Gearheads of War

So, I already mentioned this to Zoso last night, but I just want to share one point about the footage we saw yesterday.  That is, the entire show was on rails, and that realization blew my mind.  See, I cannot imagine any other situation (game) where showing something as fundamentally basic as the rail shooter mechanic, albeit incredibly souped up and with platformer elements, would garner anything other than, "Didn't we finish with that sometime before Doom, or Castle Wolfenstein?"  And you know what, that would be right.  What we saw is basically the essense of Galaga, or name your favorite 70's-80's arcade game here, translated into 21st century gaming.  It is reach-over-and-grab-your-nut-sack, I'm-gonna-squeeze-as-hard-as-I-can-and-I-won't-ley-go-until-you-give-me-all-the-quarters-in-your-poc ket gaming.  Of course, it isn't limited to that, but that is one of the prominent qualities of the video (and of the original game).  

The campaign for Gears is by most standards short, but from the very first scene, it is play-to-the-end, and with incredible replayability.  So far, it would appear that what I loved about Gears 1 is fully intact in Gears 2, but now the weapons are more powerful and with more features, there are new maneuvers, it is prettier, smoother, at least a factor of 10 bigger, and denser in scale, and it is even more cinematic than the first game.  Really, in my personal history of entertainment enjoyment, it looks to be as big an event as Aliens was. Gears 1 was Alien, Gears 2 is Aliens.

I am runnin' naked to that glistening surf, and I can't see a boat, let alone a tanker run aground, anywhere in sight. 

By the way, Zos, Boxin, and Grymm, all brought their "I'm hyped" game last night.  I was host, and I almost never got a second shot at takin' them out, and when I did, I still got beat.  I just love it when these guys decide that they are going to turn it on.  Oh my, watch out!