Ah, the joys of nitpicking. Most of the time I try to keep them to myself. But, well — I’ve just written about Gears of War, and playing it’s sequel directly afterward doesn’t leave me with a whole hell of a lot to think on. So I’m combing through Marcus Fenix’s hideous man-fur for one little thing that maybe only I can see. It’s not fair, but c’est la vie!
Halo: Combat Evolved was Microsoft’s killer app for the original Xbox. It somehow became the magical, revolutionary piece of software that justified the entire existence of an otherwise questionable platform. Microsoft would later make another dubious choice by jumping into the seventh console generation almost exactly one full year before its competitors, and, personally, I’d argue that this decision didn’t pay off until the launch of Epic’s Gears of War. In fact, from a purely anecdotal standpoint, I can’t recall hearing of a single prior 360 title that really wowed audiences. Halo and Gears: both will forever be linked by their astonishing success as exclusives on unproved systems.
What I’m trying to say is, Gears of War‘s an important game. The strength of its cover implementation practically birthed a new genre. Not unlike the way Halo: Combat Evolved managed to port something new and different from the PC to the TV.
Of course, otherwise, the two series are pretty different; while the Halo titles represent the seminal console first-person shooters, the Gears games are known for popularizing third-person shooting. Rather than seeing through the eyes of the avatar, players view the action from an over-the-shoulder perspective. This encourages a more protective style of play in keeping with the emphasis on cover and strategic movement.
Doesn't this kind of remind you of a Galaga cabinet?
For a little while there, I was unashamedly stuck on playing Resistance 2. Sometime I felt like the only one. I tried justifying my love for the game more than once.
Now that I’m no longer obsessively striving to hit 10,000 kills in ranked competitive matches, I’ve achieved a bit of critical distance. And, frankly, I’d like to think I know what the game’s problem is. It’s one of critical perception.
In a post-BioShock, post-Far Cry 2, post-Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare world, Insomniac made an arcade shooter.
(mashedmarket) 