Epic's big sequel Gears of War 2, which almost cracked a grin from Tomonobu Itagaki during the Xbox spring showcase last week, is "fives times bigger" on the action front.
That's according to exceedingly efficient interviewee Cliff Bleszinski, who says that the second game shows just how much "smoother" the Unreal Engine has gotten.
"[Unreal Engine has] never stopped evolving," Cliff told CVG in San Francisco last week. "The character lighting is vastly improved, the environment is chippable and the tress get knocked down as physics objects.
"There's just so much shit going on, it's five times bigger this time. I think it shows the engines got smoother."
Admittedly, what we saw of Gears 2 was very impressive indeed (read the eyes-on report if you haven't already) - and it's definitely a shed-load louder than the first, with massive 'derricks' rolling through lush meadow environments, and the gigantic Brumack exploding from the ground to trample on Marcus and Co.
But just how has Epic managed to stick so much more action on screen? It's not as if Gears 1 was dragged out...
"It's sheer hard work, a lot of practice, having artists that are smart with where they spend their polygons and just getting the most out of the 360," says Cliffy B.
"Because it's not as if the 360's getting any better, it is what it is; a fixed platform. The mountain needs to go to Mohammad in this instance."
Look for the full Cliffy B transcript on CVG shortly.
Boring! I know i'm in the minority but i hated G.O.W. I don't like how everything looked black and white, the characters were your usual dumb as hell pumped up jocks, the cover system was crap and the general slowness and stodginess of the game made it one of my least pleasurable experiences on the 360 so far! Needless to say, i won't be getting the sequel!
Boring! I know i'm in the minority but i hated G.O.W...the cover system was crap and the general slowness and stodginess of the game made it one of my least pleasurable experiences on the 360 so far!
Wow, each to his own and all that. But I don't think you can criticize the cover system, even if it wasn't to your taste. GoW's cover system was a long over-due innovation in shooters and has been hoovered up by a lot of other developers already - even GTAIV has a cover system now and I think Drake's Fortune does too?
Fair enough if you don't like genero-marines in mech suits, but it sure looked and played lovely - far more measured and less 'twitch' gameplay than a lot of other shooters. That made the game ace to play in co-op I thought, but if you found it a bit slow I can understand-ish.
Personally, I just hope that "5 times more action" doesn't also mean "5min game". GoW 1 had bags of replay value with co-op and insane difficulty etc. but it was a bit short - I hope GoW 2 doesn't make the same 'mistake'.
Hmmm I seem to have about Ł700 more in there than you though. Hope that tiny bit of extra power was worth it
Seems you got me all wrong. I don't have a PC that could play even The Sims, let alone something that would cost me Ł700 more than the 360 I own
I'm simply pointing out that, yes, the consoles we have now are a little bit dated in terms of what technology can do today. Just like the iPhone was dated the minute it was released, and pretty much every piece of hardware ever.
I was a latecomer to GOW & it took me a short while to warm to it but it is great & technically brilliant for such a game so early in a console's life. The lads at Epic clearly know what they are doing so I'm expecting big things for 2, now if only they would take a couple of Guerilla devs on work placement we might see Killzone 2 succeed over that trailer.
i'm looking forward to this more than any other game this year. I think GOW is still my favourite 360 game and it's 18 months old. does anyone know whether it has 4-player co-op?
Hmmm I seem to have about Ł700 more in there than you though. Hope that tiny bit of extra power was worth it
Seems you got me all wrong. I don't have a PC that could play even The Sims, let alone something that would cost me Ł700 more than the 360 I own
I'm simply pointing out that, yes, the consoles we have now are a little bit dated in terms of what technology can do today. Just like the iPhone was dated the minute it was released, and pretty much every piece of hardware ever.
i kinda agree i felt the 360 was kinda dated as soon as it came out i remember thinking... it looks the same just kinda more shiny havent played a ps3 yet so cant comment on that...
guess i just dont feel the graphical leap is as big as the last couple of generations of consoles
even though now ive said that i will probably go away and play something on the ps2 and vomit
For some reason GOW1 makes my Elite make more noise than any other 360 game (I think it's the disc spinning faster than normal). I really hope that Gears2 does not cause this too
Burn him! He mentioned Mohammed! Only joking cant wait for Gears 2
Ha, yeah don't want a fatwa do we! Saying that, it was Moses who whent up mount Sinai, as far as I'm aware Mohhamed didn't go up any mountains, but what would I know I may be wrong!
Back on topic, can't wait for GOW 2, anyone who says it doesn't look impressive is an idiot.
Well i might just bother to wipe the dust of my 360 for this one,thats if its still working.Having said that GOW1 was well over rated so this better live up to it!
i kinda agree i felt the 360 was kinda dated as soon as it came out i remember thinking... it looks the same just kinda more shiny havent played a ps3 yet so cant comment on that...
guess i just dont feel the graphical leap is as big as the last couple of generations of consoles
even though now ive said that i will probably go away and play something on the ps2 and vomit
I can tell why you are feeling this, thats because your not running it through HD, you cant much difference at all inless your running HD.
Boring! I know i'm in the minority but i hated G.O.W. I don't like how everything looked black and white, the characters were your usual dumb as hell pumped up jocks, the cover system was crap and the general slowness and stodginess of the game made it one of my least pleasurable experiences on the 360 so far! Needless to say, i won't be getting the sequel!
Pumped up jocks? What are you talking about, all the guys in it were american, there wasn't a kilt in sight :S
And the colour scheme was a bit grey, but that's because it's based on an industrial world that's been s**tted on. It's part of the art style of the game so it's not going to be bright and shiny with pink lasers like Halo as that wouldn't fit with the gritty direction of the game.
Well i might just bother to wipe the dust of my 360 for this one,thats if its still working.Having said that GOW1 was well over rated so this better live up to it!
Err... OK then. Do you mean it has to live up to a game that you didnt like in the first place? Thats not very much then, is it?
*Moves along slowly, not looking to disturb the local habitat*
if 5 times bigger meant 5 times longer then that would be SWEET! but i doubt the single player campaign will be THAT long (i'm guessing 12 hours max). still, i can't wait for GOW2. it'll have more competition than the first one did (with Resistance 2, Fable 2, Confrontations etc) but i'm confident it'll deliver and offer a nice alternative experience.
"There's just so much s**t going on, it's five times bigger this time. I think it shows the engines got smoother."
This man is just an idiot. Why does he has to swear in every interview or statement he gives? He doesn't make him 'cool' or 'in with the crowd', it just makes him another Gordon Ramsay who his only appeal is his swearing. I wish all these developers and directors stick in what they do best, games!!
Gears 2 looks awesome. My Xbox360 has broken for the 4th time arwwwww.
I may have to invest into a new x360 just for this game.
Are you mad? If my xbox breaks out of warranty It will be going in the bin and Microsoft will never see any of my money ever again.
You have no idea how many of these are still being returned at retail, it's crazy.
Why are people buying new 360's when they are all under warranty until November this year (unless I'm mistaken?) The 360 was released in Nov '05 and now has a 3-year warranty from the day of purchase - no-one should be chucking an Xbox in the bin unless they're mental?
They've only been making revised consoles for the last year too, so if you've bought one recently it shouldn't be as unreliable as the launch consoles.
I may have missed a trick here but that's my understanding of the current state of play and I'm frequently confused by posters on this site 'buying' replacement Xboxes?
Well i might just bother to wipe the dust of my 360 for this one,thats if its still working.Having said that GOW1 was well over rated so this better live up to it!
Err... OK then. Do you mean it has to live up to a game that you didnt like in the first place? Thats not very much then, is it?
Yes Sorry, i didnt word that very well. GOW1 in my opinion was overated however GOW2 looks and sounds like it will be a big improvment i hope it lives up to it
I bet all these ppl that have like multi deaths are stupid as s**t and have either;
a> A radiator or heater behind them! b> Slotted under a cabinet with bugger all air flow!
Seriously just leave the dam xbox out in the open with nothing around it!
I remember when i got the PS3 and i stuck it inside my draws for hiding, f**king hell after about an hour i could smell the heat, opened the draw and it was blazing! But the PS3 was still running perfect!
I saved a huge amount last winter on heating bills haha!
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Compared to graphics and processing technology these days, the PS3 and 360 are quite 'crusty'.
havent played a ps3 yet so cant comment on that...
haha!
