com and they're pretty cool, but if you want avoid some (possible) minor spoilers, try to avoid shots with narrative text at the bottom. There's some dialog in there which kinda gives the game away on a couple of things.

Apart from that Gears 2 definitely looks awesome, if a little grey, bloomed and bloody, which is just fine 'cus if you want things nice and bright go play Mirror's Edge and quit whining, that game is b-r-i-g-h-t (and kinda neat!). Anyway, here's a few spoiler free shots from the new batch...

Cut-Scene:
http://www.gowfans.com/images/photoalbum/album_1/689-3-l.jpg
http://www.gowfans.com/images/photoalbum/album_1/689-72-l.jpg
http://www.gowfans.com/images/photoalbum/album_1/689-5-l.jpg

Combat:
http://www.gowfans.com/images/photoalbum/album_1/689-45-l.jpg
http://www.gowfans.com/images/photoalbum/album_1/689-65-l.jpg
http://www.gowfans.com/images/photoalbum/album_1/689-4-l.jpg

Cheers!

- DC

Could this open the door for the occasional alternate logo to co-inside with a game's release? So on Nov 7th he could wielding a chain-saw? On the 10th he's got Sub-Zero's mask on? On the 17th he's all zombified? Might be a neat way to remind people of release dates, so long as it doesn't take the designers too long.

The guys biting into terrible tasting candy at the same time was pretty funny, as well as Ryan's little rant about a three year kid pulling a light saber from Darth fk-ing Vader's fk-ing hand was a good call. Also anything where Jeff references bad old games "hey you liked Top Skater didn't you? ...no."

My heart belongs to Giant Bomb.

Nice, happy Halloween!

I think the five they've chosen should be fine. At this stage we don't know whether some of the new maps have a similar layout to ones before. For a little while I thought Rivers was their new Canals, but now they're bringing back Canals so... whatever!

I'm surprised they brought back Tyro instead of say, Fuel Depot. It seemed like Tyro was a popular public map but not so much a ranked one. I don't know. I was always happy to find Tyro on a ranked server but I would usually find loads of Fuel Depot games instead. Personally I think it's a decent level with neat set pieces like the train, but is it better than Fuel? To each their own. Perhaps they've made a few tweaks like in Assassination, which I don't remember anyone liking! I'm looking forward to playing a better Tyro Station.

Maybe Clock Tower could have come back, but the design of that level is so tight and simple (high sniper vs low boomer & grenades) I'm sure they've produced a better iteration with one of the new levels. That's what I'm looking forward to. Some nostalgia will be fun, but seeing similar map layouts being vastly improved upon is more exciting! For example the level with the Seeder popping out of the ground every so often reminded me of Raven Down. With a Seeder in the middle instead of the downed helicopter.

So as far as I'm concerned they've done enough bringing back these five, and now it's time to move on. Very very excited. :)

- DC

I liked him, but trust the only guy wearing a helmet  to get shot in the head.

Vocals, Guitar, Songwriting, learning a bit of piano. Check out www.dancrispmusic.com ;) Download the free track!

I'm still playing Gears to this day, although admittedly I see less of my Xbox 360 nower days, so every time I load it up it feels fresh. Well... maybe not so much now but it's still cool. I'm sure a lot of people will be playing the first Gears in the run up to Gears 2 so they're all prepared to jump right into multi-player and earn some points. I know I will. Perhaps with a gold plated Lancer!