I've played it for several hours now, and I really do not get the love for this game. I find it to be one of the most frustrating and awkward shooters I've ever played. What am I missing? I'm playing on the easiest difficulty, yet I routinely get cut down with almost no warning. On the level I just played, I would be insta-killed over and over without explanation before I finally sussed out that you get attacked if you leave the light. The weapons are the weakest ones I've ever used in a game. I shoot these boffos in the head ten times and they still stand there. Not to mention how weak it "feels" firing. But the worst thing of all is the movement. You either walk at a super slow gait, or race forward like a maniac with your head down unable to see... and then you'll automatically latch onto the nearest surface. The entire cover mechanic is awful; I can't even move forward properly, instead I just leap laterally from one opening to the next. It's so painful just to detach from cover. You can't even jump, you have to scramble over tiny half-blocks. The graphics are nice I suppose, but the enemy soldiers are identical to my guys. I honestly can't tell who is who until they start shooting at me; they're identical huge blocky thugs. And everything is just one vast monochromatic war-torn city with no differentiation whatsoever. There's practically no story, just beefy steroid freaks tossing curse words back and forth. So for those of you who love the game, why do you love it, and what am I missing here? For point of reference I love all three Halo games, and I've always felt they had the perfect handling/controls for a shooter (well, the 3rd one felt a little strange at parts).
I really like Gears of War, as well as Halo games. Like I always say, not every game is for every gamer. GoW was not like Halo, and it was just not for you. I like the game because it's a different kind of shooter. To me, it was fresh, the graphics was amazing, the music was great. The game also felt intense. The controls take a little getting used to. The 'jump' is more like a dive. There are definately flaws in the game. It needs more color than gray, gray, and gray. I agree with enemies and allies looking too similar. BTW, Which gun were you using? Some of them really suck. I read somewhere that the lead designer, Cliffy B, thought about this game when playing paintball. He was taking cover, firing back, and thinking, in a game, he would jump out, circle-strafe, and take out his opponent. But that wouldn't work here or in real life. So the core design in Gears is made so you have to use cover. That's why the controls are the way they are. Also, they make the enemies tough to kill for the same reason. Anyway, I can't wait for Gears of War 2.
I found the controls awkward compared to other shooters, however, I got used to it to a degree with some practice. Also, realize the game was designed to emphasize a shooter's need for cover. Hide. A lot.
I also wasn't very impressed by Gears. The single player was decent, but I just didn't like the multiplayer at all (I especially don't like games where you die once and you're out for the round). I don't even have my copy anymore, my brother took it with him to college. I've already decided I wont be picking up Gears 2, I'll just play through the single player when my brother brings his copy home during Christmas break.
EAT SHIT AND DIE. FIGHT THROUGH THE PAIN. Yeah, the "story" and "world" is pretty much what boys in 8th grade would come up with. In fact, I'm pretty sure I drew dinosaurs with guns at some point. Anyway, the difference is that this game is meant to be slow. If you're not using the cover system, then you are literally not playing the game right. You need to use blind fire as well. It might also help to play it with someone so that when you die, the game doesn't automatically end.
I LOVED this game. Finished with no problem on the second to hardest level. Some gamers just don't have enough skillz. I would eat you alive! Don't sign up with the army, rawhide. War is dark. Too many greys. American weapons don't work properly and there are waterbugs in the shadows. I kid, though. As another poster said, games aren't made for everyone. Some like it; some don't. And, for the record, Halo does NOT have a story. It's just a bunch of inexplicable events strung together with a completely mysterious hero. But still fun.
How many times did you get killed stepping into the dark before you figured it out? I figured it out when its mentioned right before the dark levels start. I guess you have to pay attention... Thats probably your problem...
My main issue with the game is the weapons. The main chainsaw gun feels like a nerf hose to me. Like I'm shooting egg yolk at the baddies or something. I do enjoy the torque bow though.
The thing is that the Lancer is supposed to be used as a tracer gun, which is why it has the most ammo - it's best used in blind fire or at least to help you zone it on a shooting area before switching to another weapon. It's also the easiest to active reload, so you can do some extra damage that way.
Apart from CO-OP factor, Gears was so average it was beyond belief...It had crap team AI plus was far too linear for my taste though the worst thing apart from the voice acting of your character was the guns. I would of gotten more damage from a spud gun than the crappy thing you get given. GEARS is a game for a generation already gone just like Bioshock.
I haven't played it, but I'm very surprised the voice acting on your character was poor considering it was done by John "Futurama's Bender" DiMaggio.
The main dude sounds like he's been smoking for the past 50 years or is trying to play Christian Bale's Batman
I didn't claim that it wasn't canon and I didn't know there was a Halo book. Games should stand on their own. If I wanted to read a book, I wouldn't be playing a game. (did that sound harsh? It wasn't meant to be.) The game is inexplicable. It's put together like the "Scorpion King." All action with no real story to follow. It got better by the time the third one came out, but it's still lacking. I mean, what the hell was that god-like demon tentacle thing at the end? It came out of nowhere with no explanation whatsover. Where'd the Flood come from? What are they? These questions weren't answered. They're just there to scare the hell out of you and give you a hard time. Why are these aliens attacking Earth? What's the purpose of the Halo? Why doesn't the Master Chief go back to Earth at the end? And what kind of name is Master Chief? We never see his face, as though the audience somehow knows who he is and thus the developers want to hide it from us for some big reveal later, which never happens.
I think Master Chief was left vague so you can put yourself in his shoes more easily. YOU are Master Chief! Don't think I'm defending the game though, cause I'm not, I think it was bland and generic. Oh, and because of this thread, I'm reinstalling Gears. Cause I'm bored and want to give it a second chance, cause the first time through I thought it was so-so, and then my save just automatically deleted itself and I didn't play it again out of frustration.
Is that what it was suppose to be? Bleh. He still needed a back story. I'm not a Spartan soldier. That's part of the fun of the game.
There are several Halo novels and I know one of them has quite a bit of Master Chief back story. I think Fall of Reach is the one with all of his back story, but I'm not completely sure, it's been awhile since I've read them. Basically he was taken away from his family at an early age and spent years in the Spartan training program.