Microsoft has sent word that four new Gears of War multiplayer maps will be available for download this Thursday, May 3. The map pack, known as "Hidden Fronts," will cost players 800 Microsoft points until September 3, when they will become available for no cost.
The maps, predictably, look absolutely stunning. Even a grumpy, bitter old gamer like myself thinks that, for someone who plays Gears of War regularly, 800 points ($10) is reasonable. Of course, free is even more reasonable, and patience is a virtue.
But let's be real -- the first time you can't join a game because you don't have a map, you're going to be reaching for you wallet. It'll be like a virtual stick-up.
Details on the individual maps can be found after the jump, with images in the gallery below.
Bullet Marsh: In this Kryll-infested swamp, an old generator still powers the area lights. A few stray bullets could easily knock out the generator, leaving combatants to fend for themselves against the Kryll.
Garden: This overgrown and crumbling conservatory still has a working fertilization and pesticide system. This system can pose a serious hazard to anyone who ventures into the greenhouse without first venting the air.
Process: Teams must fight for control of this subterranean Imulsion processing plant, still active despite the cessation of the Pendulum wars.
Subway: Timgad's Central Subway station used to serve as a central hub for commuters. Now the tunnels are crawling with Locust.
LAUNCH GALLERY (4 IMAGES)
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Contest:
10:25 AM on 05.01.2007
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And what happened to the new weapons that were suppose to be coming with the maps?
15 days til halo3 beta. i can hold out.
Fuck that, I can wait.
Have the Locust been replaced with the dreaded Helvetica?
Now the stick up is for real. Its like I'm paying protection money to Tony Soprano.
Just pay us $10 and we will let you back in on the fun!! Fuck you Microsoft. By the way this copy of XP isn't legit. And I hacked the genuine validation bullshit to make it look like it.
Interactive maps sound mind-blowing! Let me go get my wallet....
spider-man 3 for sure. gears multiplayer is plaid out. it was fun for a month or two but then just got way too boring. it's not dynamic enough. interactive maps sound great, but they aren't enough to warrant droppin' ten bucks when i could spend the same on catan. IF i get them, it won't be 'til september and by then i will probably be hooked on shadowrun too much to care anyway.
Nick - after 12 hours with my new 'box I want to quit my job to play dead rising full time. Getting gears this week sometime but $10 for four maps is ridiculous. And you people complain about Wii VC!
And other phrases Teddy Roosevelt used to say.
For someone who plays Gears online almost daily, $10 for some new maps is a good price. For me, it's not.
I'm just saying. You're given the opportunity to wait it out and get the maps for free in September. Hopefully people will still be playing Gears by then.
And add in that the game is basically Crackdown+GTA IV with licensed characters, I'm wanting to wait for GTA IV now so I don't overload myself on sandbox games all summer long.
I already want Harry Potter, so at least I'm going to give myself something different.
I wonder if you can cast avada kedavra on Cho or Hermoine after you pick them up on your broomstick and take them to the room of requirement...
Wow that last statement was too nerdy.
@Bahamut
I've played Dead Rising through 8 times now. It never gets old. You will hate Otis though. Anyway, I think that's a natural reaction.
Wait till you get to infinite mode. That's just gravy. Don't even bother with infinite mode until you have Zombie Genocider. That achievement makes playing the standard game feel cheap, but it's just one weapon and no one's holding a gun to your head to make you use the Mega Buster. In infinite mode, though, it's almost required due to their over-respawning of Carlito in the game.
When you get Gears, if you want someone to co-op with, hit me up. I enjoyed the hell out of that and wouldn't mind running through it again. It's basically the same as single player, but with a live person to bitch at.
Hit my profile for my XBL GT
and yeah, they still need to fix the last patch they made that completely unbalanced the game in almost every way. but that is a completely different subject all together.
If you were wondering..
Anyone else? I need friends. I smell like cheese in RL.
gamertage: SalamiTsunamiX
Gamertag : Snaileb
Add me Bahamut, or whoever, and when I get home today I'll check my inbox.
I was playing Gears, while getting to my next 12-pack, AS I was watching Spiderman2.
Yeah, you can tell who is buying the map pack early.
Richard, kario, bahamut, if you want to play with genius, then add tazar the yoot to your friends list on live.
I'm just more of a PvP DM guy. The team thing is fun enough, but you have to know the team to enjoy it.
It pissed me off a bunch playing ranked matches with stupid ass kids in Annex. My team quits completely, but I kept playing anyway, so I told the other team I'd do another round or two for fun, and then some douche on the other team starts using the satellite on me. I told them to go fuck themselves if they were going to be so cheap as to not actually bother fighting me.
When Unreal Tournament drops, we shall play. Co-op and team based shit is fine, so long as we all know the team and no one quits early for no reason (ie you suck at winning).
Crackdown had endless potential to be fun if you could've turned off the health meter of your opponent in order to hunt them down.
DvD you know when UT 2007 comes out you'll see alot less people playing Gears. But I agree, fuck some little 14 yr old muties that quit when they hear gunfire.
I'll make some space for you guys
I sent you a friend request, Bahamut.
The 7 of us would make a good game of Gears tonight...
...just sayin.
As long as you're clear about it the mail thing.
Im actually logging off, so I'll be on XBL in 30 minutes, with a beer.
Peace.
Too bad that Gears's multiplayer sucks ass.
you now cling to walls even easier, so when you are trying to run to a point you will most likely cling to a wall when you pass by when you don't want to.
any exploding weapon now has a wider range for splash damage. that include grenades, torque bow, and teh boomshot. you also get the stunned thing when you are near an explosion where teh character won't more for about 2 seconds, you are almost guarenteed death thereafter.
any previous lag issues from teh past are now worse after the patch. it can get really ridiculous
why do two melee attacks do more damage than 40 bullets from the Lancer?
The Hammer of Dawn was made more powerful, they made it easier to aim. fuck that shit, the hammer of dawn is the most overpowered weapon in multiplayer and shouldn't even be in multiplayer at all, let alone make it easier to use.
and the thing with the grenades and stunning makes me really angry. The grenade hurts you, i am fine with that. but it should stun the in-game character. It alread creates enough confusion to the player when 'nades start going off, the game doesn't need to make them incapable of moving. this is more of a gameplay complaint that just a balance complaint, but i think it is still valid to point out.
all in all the game can be fun when i am playin with people i know for short periods of time. Gears COULD be a great game but they need to balance it correctly if they want to acieve the status of a long lasting multiplayer shooter.
REEEAAALLLYYY! Gears plaid out? What about Halo? That's the most plaid out game in existence. It's a mediocre game at best.
That being said, I am looking forward to the maps, although I am dissapointed for the price. But waiting for Sept. is too fucking long. I have no problem shelling out the ten bucks but I am dissapointed that they couldn't aim the price lower
Spiderman I'm still undecided with.
vegas and dead rising keeping me busy. worms 4 player
local is pretty fun as well, but ima hit up spider-man after
hitting up the midnight showing.
i grew up on all things spider-man. the secret to enjoying
the movie is to lower the shit out of your expectations. that way when you expect the worst shit ever, it exceeds your expectations and the movie is great!