Preview – Gears of War 2: Dark Corners (X360)

Sanctuary

Having never played the PC version of the original Gears of War, I have never had the pleasure of playing on Sanctuary before. Set in an overgrown tomb, Sanctuary is a perfect example of Epic’s theme of Destroyed Beauty, and if it were a Magic: the Gathering land card, it would produce both black and green mana.

The layout consists of three straight, parallel paths, each with a higher level of elevation. The lowest path features a Mortar/Pistol right beside each spawn point. That’s right, every other round of Sanctuary will feature duelling Mortars that can be found right beside each team’s spawn point. The lowest path also features a grenade spawn in the middle. The middle path has a Longshot/Torque spawn at the centre, and a Boomshot/Mulcher spawn can be found at the centre of the upper path.

The level plays out like a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. The middle path is the only area of the level that has a roof, protecting it from the two Mortars, but anyone in the middle path makes an easy target for the Boomshot/Mulcher in the upper path, and may easily fall victim to grenades tossed up from the lower path. However, anyone on the upper or lower paths could easily fall victim to the duelling Mortars, and if a team secures the middle path they can easily take out the Mortars with the Longshot/Torque. Sanctuary is going to get a little crazy, ladies and gentlemen, and should be a welcome fit on just about any playlist.

War Machine

War Machine was my favourite map in the original Gears of War, so I was very excited to hear that it was returning. Still set in an abandoned train station, the visual theme of the level has not changed. However, the time of day has, forcing players to do battle in a much darker version of the original.

Gears of War veterans will immediately notice the layout of the level has changed, with the team spawn points moved further down the hall toward the Longshot spawn points. This means that both teams are almost right on top of the Longshot the moment that they exit their spawns, and that you have to travel further up the hall to reach the Torque Bow, which now cycles with a Boomshot every other round. Furthermore, the grenades have been moved to a more exposed area in the hallway, and are no longer found behind the sandbags. A Boomshield can be found at the centre of the level, and the Troika has been replaced by a Mulcher, as expected.

Regardless of the layout change, the level still feels very much the same. The Boomshot vs. Longshot duel isn’t as dramatic as the Longshot vs. Torque Bow duel, but we still get that every other round. Furthermore, replacing the stationary Troika with a Mulcher makes going upstairs a much more viable option this time around. Expect War Machine to be just as popular as it ever was, despite its differences.

Way Station

Sporting a similar visual theme to Ruins, Way Station is set in a Locust processing plant. A river of lava runs through the middle, illuminating the map with an eerie orange glow, and the scenery is very reminiscent of Marcus and Dom’s descent into the Locust Hollow.

The level is shaped like a giant ‘U’, with each team spawning at the tips of the straights. The straights are divided by the river of lava and a mine cart track, and players can clearly see each other on either side. A grenade spawn can be found on each side, and scattered obstacles and windowed areas provide plenty of cover. The curve at the bottom of the ‘U’ is split into two levels, with the upper level featuring a Mulcher/Scorcher spawn and pistols, and the lower level featuring a Longshot/Torque Bow spawn on either side. The lower level also features a button that calls the mine carts into the curved area, and raises a bridge over the lava dividing the straights.

I really enjoyed the flow of this level, with fevered long-range battles occurring between the two straights while teammates ran to secure the curve that overlooked the level. Once again, we have duelling Longshots/Torque Bows, and an interesting layout that will be fun to play in several game modes. I only wish that the bridge that raises between the straights could be lowered again.

Additional Content:

Road to Ruin

One of the most anticipated features of the Dark Corners add-on was the deleted campaign chapter entitled Road to Ruin. Taking place immediately after Marcus and Dom find Maria, Road to Ruin depicts how the duo found their way into Nexus. Giving players a choice between going in guns blazing or using Theron Guard armour for stealth, the deleted chapter is a bit of a departure from typical Gears of War gameplay.

If you choose to progress through the chapter with guns blazing, the action is no different than usual, but just as satisfying as always. However, things become very different when you choose to don the Theron armour.

In order to sneak through the Locust Hollow, you must keep your distance from all Locust you encounter. Locust have a strong sense of smell, and can smell a human at a good distance, but the Theron armour will help disguise your scent. However, if you get too close to a Locust, he’ll start to sniff around, giving you only a few seconds to distance yourself from them. If you’re caught, waves of enemy Locust will attack you, and your disguise will be rendered useless. If you’re careful enough, you may just sneak your way into Nexus.

Unfortunately, the deleted chapter is rather short. Taking the stealthy option, we managed to clear it in roughly thirty minutes. It was a fun experience throughout, but we were surprised that it didn’t last longer. Regardless, as huge Gears of War fans, we’re glad to finally have the complete story.

Summary:

For 1200 Microsoft Points, the Gears of War 2: Dark Corners add-on includes seven multiplayer maps, compatible with all game modes, and the Road to Ruin deleted chapter. For Gears of War enthusiasts, this content will add countless hours to the game, and provide them with several new achievements to strive for. Furthermore, the Gears of War 2: All Fronts collection includes the Dark Corners add-on in addition to all previously released Gears of War 2 downloadable content for 1600 Microsoft Points. That’s an incredible value, and one that shouldn’t be overlooked by anyone still sitting on the fence about purchasing the downloadable content, or anyone that has yet to purchase the game. It may not offer as much as Valve’s Orange Box did back in 2007, but the Gears of War 2: All Fronts collection is likely to be this year’s greatest value for shooter fans.

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