It’s hard to agree upon a strict definition of what is or is not a triple-A title. If you’re a retailer, it’s most likely defined by how many copies a game manages to shift. If you’re a publisher, the main criteria is possibly how much money has been allocated to marketing and promoting the title. If you’re a gamer, then it’s really all about the game itself, its quality and the gameplay it offers.
The only time you can be completely sure, then, is when a title meets all three criteria – and that’s certainly something that can be said of Gears of War.
The original Gears of War sold a massive three million copies in just ten weeks following its release in November 2006. And at the time of writing it stands as the fourth highest rated Xbox 360 game of all time on reviews aggregation site Metacritic, with a current average of 94 per cent. By any criteria, Epic’s third person action title was a massive gaming hit.
So considering that Xbox 360 is two years older and enjoys a far larger installed base, Microsoft can be forgiven for having even greater hopes for the sequel. “We expect it to be the biggest blockbuster title of the year, that’s for sure,” Microsoft UK’s head of gaming and entertainment for its entertainment and devices division Stephen McGill explains to MCV.
“It would be great to see Gears Of War 2 equal the amazing Halo 3 performance at retail. We’re confident the game will be of absolutely incredible quality that will give fans of action titles everything they could hope for and more.
“This is the Xbox 360’s definitive, blockbuster action experience and sequel to one of the greatest games of all time. Gears Of War 2 looks absolutely incredible and has once again set the benchmark for what next generation graphics can deliver on any console.”
The story for Gears of War 2 takes place six months after the conclusion of the first game, which saw the Lightmass Bomb detonated. Whilst it succeeded in destroying most of the Locust Horde, the resulting evaporation of the underground liquid Imulsion has caused a fatal disease known as Rust Lung to spread amongst the remaining humans. Worse still, the disappearance of two cities leads many to fear the resurgence of the Locust – forcing humanity to stop hiding and begin taking the war to its oppressors.
Recognisable characters such as Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago return from the first game, along with a number of new faces including Benjamin Carmine, brother of the first game’s Anthony Carmine. Also expect an important role for new COG dictatorial leader Chairman Prescott, as well as a brief appearance from Dominic’s wife.
It would be easy to claim that Gears of War 2 is the biggest Xbox 360 exclusive of the year, if not the biggest global games release full stop.
But all the leading publishers are pulling out the stops this Q4, and Microsoft itself has a sterling line-up that includes potential smash hits such as the recently released Fable II and the upcoming Banjo Kazooie: Nut & Bolts. Despite the increasing diversity of the games market, however, action titles still rule the roost, and it’s hard to imagine any title matching Gears of War 2’s potential success.
“Is this the biggest 360 exclusive this year – amongst fans of action games, yes.” McGill concludes. “The online side of the game is immense, and will guarantee people are playing and talking about Gears Of War 2 long after it is released. The gameplay has been cranked up too and now involves battles on a much larger scale than the first game, and the new co-op and multiplayer modes should be incredible over Xbox Live.
“In terms of immersive, incredible action gameplay on a huge scale, they don’t come much bigger than Gears Of War 2.”
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