The Big Issue: Has Gears 2 saved 2008 for MS?

By Pro-G Staff - 25/02/2008 - 12:02pm GMT

NO: "The line-up was strong without Gears of War 2." - Tom Orry

It's all too easy to fall into the trap of claiming the Xbox 360 doesn't have a strong exclusive line-up this year. It seems to have become the thing the cool kids on the forums do these days, but is it actually true? It'll certainly be hard for the 360 line-up to match what was on offer last year (you rarely get the likes of BioShock, Halo 3, Mass Effect, Crackdown, PGR4 and Forza 2 all in one year), but I think it's got a chance.

The problem Microsoft appears to have is the early 2008 release schedule. While the console has already received some strong third-party games - The Club, Devil May Cry 4 and Burnout Paradise to name three - this time last year the console had exclusives Lost Planet and Crackdown to get excited about. The closest we have in the first quarter of 2008 are the admittedly excellent FPS Frontlines from THQ and Microsoft RPG Lost Odyssey, but neither is likely to sell systems.

It's not until we get to spring/summer that the exclusives really start to come thick and fast. Over the hot summer we should be playing Too Human, Ninja Gaiden 2 and Halo Wars - three games that should interest quite a range of gamers. Too Human really looks like it's shaping up well, with the guys at Silicon Knights taking the time needed to deliver a really exciting action game. Halo Wars will hopefully give console gamers their first excellent RTS that hasn't been designed primarily with PC gaming in mind, and it's Halo - enough said.

Let's not forget about the exclusive GTA IV downloadable content coming to Xbox 360

It's Ninja Gaiden 2 that I'm most excited about this summer though. I'll admit that I had my doubts. The early footage was pretty uninspiring and the trickle of released screen shots did little to change my opinion. It wasn't until GDC last week that the game really impressed, with a stunning looking cave environment and the lightning fast gameplay that the series is known for. And the level of brutality on offer looks insane. When a ninja is laying the smack down on hordes of demons, razor sharp blades spinning all over the place, you expect limbs to go flying, and Ninja Gaiden II delivers in spades.

Third-party exclusives will be rare on all platforms this year, but the 360 will be receiving a good handful in the second half of the year. Left4Dead from Valve looks to be the ultimate zombie shooting first-person shooter, with an online co-op mode that should make the most of Xbox LIVE. This could be the sleeper hit of 2008, assuming development doesn't lag too far behind the PC game. A more guaranteed hit is Splinter Cell Conviction from Ubisoft. We haven't seen much on the game since the middle of 2007, but Ubisoft will be pushing this as one of its biggest releases of the year. For me personally, I'm looking forward to Sam Fisher's latest more than I am Metal Gear Solid 4.

Perhaps bigger than both, though, is the exclusive downloadable content for Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV. While the game is launching simultaneously on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, the 360 will be the only place that you'll find two substantial add-on packs, with the first releasing in the autumn. We're not just talking about some new cars and weapons, but full on extra chapters in the story. By all accounts think more along the lines of the extensive add-ons released for Oblivion than the new costume packs released for almost every game under the sun.

It'll be the busy Christmas period when the Xbox 360's biggest exclusive guns come out. With Gears of War 2, Fable 2 and the next Banjo Kazooie game from Rare all due before Christmas, it'll be a great few months for Xbox 360 owners. Gears of War 2 has a chance of being this year's Halo 3 and when Cliffy B says it'll be "bigger, better and far more badass than the first one", I believe him. Peter Molyneux has a chequered history when it comes to hyping his games, but I can't help but think that Fable 2 will be awesome. The first game was a brilliant action RPG in its own right, so if Lionhead can build the game Molyneux is promising this time around, we're in for a real treat.

Call me a fool, but it's Rare's Banjo Kazooie game that I'm most looking forward to though. The Nintendo 64 games were the only two that came close to matching Mario 64 and, given the incredible things Rare managed with rushed Xbox 360 launch game Kameo, Banjo's next-gen debut should be stunning. Rare has said the game won't be the traditional platformer many are expecting, which simply makes the wait for the big reveal even harder.

What Microsoft needs to do is announce new titles for 2008. At the moment we're still talking about and looking forward to games that we've known about for some time. I'm more than happy with the games I've detailed above, but add a few more secret titles to the mix and the Xbox 360 will have a line-up every gamer should be excited about. Even so, if you're not excited about Gears of War 2, Fable 2 a next-gen Banjo Kazooie and Ninja Gaiden 2, maybe you need a new hobby.

What do you think about the exclusive games coming to Xbox 360 in 2008? Has Gears of War 2 saved 2008 for Microsoft? Let us know in the comments below.

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OOH The Sony Fan Boys are out in Force. I think this is a very good article showing both sides of the Fence. I for one think MGS4 will not sell anywhere near GOW2 and thats pretty much a fact. As for the comment above. It will litterally take a miracle for the PS3 to get to the equivalant sales of the 360 by the end of this Year. By out selling at 40,000 consoles a week it would litterally take 20 years to catch up. However you will find that March sales will Favour the 360 a hell of a lot. Add this to the new GTA console package that will be available on day of release and we are talking massive lead. Your Dillusional Mate. Fact is both consoles are good and both have their advantages and disadvantages. I don't think you should comment on a game that has not been released yet "...

- Karlius

doobi wrote at 13:54 on 25 February 2008

Well After GDC, APB just rocketed to the top of my must have list on the 360. That and 'Project Offset' has been in stealth mode for quite some time, but makes awesome promises.
Terje wrote at 14:14 on 25 February 2008

Will anything sell as well on the 360 this year as Gears of War 2? Yep, Battlefield Bad Company!
gman3 wrote at 15:20 on 25 February 2008

Hey did you all know that in the bonus disc to gears of war limited edition under Inside Epic it actually shows a prototype of what a chainsaw duel would look like in real time...Check it out it's pretty sweet..
The Closing wrote at 15:33 on 25 February 2008

I totally agree that Gears 2 is the only must own exclusive on the 360 this year. It's going to be one hell of a game, and sell phenomenally maybe sell more copies than any other game this year with exception of gta4. NG2 also looks good, but the whole genre is not really that appealing, and is more of a rental than a must buy due to lack of online multiplayer.

If M$ didn't have this it wouldn't be much of a fight, but more of a slaughtering when compared to the amazing ps3 exclusive line up this year.
I am with U wrote at 17:26 on 25 February 2008

I agree. I played both Metal Gear and Splinter Cell on my PS2 and realy like Splinter Cell. MGS was more talking and doing stuff slowly. Personaly, I don't know how and why this game is so popular? the only thing I like is changing costume but it gets bored after some time. Hope MGS4 will be better than be4.
Ginger_Jesus wrote at 17:37 on 25 February 2008

I agree on about the small majority of what you are saying. Ninja Gaiden its a multi platform game now, so that could generate sales for the 360 and the PS3. Meaning gameplay differences you could even say download-able content on new weapons for example or clothing thats if its online...

Gears of War 2 has pretty much saved MS this year, because the first gears out sold Halo the biggest franchise on Xbox. So you must think about that in a way if you know what I mean, also its not only about out selling another exclusive game but a storyline that has gripped people in like Gears because of the first one. Also in the new trailer to gears, Dom is mentioning his wife? or girl-friend? to Marcus and that has put a massive cliff-hanger on people. And alot of tension their as well, as the second series but they could also be a new type of locust in the game we don't know.

In my own view, I think GTA 4 will not be in the limelight for long. Like Saints Row for example yes alot of people go online, but has died out now no one really talks about it. In some sort of way I do believe that GTA 4 will be heading in that direction, this year I think FPS games will come out on top over other game genre's. RPG's this year has caught my eye, espeically being a massive Fable fan I will make sure that I get Fable 2. Not only that but their is Lost Odyssey I have already got it japanese import and its in english, also the manual book half way through is english so that is a good buy to be honest.
ng2 wrote at 17:54 on 25 February 2008

Let me tell you a lot of you are understimating ninja gaiden this game has a big follow up in japan and europe it will sell well in those regions I own both systems and when a game comes out on both systems I always pick the 360 bcause the controller feels more live w the rumble the ps3 feels too light and dead
FantasyMeister wrote at 18:17 on 25 February 2008

If I tried to present a reasoned argument vs my boss over which console had the best line-up this year I'd get fired.

In my skewed judgement however, and taking into the likelihood that my boss won't be reading this, I think Gears of War 2 is overhyped already based on one cartoon and the word Maria, and, should it launch in 2008 and sell 5 million on launch day, it won't make a discernable upwards dent in the amount of software sold for the 360 this year because there's a great lineup already.

PS3 is starting to look interesting towards the end of 2008/start of 2009, with all the dependable exclusives like Gran Turismo, Metal Gear and FFXIII starting to crop up, not to mention Home, but if Age of Conan hits the 360 before the end of 2008 I might be too busy to look at them. And lets face it, as a Sony console player for 10 years I made the switch to the XBrick so I could play something different.

Not to mention Too Human, Fable 2, Grand Theft Auto IV, Viking: Battle for Asgard, Command & Conquer 3: Kanes Wrath, Elveon, Race Driver: GRID, This is Vegas, Prototype, Lost Odyssey, all of which are on my current watch list.
Anonymous wrote at 19:45 on 25 February 2008

Enough said back in the days when the elite came out I did the swicth from ps2 to xbox 360 and I din,t know what game to pick so I picked gears of war since than I loved the game control feel just right,there is not other game like it that is why microsoft publishis it and this game will sell more than mgs4 and killzone2 combined cause ps3 fanboys don,t buy games
Ginger_Jesus wrote at 19:55 on 25 February 2008

Ninja Gaiden will always do better over at japan than compared to Europe and America. Like the first one, it was dominating over in Japan, it didnt last that long in the America charts and the europe charts it lasted for 3 weeks at least. While in the japan charts it stayed their for over 2 months.
Infamouz wrote at 04:13 on 26 February 2008

LOLOLOL. You must be F'd up in the head. Yes, Gears of War is a good game but DO NOT COMPARE MGS4 to Gears of War because Gears of War is nothing compare to MGS4. I'm no sony or ms fanboy but I am just telling you the truth. Gears of War online wasn't even that GOOD. It sucked like crap! It can never reach HALO 3 NUMBERS because Gears of War is NOTHING compare to Halo 3. Halo 3 and MGS4 are legendary games and no other games can compete with these 2 big names.
The Closing wrote at 05:57 on 26 February 2008

Halo is crap when compared to most games. All you do is run around mindlessly killing people with no tactics involved, the graphics are also childish, bland, and outdated. Gears has better game play, grittier better textured graphics, team play tactics, and you actually get to know your opponent, which makes killing them that much rewarding. The only thing halo has on it is the story, but just not enough.

As for the whole MGS4 debate the game will easily sell millions so whoever said it wont clearly has no clue what they're saying. It's also easily 3 times the game that splinter cell is with an actual deeply embedded story line, characters that actually have their own personality, basically it's own unique qualities, and deeper game-play. This game has been and will continue to push the limits of tactical espionage in gaming even long after it's finished. Just stick to your opinion, and don't even try to compare the leader to the follower because it won't hold up to the facts.
Jonicans wrote at 09:55 on 26 February 2008

Ouch. Such a massive denial. Not only are L4D and SC not exclusive (PC version), BOTH are coming to PS3 later, making them timed. On the other side of the fence, we have the biggest 3rd party exclusives - MGS4 and FFXIII/Versus - all 3 exclusive forever to PS3.

GTA episodes? What? Casuals won't buy anything like that, and they make up the audience.

Let's face it, hyping up the VERY lackluster 360 lineup will lead to dreadful embarrassment. Killzone and Resistance for every Gears, MGS4 and Haze to every Too Human.
Wipeout, Socom, Motorstorm 2, LittleBIGplanet, GT5 (which puts 2x Halo and GTA sales to shame - well, that latter only on occasion), Heavy Rain, Afrika, countless more exclusive to the PS3 (not PC/360 or timed).

This year PS3 will overtake the LIFETIME 360 sales, you can count on it. That speaks such massive volumes about a console that's had Bioshock/ME/Halo 3 (biggest game it will ever have) and the best year it'll ever have. The same userbase is buying the games over and over. And they can't make a console win.
Karlius wrote at 15:41 on 26 March 2008

OOH The Sony Fan Boys are out in Force. I think this is a very good article showing both sides of the Fence.

I for one think MGS4 will not sell anywhere near GOW2 and thats pretty much a fact.

As for the comment above. It will litterally take a miracle for the PS3 to get to the equivalant sales of the 360 by the end of this Year. By out selling at 40,000 consoles a week it would litterally take 20 years to catch up. However you will find that March sales will Favour the 360 a hell of a lot. Add this to the new GTA console package that will be available on day of release and we are talking massive lead. Your Dillusional Mate.

Fact is both consoles are good and both have their advantages and disadvantages. I don't think you should comment on a game that has not been released yet "MGS4" until the reviews are out i think you should keep schtum as this could be an almighty flop and im crossing my fingers it isn't as it is a brilliant franchise.

GT5 is no better at all than Forza 2 i have played both and the Force Feedback has it to Forza. Haze will be released on 360 later this year!

RESISTANCE IS A POOR MANS GOW get over it!

Only thing i relly like the look of is Little Big Planet!

GT5 will never reach the sales of Halo 3 AND THATS A FACT!