For those that haven’t caught wind of his zany plans, Rod will be awarding Gears of War 2 players with an experience points multiplier equal to the sum of his Twitter followers divided by 500. When he originally proposed the idea on Wednesday, July 14, he had 3000 followers. As of time of writing this article, he has 10,793, but chose to cap his campaign at 10,000 followers and a 20X experience points modifier. That’s a lot of XPs!

The Contest

To honour Rod’s crazy idea and his ongoing dedication to the Gears of War community, we’ve decided to award five lucky readers with Gears of War 2: All Fronts Collection codes, giving them the chance to enjoy all 19 DLC maps while earning truckloads of XP!

To enter, simply tell us what excites you most about Epic’s upcoming Gears of War 3 by commenting on the article below. On the morning of Thursday, July 22, to coincide with the opening of the San Diego Comic Con, we’ll draw five names out of a hat and announce the winners. Remember: only Canadians need apply! You can still leave a comment if you’re not Canadian – as we’re always happy to hear and talk about Gears – you just won’t be eligible to win a prize.

For further rules and eligibility, please consult our official contest rules. Failure to comply with these rules will result in a merciless chainsawing. Canadian-style, of course.

Good luck!

Forza 3 sports over 400 cars from 50 different manufacturers and thousands of upgradable bits and bobs.  These vehicles visit over 20 locations and race on over 100 different track layouts, which includes speed rings, drag strips and a few reverse tracks.  There are some sweet cars in the game, ranging from perfectly reasonable ones like the Firebird Trans Am to ridiculous stuff like the Veyron.  The game mixes some fictional courses in with real ones and even has a few winding road courses thrown in.  In a somewhat curious move, all cars and tracks are unlocked from the get-go, so no grinding is necessary.  Vehicles can only be upgraded and tweaked once they’re part of a garage, though, which can require a good deal of play to save up enough credits.  It’s an interesting move all the same, since it lets everyone go at their favourite bits right out of the box.  It does mean that there’s nothing to look forward to, though.

Screenshots show that a huge amount of effort has gone into making Forza 3’s car models absolutely stunning.  But nothing can show how the game looks and feels during that first race.  Every single race blazes at a solid 60fps.  I never experienced a moment of slowdown, frame drops or screen tearing during an offline race.  Having such a high frame rate makes controlling this beast an absolute dream.

I’m not a huge fan of using racing wheels in games, even though it’s the preferable option.  Thankfully, driving using the regular controller works amazingly well.  Cars respond well to everything I do, and after only a couple races, I was back in the groove.  Racing hundreds of laps in a game that looks and feels this good is easy and fun.  It’s not necessarily the definitive racing graphics of this generation, but it is a very high watermark that will hopefully inspire other developers.

The interface, from menus to the HUD during races, has been designed to be simple.  Want to race?  Just choose Go Race.  Want to check out cars, or do upgrades, or go to the storefront?  Choose those options.  The HUD during races is the same for all vehicles and varies depending on the camera choice.  The good news is that the cockpit view in this game is perfectly playable, and shows a good amount of internal detail to boot, with working gauges and all that jazz.  There were a couple times I wished for a bit more detail in terms of on-screen stats about the race or trial I was taking part in, but what’s there is more than adequate.  During play the game will record ghost laps for each vehicle on each course, which is awesome.  I’m a huge supporter of the ghost agenda.

However, all is not well in the land.  As good as the in-game racing looks, it’s clear that corners were cut in order to keep the game at a solid 60fps.  During replays or the ‘car porn’ slideshow in the menus, the game looks noticeably different.  During a race, there’s little in terms of post-processing effects, such as motion blur, pixel shading and bloom lighting.  There are some good lighting effects and transitions from dark to light that can be breathtaking on certain tracks, but the whole game has a very efficient look that can come across as plain.  During photo mode and replay mode, all sorts of tricks get turned on to make the game look great, but at the cost of the frame rate.  At the moment a race finishes, when the game switches from race mode to replay mode, the sudden change in frame rate can be very jarring.

The damage modeling that the game uses is visually weak, even though cars scratch up nicely, paint flakes off and body panels bend and distort.  There’s a little spark effect that comes off vehicles when they rub or bump, which comes across as a little weird, especially for cars that I know have carbon fiber shells.  But that’s really the extent of the damage.  It’s enough most of the time, but if a car takes a really bad turn and flips, it’ll come off looking like it just had a little rough love in the corner.  It’s the same with smashing into a wall at 150mph.  It’s a minor complaint, but it’s something that can spoil the immersion.

The roar of engines and squeal of tires in Forza 3 are top notch.  I’m not a massive car buff, so I I don’t know how accurate all the sounds are, but every vehicle seems to have its own unique sound.  When a race is going smoothly, the sounds are great and adds to the excitement.  The collision noises are a little weak and usually amounts to little more than a thump or a bit of grinding.  The music is a vast and mixed bag.  The stuff we get at menus and during the little preview bits is generic electronic filler – nothing too offensive, but nothing that I can remember.  There’s some nice, slow piano pieces that play during car showcases.  There’s some rock, some drum and bass, some electronic, and some pop.  I have no idea who made this music, who the artists are, what the names of the tracks are, or anything -  there are no credits to be found.  There is no ability to skip or configure anything other than the volume. Which is a shame, because good music makes racing exciting. I either turned the music down, or put on my own terrible racing music for most of the game.

Ahem.

GameNorth spent the a day in London yesterday. Not London, England, or even London, Ontario, but This is London, a trendy nightclub nestled in the heart of Toronto’s fashion district. Typically home to dance parties and fashion shows, This is London hosted a different kind of event yesterday: Microsoft Canada’s annual holiday gaming preview, X’09.

The venue was smaller than the one used last year, but that didn’t stop Microsoft Canada from filling it wall to wall with their most anticipated first and third-party titles of the upcoming holiday season. And if you were unable to make the trip out to London yesterday, have no fear, GameNorth took one for the team and played each and every one of them.

Throughout the remainder of the week, our Microsoft X’09 coverage will include previews and impressions of Splinter Cell: Conviction, Left 4 Dead 2, Modern Warfare 2, and more, as well as interviews from the event floor. We may even provide details on a top secret project out of Harmonix that involves the one and only MC Hammer!

Also noteworthy were the games and developers that were absent from X’09 this year. BioWare was a no-show, leaving many who were hoping to see Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins disappointed. Alan Wake and Crackdown 2 were also absent, and several third-party developers, such as SEGA and Namco, chose not to make an appearance at the show. Regardless, we had a great time, played some great games, and met some great people. We can’t wait to do it all over again next year!

If you have any X’09 stories, feel free to post them in our comments below.

But it’s been a damn good series and a fun ride.  We finished the fight just last year, with a release that was so huge the movie industry blamed it for movies sucking.  So that’s it: no more Halo, time to move on.

Not so fast.  Bungie’s got a couple more in them, and we’ve just been treated to the latest iteration:  Halo 3: ODST.  Not since the original Halo have we had a colon in the title.  Appropriately, the gameplay is also a throwback to the original series, bringing back health packs, losing dual-wielding, and lessening the jumping insanity.

Originally planned as a sort of stand-alone expansion pack, ODST has evolved into a full retail game.  We get a Campaign mode and the Firefight survival mode on disc one and all the Halo 3 multiplayer goodness packed onto a second disc.

All of ODST supports standard Bungie.net functionality.  Saved films, saved pictures, as well as a log of all games played, with stats, medal counts, and other goodies for an OCD-enhanced gamer to worry over.

ODST runs on a modified version of the Halo 3 engine and uses a large number of Halo 3 assets (weapons, aliens, vehicles and so on).  There’s been a few improved shaders and lighting effects.  The new VISR mode looks really good and adds a useful twist, but this is a Halo game through and through.  The level design and art direction is solid.  Local co-op’s been cut down to two player split screen, but all co-op modes still support up to four player on Xbox LIVE and through System Link.

Sound is typical of Halo, although the familiar Gregorian chant from the previous games in the series is taking a vacation.  There are some jazzy little bits for the detective parts, but otherwise the music’s about what would be expected.  I had no problems with the voice acting, although I seem to be in the minority in this regard.

On the whole, the package is good and offers a decent value for its price.  But I’m a Halo fan who knows other Halo fans, and I’m interested in seeing the story from the first three continue.  For someone who’s new to the series, or who doesn’t have a lot of interest in the various multiplayer modes (both versus and co-op are significant portions of the game’s content), it’s somewhat less attractive.

Campaign

ODST’s story focuses around a squad of ODSTs dropped into New Mombasa, sometime between the events of Halo 2 and Halo 3.  Other squads were aiming for a Covenant ship, but this one had mysterious orders from a new commander.  Things go awry and the team’s rookie member (conveniently referred to as Rookie) passes out and awakens six hours later, alone, in the night streets of New Mombasa, looking to piece together what happened to his team and what to do about those mysterious orders.

The campaign mode alternates between two approaches.  Rookie wanders New Mombasa at night, gathering clues and triggering flashbacks of what’s been going on the past six hours.  These flashbacks are played out in full.  There’s no real difference between the various ODST members in terms of control, although some have slightly different loadouts.  These levels are fairly standard and full of Halo goodness.  Depending on the difficulty, they start off about half an hour long, slowly increasing in length over the course of the game.  There’s a good variety to these stages.  There’s nothing that takes place on Covenant ships, but also nothing that involves any members of the Flood.  No Flood is a very, very good thing.

In between these stages, control shifts back to Rookie.  New Mombasa is a massive city, and there’s a lot of area he can cover.  He gets a map and knows where he has to go, but it’s up to the player to figure out how he’s getting there.  It’s an almost non-linear approach to Halo, except that he’s usually limited in terms of where he can go and what his goals are.  I enjoyed the city sections.  It’s possible to sneak around enemies instead of engaging them.  The game’s new VISR mode (a friend-and-foe identifying night vision mode) really shines at night.  Not only because it’s not blindingly bright, but it really helps the design of the city pop out.

There’s a little more to do during these night sections than just idly wander in the general direction of the blip on his compass.  The city is controlled by a Superintendent-class AI with a bit of a story of its own.  It’s quite interested in having this story told, and will try to help Rookie understand what’s going on.  There’s audio logs to be collected from assorted locations throughout the city.  The AI will try to get his attention by flashing headlights, changing billboards to read “Detour”, “Turn Left” or “Slow down”, making ATMs freak out, phones ring and so on.  The AI has a limited vocabulary and wants to Keep It Clean however it can manage.  The sidestory is a little melodramatic, but adds a personal touch (and a number of faces) to the Halo backstory.

All in all, the campaign’s a little short.  It can be completed in five to six hours, again depending on difficulty.  There’s an assortment of achievements for doing specific things on specific levels, as well as clearing the game on difficulties up to Legendary.  Although Halo 3’s Campaign Scoring mode returns, with par scores in the campaign levels, there are no achievements associated with them.  Playing through Campaign on at least Normal will unlock the majority of ODST models for Firefight mode, as well as the remaining Firefight levels.

In addition to the grand prize, Xbox Canada will be awarding five Halo 3: ODST prize packs to runners-up. So get out your Spartan costume, give a camera to a friend, and get a little crazy, Canada! Best of luck to all who enter!

Currently scheduled for Fall 2010, Fable III will ask players: What would you sacrifice in order to secure the crown of Albion? Will you uphold the values and principles that led to your ascension, or will you be corrupted by the very station you’ve strived to acquire? Will you be a monarch of the people, or bring the entirety of Albion to the brink of collapse?

“We’ve spent a lot of time at Lionhead thinking about how we can innovate the gameplay and progress the world of the Fable games for its third chapter, and we’re confident that players won’t second-guess what we have planned for Fable III,” said Molyneux, who also serves as creative director of Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Microsoft Game Studios. “Though I can’t give too much away right now, players should expect to have to make much tougher choices with far wider consequences than ever before in Albion — and with many more interactive adventure elements.”

The epic story of Fable III and the journey to rule the throne of Albion begins five years after the events of Fable II, and the character that gamers create is said to be the child of their Fable II hero (or villain). I wonder if the previous character would be imported in some way if you have an existing Fable II save game on your console. If Mass Effect can do it, so can Fable! Furthermore, with Project Natal due roughly at the same time as Fable III, and Peter Molyneux’s known involvement in its development, is it possible that we’ll see Natal functionality in Fable III?

Fans will be able to pilot these new tracks with some new snazzy Euro Sport-Compacts such as the 2009 Alfa Romeo Brera Ti and the 2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X . Along for the ride comes a whole list of other Sport-Compacts for you to race and tinker with.

2009 Alfa Romeo Mito
2010 Fiat 500 Abarth SS
2009 Ford Fiesta Zetec S
2009 Ford Focus RS
2009 Lotus Evora
2009 MINI John Cooper Works
2009 Renault Twingo Renault Sport Cup
2009 SEAT Ibiza Cupra
2009 Vauxhall Corsa VXR
2009 Volvo C30 R-Design

Get behind the wheel of these new rides this October.

• California Love- 2Pac feat. Dr.Dre and Roger Troutman

• Barbie Girl-Aqua

• Just Dance- Lady Gaga feat. Colby O’Donis

• Everybody Wants To Rule The World- Tears for Fears

• The Fear-Lily Allen

• Don’t Phunk With My Heart- Black Eyes Peas

• I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’-Scissor Sisters

• Heartless- Kanye West

• Touch My Body-Mariah Carey

• Hey There Delilah-Plain White T’s

• Always On My Mind-Pet Shop Boys

• I’m Yours- Jason Mraz

• Push The Button-Sugerbabes

There will  be theme packs available as downloadable content after the release so singers can personally customize their track list. All the songs from the original Lips are also compatible with Lips: Number One Hits so you will always have a chance to expand your library.

The game releases October 2009. Just make sure you have some earplugs handy.

Gamers that choose to pre-order the game will earn themselves a limited edition Audi R8 V10, custom painted by Forza Motorsport 3 Design Challenge contest winner, Justin Van Dusen II from Midland, Michigan. After earning nearly three-hundred thousand votes, Justin’s car was picked by the Forza Community as the exclusive downloadable pre-order car.

And for those that are really serious about hitting the track, the Forza Motorsport 3 Limited Collector’s Edition is for you. Those who purchase the Limited Collector’s Edition will earn instant VIP Membership status within the Forza community, including special recognition in the new Storefront feature as well as the online Auction House, scoreboards, ForzaMotorsport.net, and more. Furthermore, as a VIP member, gamers will earn exclusive access to five of the world’s hottest cars:

2009 Aston Martin DBS
2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
2007 Ferrari 430 Scuderia
2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera
2007 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (977)

And as another perk of the Limited Collector’s Edition, gamers will receive an exclusive car pack, personally hand-picked, tuned, and painted by the development team at Turn 10:

Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro
Acura NSX
Nissan Fairlady
Aston Martin DB9
2008 Dodge Charger Stock Car

VIP Members will also gain access to exclusive designs and tuning kits made by the Turn 10 developers as they become available.

The Limited Collector’s Edition will also feature a Forza Motorsport 3 collector’s keychain and a 2GB USB thumbdrive that gamers can use to store their Forza videos, photos, and more. It may not offer night vision goggles, but it still sounds like a great purchase for hardcore Forza fans.

Forza Motorsport 3 hits the road on October 27. The price of the Limited Collector’s Edition has yet to be announced.

Unfortunately, the original developer, Ensemble Studios, is no more, which is a shame, because that whole situation overshadowed what is a really decent game.  It looks great, plays really well, and is the first RTS I’ve played that really feels at home on a console.  Sure, it made some sacrifices to make it all work, and the value of the whole package can be really questionable at times, especially for a gamer who is only interested in part of the package.  But it manages to fulfill what I see as its two primary goals: bring out an RTS that a Halo player might play, and present the Halo universe in a way a non-FPS gamer might care about.

As a bit of a disclaimer, I fall into the former category.  I’m certainly no Halo superstar, but I have played all three.  I’m also a modest RTS fan.  I’ve enjoyed the assorted Warcrafts and Command & Conquers by muddling through them in my own way.

The game wears its Halo crown very well.  The main menu opens with a remix of a familiar theme, with all the expected blue highlights and doodads.  I was especially impressed with the inclusion of a Halo Timeline.  It’s a group of about fifty key events (about a third of them initially locked) that take place during the Covenant Wars, leading right up to the events that started the original Halo game.  I’ve always enjoyed Bungie’s backstory, a lot of which didn’t fit in too well with the run-and-gun action, so it’s nice to be able to read up and know what’s going on.

The core of the single player experience is the campaign mode.  A number of bells and whistles are packed into it, but it does come across as underwhelming.  It’s 15 stages, and UNSC only.  Although the Covenant units are playable in the Skirmish and Multiplayer modes, there’s no matching campaign.  It’s a little disappointing, especially given how much I was impressed by the campaign that is there.  The game has absolutely amazing pre-rendered cutscenes.  They’re very well done, very exciting, and fit the theme of Halo very well, much like the initial teaser released back during E3 a few years ago.  They set up the missions and join them together.

Once in the mission, there’s a so-so cutscene done in the engine.  Except that it has all been captured and compressed to the point where it looks rather blocky.  The actual game looks quite good, so it’s really a minor squabble.  There were no noticeable framerate issues, as I was too involved in the action to notice. The UI is simple – just a little minimap in the upper-right, next to unit numbers, reactor level, and number of remaining resources.  Along the bottom will be icons when units are selected.

The sound fits the pace of the action very well.  Halo-ish music at the right times, rising when things get exciting, growing muted when there’s a calm moment.  All the familiar shouts and explosions, panicked Grunts and plasma blasts.  The voice acting during cutscenes was perfectly fine, which is always a nice surprise.

The game’s tutorial explains most of the controls, and there’s really not a lot to explain.  Analog sticks move and rotate the screen, A select units, and B cancels selection.  X is move/attack, and Y uses the single special ability of any selected item.  LT speeds up movement, RT cycles through selected units, LB selects all units, and RB selects all units on the screen.  The d-pad is used for bringing up commander abilities and cycling between various locations (bases, alerts, armies).

That’s really it.  Ensemble streamlined all the complicated controls a PC RTS would have to just those.  No more than one ability per unit, no real way to create squads or groups of units, and so on.  A very simple interface.  It really does work, though.  It’s easy to roll into battle with a huge group of dudes, tap RT to cycle to tanks, get them aiming at a Scarab, tap RT again, get the Spartans trying to hijack a Wraith, and that sort of thing.  There’s no pinpoint precision, but there doesn’t need to be.  There’s enough control given to let the game shine.

The simplicity of the control extends to other parts of the game.  Halo Wars is built around the idea of a base.  Certain locations on every map can support a base.  Run a guy up there, choose Build Base, and you’re building that base!  It pops up with a Command Center and three empty pads.  Choose one of the empty pads and six options appear (some greyed out, depending on tech level).  Supply Pads constantly produce resources.  Gotta have a couple of those.  Reactors raise the tech level of the base.  They’re expensive, but necessary.  A Field Armoury allows for upgrades, but makes no units itself.  And then there are the Barracks, Vehicle Depot and Air Pad to produce the game’s various units.  It’s possible to upgrade the Command Center so the base has five or seven pads, as well as four locations for turrets.

And again, that’s really it.  The Covenant buildings have different names, and there are some slight differences, but the two factions are essentially the same.  The game’s tech tree (PDF) is very straightforward.  Each building can make two or three units, with a certain super unit getting unlocked should the tech be advanced enough, depending on the commander choice.  And it’s all wrapped up in a Rock-Paper-Scissors system:  infantry beats aircraft, which beats vehicles, which beat infantry, with a couple of exceptions. There’s an anti-infantry infantry unit (Flamethrower) and an anti-vehicle vehicle (Cobra), and the game does a good job of making all of this clear with on-screen prompts.

The major difference between the two factions is the way leaders are used.  For the UNSC, the leader is on the Spirit of Fire, in orbit.  They will have their one special ability, plus the ability to disrupt Covenant powers, send down healing / repairs, and order transports.  For the Covenant, the leader is on the battlefield.  His ability requires him to be in the area, putting him at risk.  Because of this, all Covenant bases have the ability to teleport units directly to the leader at any time, with no cost.  Kind of scary when you see the Arbiter running towards your base and suddenly he’s surrounded by a dozen squads of Suicide Grunts.

I really don’t feel the simplicity of the game is that bad a thing.  Yes, there are really not all that many traditional strategic options, as far as development goes.  But just because there are not billions of units, and the ability to drop buildings everywhere, doesn’t mean it’s not a strategic game.  Resources are technically unlimited, but only come in so fast.  What should be focused on at one time?  Make them come in faster, focus on getting more bases for cheap Reactors, try to go for a Warthog rush, or rain down Regret death?  Every pad is precious.  By limiting building in such a way, every structure is valuable, even if resources would allow for many more to be made.  The metagame that works in a good RTS is still intact.

The sheer amount of content included in the Dark Corners add-on is impressive. Players that purchase the content will receive seven new multiplayer maps, bringing Gears of War 2’s total to an incredible twenty-nine, as well as a deleted campaign chapter entitled Road to Ruin.

GameNorth was given an opportunity to sit down with the new content, and despite being completely engrossed in the gameplay, managed to record some of our impressions. Here is what you can expect from the Dark Corners add-on (which is also included in the All Fronts collection) come July 28:

Multiplayer Maps:

Allfathers Garden

Set in the sacred grounds of the Coalition founders, Allfathers Garden is a large map filled with statues, pillars, and lush greenery. The vibrant green grass and mossy areas are a welcome departure from some of the more drab set pieces in the Gears of War universe, and make the level itself very pleasant to explore.

The level is a large rectangle with two main paths originating from the spawn points. The upper path features a Longshot on either end and a grenade spawn positioned between them. The lower path features a Torque Bow/Boomshot spawn point, and the hallway in the middle – which connects the upper and lower paths, leading to the grenades – features a Scorcher.

With two Longshots and a Torque Bow being used at the same time every other round, Allfathers Garden can create some very exciting gameplay situations. Fortunately, the level also features plenty of cover and hiding spots that will allow players to avoid getting killed by the long distance weapons. Due to its size and layout, expect Allfathers Garden to be a popular choice for Guardian mode, and favourite for anyone that loves a good Longshot duel. Additionally, with so many places to hide and take cover, Allfathers will likely be a hit in Wingman.

Highway

Deep in the Locust Hollow, Highway is large map that uses the Nexus setting and textures. Similar to the scene found in the campaign mode, Nexus features a Locust highway as a dynamic backdrop to the level, with squads of Locust and the occasional Brumak making an appearance.

The layout of the level may seem confusing at first, with two upper routes and one lower route available from the spawn point, but it’s actually quite simple. The upper routes lead to different areas of a large, open mezzanine that features a Mortar/Mulcher spawn in the middle, and the lower route leads to an open area with a grenade spawn and a set of parallel stairways that each lead up to a Longshot/Torque Bow spawn. The lower area also features a Boomshot/Scorcher spawn between another set of parallel stairs leading up to the middle of the mezzanine area.

The action in Highway can unfold in several different ways, depending on the routes chosen by each team. If both teams choose to remain on the lower area, a fast and furious skirmish will no doubt occur over the grenades and the Boomshot/Scorcher – which are in very close proximity – and the winner of the Longshot/Torque duel will wreak havoc on anyone below. The mezzanine is rather barren, only offering the Mortar/Mulcher way at the back, but offers great vantage points on the combat below. The size of the level and the relatively secure mezzanine area will make this level a popular choice for Guardian, and the furious action of the lower area will be attractive to fans of Execution and Warzone. And like Allfathers, having duelling Longshots/Torque Bows is always a great selling point.

Memorial

Set near the Eternal Flame, a Coalition tribute to fallen soldiers (and not the Bangels), Memorial is a cleaner, more pristine level than most. Visually, it shares a lot in common with Jacinto, a bright level with a civilized, Coalition influence, and is about the same size as well, if not larger.

The level features three possible routes from each spawn point: a lower route leading to the large courtyard that features the Eternal Flame memorial, a route leading up to an elevated area overlooking the courtyard, and another route that leads under the elevated area to another set of stairs at the back.

The courtyard features a Mortar spawn in the middle, hidden behind the Eternal Flame, and a grenade spawn just below the balcony of the elevated area. The elevated area offers a Longshot/Torque Bow spawn at the back, and the lower area features a Boomshot/Scorcher spawn where the hallways meet at the base of the stairs. There is a balcony directly overlooking the Boomshot/Scorcher spawn, making it a very risky endeavour, but whichever team secures the Boomshot and the Longshot/Torque will easily control the map from the elevated area. However, a well-placed volley from the Mortar in the courtyard could change everything in an instant. Like the other two large levels, Memorial will be great for Guardian, but its multiple routes should also make it fun for Annex and Submission.

Nowhere

Perhaps my favourite map of the newest additions, Nowhere is a very small level set in a barren refuelling station in the middle of the desert. The level is very bright and features several new textures and scenery, and periodic sandstorms can greatly reduce visibility.

Only a little larger than Raven Down from the original Gears of War, most of the action in Nowhere takes place at the centre of the map, in a small lot littered with abandoned cars and other random obstacles. Grenades can be found at the middle of the lot, and a Mortar/Mulcher can be found on top of an old diner that overlooks the entire level. On the opposite side of the lot from the diner are two abandoned shops with pistol spawns and windows that look out to the centre of the level. Between the two shops is a water tower behind which a Longshot/Torque Bow spawn can be found.

Nowhere plays very fast, and gives you little time before you encounter your enemy. The Mortar/Mulcher spawn and the Longshot/Torque spawn will be heavily contested, and the winner of either could easily dominate the level. With such fast-paced action, Nowhere is likely to be very popular on Execution and Warzone playlists, and will produce some very hectic Annex and King of the Hill matches.

Those that were quick enough to cash in their Microsoft Points and download the expansion pack, officially releasing on July 28, are able to play it. There has been no word if the multiplayer maps are accessible online, but they can be played locally, and the Road to Ruin deleted chapter is fully accessible.

The All Fronts add-on will be available on July 28 for 1600 Microsoft Points alongside the Dark Corners add-on, available for 1200 Microsoft Points.

For those lucky enough to download the pack, happy hunting!

• Barrens (1v1 Map): Difficult terrain channels units into killing zones. The side that controls the Forerunner artifacts will have the advantage.
• Blood River (1v1 Map): Secure base locations on nearby cliffs overlook this naturally red-tinged river. The soldiers that fought over its two narrow crossings gave the river its name, which has since taken on a greater meaning.
• Glacial Ravine (3v3 Map): A snow-topped mountain range forms a natural barrier that cuts this region in half. Control of the two energy walls at the narrow central pass often determines the outcome of the battle, though clever use of the Sentinel Factories may play a role as well.
• Memorial Basin (2v2 Map): The high ground in the middle offers good cover for infantry, while the generally open terrain transforms organized battle plans into bloodbaths.

The Historic Battle Map Pack will also add four new Achievements worth a total of 100 Gamerscore:

• Tour Coming Through: Hot drop 50 squads to your Covenant Leader in a single game on Memorial Basin (30 points)
• Never Leave a Man Behind: Finish a game with 5000 net resources contributed to your teammates on Barrens (15 points)
• Drain Cleaner: Kill 20 enemy squads with a continuous Covenant Leader Power on Memorial Basin (30 points)
• Killjoy: Disrupt 5 active Leader Powers in a single game on Blood River (25 points)

The Historic Battle Map Pack will be available on July 21 for 800 Microsoft Points. For more information regarding the Historic Battle Map Pack, visit the Halo Wars website.

New luxury cars are also set to join the race. From the BMW M5 to the hand-built, custom-tuned Mercedes SL 65 Black Series, Forza 3 will have plenty to offer for drivers that crave both speed and luxury. The following SUVs and luxury vehicles will be available in Forza Motorsport 3:

2009 Audi Q7 V12 TDI
2009 BMW X5 xDrive48i
2009 BMW M5 E60
2009 Cadillac CTS-V
2008 Chrysler 300C SRT-8
2009 Jaguar XKR-S
2008 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged
2009 Mercedes ML 63 AMG
2009 Mercedes SL 65 AMG Black Series
2009 Pontiac G8 GXP
2009 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
2008 Volkswagen Touareg R50

Forza Motorsport 3 takes the pole position this October, exclusively for the Xbox 360.

• Heretic returns players to familiar ground as the “Halo 2” arena Midship makes its long-rumoured debut in “Halo 3.” The stark interior of the Pious Inquisitor might appear austere on first glance, but Heretic’s symmetrical spaces require players to execute complex strategies in order to outplay their opponents.
• Citadel may be a long abandoned Forerunner stronghold, but its small, symmetrical confines are far from secure. Two opposing bases offer little safety for players looking for solace. Instead, Citadel forces small squads to stay in constant communication, keep their heads on a swivel, and be prepared to adjust combat tactics in close quarters.
• Longshore lacks the commercial ships that once made it a lucrative port for Old Mombasa, but it still bustles with activity. Designed for large scale combat and well suited for smaller affairs, Longshore’s multitude of industrial buildings, elevated walks, and open inlets conspire to create a complex battleground tailored for multiple combat scenarios.

The new cooperative Firefight mode will see players join together as members of an elite ODST squad fighting off wave after wave of increasingly challenging enemies. Does that sound familiar to anyone else?

The game was originally supposed to be a much cheaper campaign add-on that shipped with all the DLC maps available on the Marketplace as well as the final three maps (Heretic, Longshore, and Citadel) that have yet to be released. But the big grab for players was the chance to complete the remaining Vidmaster achievements and win RECON armor. However, after adding the Firefight mode, which is Bungie’s version of the Gears of War Horde mode, they’ve decided to jack up the price a little.

I went to Best Buy about a week ago and after having to explain to the woman at the Return counter what Halo 3: ODST was, she informed me that they didn’t have the game in their computers yet. EB Games was more than happy to take my pre-order, but after the whole Fable 2 DLC fiasco it has become a trust issue for me as well as a lot of other gamers. So hold onto your proof of purchase whether it be a receipt or a pre-order token and get ready to step into the shoes of your mentor when Halo 3: ODST ships September 22, 2009.

When playing Horde mode, players will now earn experience points when their team successfully completes a wave. Depending on the difficulty level, each successful wave completion will award players between 50 and 125 experience points. Due to the time investment required to play Horde, the amount of experience points earned per hour will be significantly lower than that of multiplayer, and rightly so, but repeatedly completing waves 1-9 could prove interesting. The amount of experience points awarded is as follows:

• 50 points per completed Casual wave.
• 75 points per completed Normal wave.
• 100 points per completed Hardcore wave.
• 125 points per completed Insane wave.

The other changes that caught my eye were the improvements made to the Smoke Grenades and their new cringe effect. Currently, the Smoke Grenades will only cause a player to cringe if they are standing still or walking when the grenade detonates. After Title Update 4, the Smoke Grenades will be a much more useful tool, causing players to:

• Drop the Boomshield, even if aiming while carrying it.
• Drop a heavy weapon, even if it is deployed.
• Cringe while roadie running.
• Cringe while in cover.

Personally, I like these Smoke Grenade changes. With the roll being the only remaining means of avoiding the cringe effect, players will be required to act evasively when defending a position. Furthermore, players can still avoid planted Smoke Grenades with a well-timed roll. The ability to knock the mortar out of the hands of an enemy is also welcome, and will be particularly useful on stages like Fuel Station.

For the full list of changes found in Title Update 4, head on over to Epic’s official Gears of War 2 forums.

“It’s been a quiet week and Joe and I are bored. So on a whim we’ve decided to give all players on the winning team of a Public Match a little sumthin’ sumthin’. And by that I mean 500 bonus experience points for winning.

Call us rogue, call us heroes, but hey just don’t actually call us.”

Oh, we won’t, Rod. We’ll be too busy chainsawing strangers in half. But how long will this magical experience point bonus remain in effect?

“..starting now (Friday) and ending when we get back into work on Monday. We’ll see how this feels and maybe we’ll keep it if we like it.”

We like it! We like it!

The story in Halo: The Fall of Reach takes place before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved, the first game released in the Halo series, and depicts the origins of the Spartan II super soldiers. The story is narrated by Halo protagonist Master Chief.

No details are known about the gameplay in Halo: Reach, but a multiplayer component for the game has been confirmed. Halo: ODST, shipping to retail on September 22^nd, will include an invitation code for the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta.

Click here to watch the video

Inspired by David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, Alan Wake takes place in Bright Falls, a small fictional town located somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. Players will unravel the riveting plot through multi-layered character interactions, unique problem solving and intense combat.

Remedy, the developers that brought us the Max Payne series, shared these features and screenshots at E3:

• Intense psychological thriller. Alan Wake delivers a deeply psychological and finely crafted plot that raises the bar for storytelling in video games. The riveting story of Alan Wake is propelled by a movie-like atmosphere, compelling situations, memorable characters and real-time pacing. Remedy has a record of creating and developing games with unique cinematic presentation and exceptionally high production values.
• Light as a combat element. As Wake journeys deeper into the mystery of Bright Falls, the shadows close in around him. When darkness descends, light becomes his only ally as he fights his way to daybreak. . This poses a severe problem for Alan Wake since his enemies seemingly gain strength from the shadows, and before long, light itself becomes his greatest ally. Players must skillfully combine their use of light with more conventional weapons to stand a chance.
• Realistic, interactive environment. Set in the town of Bright Falls, the hyper-detailed environments of the Pacific Northwest play an important role; even the change in daylight and weather will profoundly affect the characters and enemies in Alan Wake. The game’s advanced rendering engine provides amazingly realistic environments that bring this world to detailed life — from the lush forest of evergreen trees to the quaint small-town buildings and streets. The world of Alan Wake is alive and real.
• Episodic narrative. The mission-based structure of Alan Wake creates an episodic narrative similar to a deeply structured dramatic television series, such as Twin Peak and X-Files. As the episodes progress, gameplay will evolve to introduce new elements and characters, escalating the level of threat and action in the game.

Launching this October exclusively for the Xbox 360, Forza 3 is the latest in developer Turn 10’s award-winning racing franchise. Boasting gorgeous high-definition graphics and a blazing framerate of sixty frames per second, Forza 3 aims to be “the definitive racing game of this generation.”

Building upon the community-driven features of Forza 2, Forza 3 will take user-generated content to a new level. Painters and tuners will once again be able to showcase their creations through the Livery Editor, Auction House and deep tuning garage. Each car is a blank canvas and can be fully upgraded with hundreds of custom components and tuning techniques.

Want to show the world how your car performs on the track? Forza 3 will enable players to create their own high-definition videos to share with the rest of the community.

Using the in-game video-making tools, Turn 10 has provided us with this real-time trailer:

Click here to watch the video

The original Crackdown surprised many gamers with its unique brand of sandbox gameplay and memorable multiplayer modes, despite most players purchasing it for the included Halo 3 beta key. Crackdown 2 promises to further expand upon that formula, allowing players to act as the judge, jury and executioner of Pacific City. Offering both competitive and co-operative modes, Crackdown 2 will provide you and your friends with the complete freedom to explore, restore or destroy the city in any way that you choose.

Crackdown 2 will start laying down the law in 2010, exclusively for the Xbox 360.

Click here to watch the video

• Keepaway Mode – In this Halo Wars adaptation of Capture the Flag, teams will battle it out to capture a free-roaming Forerunner Sentinel to score points before the other team. The number of Sentinels needed to win scales with the number of combatants.

• Tug of War Mode – Players must build a stronger army than their opponents to succeed.  Defeating enemies is essential, but success is determined by a combination of the army, buildings and resources left standing in the end.

• Reinforcement Mode – Players must adapt their tactics and use the ever-changing set of units to outwit and outlast the enemy, all the while facing successive waves of incoming units.

Now get out there and fight the good fight – strategically!

To commemorate these milestones, Microsoft Game Studios and Epic Games will unleash the Gears of War 2: All Fronts Collection, a compilation that combines all previous Gears of War 2 Game Add-ons with brand new multiplayer and campaign content for $22.99. Available only at retail, the new collection invades store shelves worldwide on July 28th, 2009.

Included in the Gears of War 2: All Fronts Collection is the Gears of War 2: Dark Corners game add-on, which features seven new multiplayer maps and a deleted campaign chapter titled Road to Ruin. In Road to Ruin, Marcus and Dom return to the Locust Hollow in a scene that can be played two ways, guns blazing or in an all-new stealth mode. The seven new multiplayer maps in the Gears of War 2: Dark Corners game add-on are:

• Allfathers Garden: Honor the sacred grounds of the Coalition founders in this explosive map, where powerful weapons catalyze fast and furious action at this COG landmark.

• Memorial: Set near the Eternal Flame, which pays tribute to the fallen soldiers on the battlefield, a hard-fought battle ensues at the Tomb of Unknowns. Putting their flank formation and evasive skills to the test, players will fight to control the Boomshot.

• Sanctuary (from Gears of War): Once a peaceful ground for reflection and remembrance, all that remains of the Sanctuary is the chill of death. Feast your eyes on the arsenal of weapons available as you make your way through the tight paths and blind corners of the Locust-damaged temple corridors.

• War Machine (from Gears of War): In the abandoned train station that once served as a hub for travel, players will need to master the Longshot, Mulcher and Boomshot weapons to advance the fight while evading fire from the platforms above.

• Highway: Take the fight deep into the Locust Hollow in the complex passages of this underground highway system brimming with enemy vermin. Stick together, separate the enemy and have an exit strategy ready or it’ll be a one-way trip.

• Way Station: Sitting in limbo between death and “processing” are Locust way stations filled with fallen COG soldiers. Tread lightly and practice patience as it’s better to sacrifice firepower for stealth while navigating this minefield of hidden grenades.

• Nowhere: Set in the middle of what was once a destination for weary desert travellers, the land is now barren and devoid of life. Pick off your enemies with the Longshot sniper rifle and make your way to the stairwell with a well-fortified team during this intense firefight.

Already enjoying the previously released Gears of War 2 collection of map packs? Released day-and-date (July 28th, 2009) with the Gears of War 2: All Fronts Collection, the Dark Corners game add-on will be available for download via the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 1600 Microsoft Points.

Gears of War 2 once again follows the story of Delta Squad, led by the game’s protagonist, Marcus Fenix. Picking up the story six months after the conclusion of the first game, we learn that the human inhabitants of Sera are growing more desperate. The Locust Horde have developed a means of sinking entire cities, and mankind is all but contained within their last standing sanctuary – the city of Jacinto. Refusing to surrender, the Coalition of Ordered Governments organize a final assault against their alien adversaries, sending their massive army, including Delta Squad, into the heart of the Locust Empire.

Overall, the story of Gears of War 2 feels much more fleshed out than that of the original installment. Touching on themes of love, death, and sacrifice, Marcus Fenix and fellow protagonist, Dominic Santiago, are forced to endure the tolls of war on a much more personal level. It’s a much darker chapter in the Gears of War story, but with more effort placed in developing dialogue and plot devices, it’s a much more compelling one as well.

The gameplay remains very similar to that of the original, with only a handful of changes being made to the core mechanics. Players may now crawl when downed, and rapidly press the A button to crawl faster. This enables players caught out in the open to crawl to nearby cover, or reach an ally before they bleed out. If you are caught in the downed position, however, be prepared to witness a gruesome demise! In addition the classic curb-stomp, Epic has included a wide variety of weapon-specific executions for your sadistic viewing pleasure. Pressing Y near a downed opponent will put your weapon to creative use and your enemy out of their misery. If you find yourself in a sticky situation and need a bit of extra protection, players can also pick up a downed enemy as meat shield. The meat shield will protect you from incoming fire, leaving only your head exposed while you fend off attackers with your sidearm.

All of our favourite weapons make a return in the sequel, but fans of the franchise will be quick to notice several balancing tweaks and enhancements. The Gnasher Shotgun – the most frequently used weapon from the first game – has a noticeably slower rate of fire. The Boomshot has a smaller explosion radius, but includes three shots instead of two. The Longshot Sniping Rifle will no longer down an enemy after an active reload – achieved during the famous reloading mini-game – but benefits from a more accurate headshot instead. Other weapons saw a more significant change: Smoke and Frag Grenades can now be planted as proximity mines on floors and walls, triggering when an enemy ventures too close. The Hammerburst Rifle – considered to be one of the worst weapons in the original Gears of War – not only saw a significant power boost, but can now be selected as an alternate starting weapon to the Lancer Assault Rifle. Don’t be so quick to dismiss the Lancer though, as it now protects you from chainsaw attacks in addition to handing them out. Whenever two chainsaws meet, the new chainsaw duel mini-game is initiated, prompting both players to press B as fast as they can. The losing player will suffer a beautiful, mature-rated fate sure to put a smile on your face.

A handful of new weapons have been added to the game, giving players an even greater choice when on the battlefield. The flamethrower deals massive damage at close range, capable of bringing down even the toughest of enemies in a matter of seconds. The new ink grenades explode in a cloud of poisonous ink, slowly killing anyone caught inside. And like the Smoke and Frag Grenades, Ink Grenades can be planted on walls to create a nefarious trap. A new class of heavy weapons have also been included – weapons so big that they prevent you from running while carrying them. The Mulcher is a massive mini-gun, capable of liquefying anything that gets in it’s way, and the Mortar will rain terror down upon distant enemies. Both weapons are capable of turning the tide of any battle, and are guaranteed to inspire fear in the hearts of your enemies.  And lastly, in the spirit of cover-based gameplay, Gears of War 2 introduces a defensive weapon – the Boom Shield. The Boom Shield can be carried around for added protection, but at the cost of movement speed, or it can be planted in front of you as stationary cover.

The multi-player action in Gears of War 2 is far more robust than the original, with each match supporting up to ten players instead of eight. Warzone, Execution, and Annex have returned, remaining almost entirely the same. Assassination, now called Guardian, also returns, but with significant improvements. Players are now able to pick up weapons without their leader doing so first, and players will now respawn as long as their leader is alive. These changes are very welcome, and make Guardian one of the more enjoyable modes available. King of the Hill, a new multi-player mode, is similar to Annex, but features just one capture zone per round instead of several. Submission, a variant of capture the flag, features a neutral, Stranded character from the campaign mode that must be downed and dragged as a meat shield to a team’s designated capture point. Warzone features five teams of two squaring off in an Execution-rules deathmatch for survival.

The most popular new multi-player mode, however, is Horde. Horde mode pits a party of up to five players, working co-operatively, against waves of increasingly difficult AI enemies. With each wave, 50 in total, the enemies grow larger in number and strength. In order to survive, players must think fast and strategically or risk getting overwhelmed. Horde mode provides an amazing co-operative experience for a group of friends, and provides equally amazing stories the next day. Reaching wave 50 can take upwards of two hours, and can be a very rewarding experience for all who accomplish it.

The multi-player component is now powered by the Xbox Live Party System. A group of five friends can ‘party-up’ together and jump into ranked, public matches. The Party System ensures that the players will always be on the same team and never get separated. Those used to the lobby system from the original Gears of War may be disappointed, however, as you can no longer choose which mode and map you would like to play. Instead, your party joins one of the various playlists, each containing a collection of game modes. When all ten players have been assembled, they will be asked to vote on a mode and map. If no decision can be made, a random selection will be made by the match-making servers.

Graphically, Gears of War 2 is no slouch. The original Gears of War raised the standard for graphics seen in a video game, and the sequel raises the bar even higher. Using what Epic has dubbed ‘Unreal Engine 3.5′, the game enjoys the fruits of the many technical advancements made to the engine since 2006. Ambient occlusion, pixel-shading and improved anti-aliasing all add up to present a beautiful game, and one of the most impressive to date. But the Unreal Engine isn’t without its flaws, as texture-popping is still evident when loading a new level. Epic did their best to make the anomaly seem more natural, making the textures gradually increase in resolution rather than just ‘popping’ in, but it can still be a distraction at times.

Steve Jablonsky, known for composing some of the music heard in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, as well as the soundtrack for the Transformers motion picture, was brought on board to compose an original soundtrack for the game. The result is a gorgeous, cinematic score befitting of the ‘Destroyed Beauty’ theme, and is easily on par with most modern, action blockbusters. The voice-acting is also impressive, utilizing the same cast heard in the original title. It’s easy to hear that the actors themselves have grown more comfortable with their respective roles, capable of delivering believable performances throughout even the heaviest, emotional scenes.

Overall, Gears of War 2, like it’s predecessor, is a superb game. While the formula may have changed, most, if not all, will agree that it has changed for the better. The game offers endless amounts of gameplay, from the co-op campaign to the seven competitive multi-player modes and Horde, Gears of War veterans and novices alike are guaranteed to find something they’ll love.