Gears 2: Miyamoto's Shooter?

posted by papi blez

Mon Nov 10, 2008 at 06:58:52 PM EST

I'm not sure if anyone has written about this yet, but I haven't seen it.  Stephen Totilo, who joined SweetTea and I for one of the best Gearheads podcasts I think we ever did, wrote a piece basically saying that Gears of War 2 is pretty much what Nintendo legend Miyamoto would have made had he ever made a bloody shooter.  And if you think he's being over-the-top gushing about it, well, I beg to differ.

I haven't finished the game yet, so I'm not going to discuss the campaign in detail until I finish it.  I just don't think that it's fair and I don't want to spoil it for others who haven't had a chance to get through it yet.  But in this game, more than Gears 1, you can see it being a horizontal, 3-D platformer.  

This part, in particular, is especially true.

The best Miyamoto games have always been exceptional at teaching their players to do extraordinary things, one enjoyable, playable step at a time. You’re first encouraged to jump in "Super Mario Bros." so you can avoid a Goomba. As soon as you master that, you’re using that jump to break a brick. As soon as you’re good at breaking bricks, you find that breaking bricks lets you find secret passages. And so on. In every "Zelda" dungeon ever made, you’re given a new tool that you’re forced to use, usually initially, just to get out of the room you found it in. Then you usually have to use it to beat that dungeon’s boss. And after that, with that on-the-job training done, you’re usually good enough to start improvising.

I know somewhere my brother is smiling because Miyamoto was one of his great heroes growing up.  I know that of anything that will be written about Gears of War 2 in the weeks and months and years ahead, that post will touch him more than anything else.  The best part is that I fully believe it's true, especially if you've ever studied Miyamoto's game design and how he's sucked us all into those experiences for so many years.  It may seem strange to compare a game about sticking explosive arrows in your opponents' derriere to that plumber who grows by eating mushrooms and shoots fireballs out of his hands by eating a flower, but the essential foundation of both games is there as Totilo points out.

Now to finally try and get closer to the end of the game.

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Tags: stephen totilo, miyamoto, Cliff Bleszinski, Gears of War 2 (all tags)

Comments Disabled | 9 comments

  •  Hey, I made the comparison (none / 0)

    with Gears 1 two years ago.  

    Awesome praise for the game, and I totally agree!  I am so happy for Cliff because I know that he looks up to Miyamoto (just as you said - he had mentioned it in the GameVideos interview for just one source).  Funny thing is, Cliff is my Miyamoto.

    WOOOOOO!   That is called a Grand Slam in baseball stadiums!  Tore the cover right off.

    Gear 1 and 2 are all about FUN.  Epic knows the grammar, and they know the science.  Masters of it!

    All that is gold does not glitter.

    by 3Suns on Mon Nov 10, 2008 at 07:07:11 PM EST

  •  Beautiful piece! (none / 0)

    It's guys like Stephen I enjoy reading because they put into words what I often feel when playing a game.
    Great Stuff!

    As I get farther and farther into the campaign, and put more and more hours into Horde I can't help but get the feeling this will shoot to my favorite game of all time.  Not think, "Oh that part was cool" or "I've never done that in a game before!" and just think it's a great game but actually feel the impression of the game as I progress through its various modes. It's the learning how to master certain weapons, the variety of challenges and the ever present feeling that you have complete control of your character.

    Whatever the case may be, I'm hugely impressed with Gears 2 and comparing it to something the video game master may have created fits nicely.

    by SweetTea023 on Mon Nov 10, 2008 at 07:13:19 PM EST

  •  Having already finished the game... (none / 0)

    I can definitely say that Totilo's statement about comparing Cliff's latest effort to Miyamoto is accurate.  Putting aside the fanboyism, this game just delivers on so many scales.  The pacing was excellent, the numerous environments, depth of story for this iteration, level of challenge/accessibility, and gameplay were all absolutely phenomenal.  

    As James Hawkins (lead concept artist) stated in the viddoc, Making Gears 2: A Pixel is Worth 1,000 Pixels, Gears 2 is an example of some of the best stuff that they've ever created in their lives.  Cliff and the rest of the Epic crew deserve every last ounce of the overwhelmingly positive critical praise that they've received thus far.  As Suns has already stated that Cliff is HIS Miyamoto; he definitely has company.  Cliff is OUR Miyamoto! :D

    Friends don't let friends two-piece.

    by Blankman on Mon Nov 10, 2008 at 07:17:39 PM EST

  •  AWSOME GAME! (none / 0)

    this has got to come in first as my favorite game so far and for awile to come. My only problem was all those reavers...but they are still SO FUN to kill so no problems here with the game. well the lag on xbl but that is will get better I hope

    by Kal on Tue Nov 11, 2008 at 12:16:14 AM EST

  •  What a (none / 0)

    awesome compliment.  I know that made Cliff happy.  

    by GearsChrisB on Tue Nov 11, 2008 at 04:54:47 PM EST

Comments Disabled | 9 comments