 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Review |
|
Preview |
|
Videos |
|
Screenshots |
|
Cheats |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | Title:
Gears of War Map Pack
..............................................
System:
Xbox 360
..............................................
Genre:
Third Person Shooter
..............................................
Publisher:
Microsoft Game Studios
..............................................
Developer:
Epic MegaGames
..............................................
Release:
..............................................
Online:
Yes
..............................................
ESRB:
Mature (M)
..............................................
 |
Free content is never a bad thing, and when it comes as quickly as the two new maps for Gears of War named Raven Down and Old Bones, you can't help but smile. So reviewing them really doesn't seem fair since they are free and everyone will be downloading these maps as quickly as possible. Still, just because content is free doesn't mean that everyone should bother their time with it. Halo 2 is a perfect example: Those who were patient enough were given the golden opportunity to download plenty of new maps all for free. For the most part they were awesome except for a few exceptions (Geminin). So does the same apply to Gears? Are both these maps the savings grace for all Gears fan who have been itching for something new? Yeah, for the most part.
Raven Down is probably the smallest map in the Gear's library. The whole map is located within the Sera city, around a crashed Raven helicopter. As a result of being so small, Epic decided that there would be only one type of weapon available in ranked matches; grenades. Yeah you guessed it, this is a grenade taggers heaven. Interestingly though the grenade placement is rather balanced. Since Gears switches the spawn location for each round, one spawn allows the team to get control of their grenades almost instantly, while the other team is going to have to do some traveling before they can pick up their pair. A well-organized team could even get two members with grenades which would essentially lock down the whole map. Beyond this Raven Down is basically a shotgun and chainsaw match. There is no where to run and matches are over fast. What this is good for is people on low-player count hours. So four players is plenty enough for this map. Overall, Raven Down is a nice change from all the snipers, boomshots, and torque bows in ranked matches. Instead it is all about an awesome twitch finger which is great for those who love the shotgun.
Don't feel left out snipers, Old Bones is the map for you. Built around an abandoned museum, this map is more detailed, more interesting, and for some, even more fun than Raven Down. Almost all the weapons are present on this map (except the Torque Bow), both which are found in the center of the map. Matches usually boil down to a mad rush for the power weapons in the middle of the map, which results in a lot of intense firefights. What is cool though, is how big the map is and how one person can effectively get to one side of the map to the other while not being seen. It takes practice (obviously) to pull this off, but if someone is good enough and has the sniper rifle they can take out a whole team even if it is 1 vs 4.
Both maps are gorgeous, detailed and are just more great examples as to why the Xbox 360 is a great system. Being free there really is no reason not to download both maps even if you hate them both. The only disappointing part about these free maps is the absence of new game modes, and a lobby system that actually allows friends to play together in ranked matches. Imagine how cool a team deathmatch (with respawns) would be or a CTF game mode? Doing this will give the legs Gears needs to have when Halo 3 hits, because frankly if Epic does give this to us gamers we are going to abandon this multiplayer for much greener pastures (hello Halo 3). Until then we will have to settle for the very well made, beautiful free maps.
Pages
| The Core Score |
Overall
9 |
| Fun |
|
9 |
| Gameplay |
|
9 |
| Graphics |
|
10 |
| Audio |
|
10 |
| Replay |
|
9 |
|
| Kid Safe Score |
| 1 Horrible |
 |
| |
Blood, swearing, watch out parents. |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
