Gear of War 2 to feature 5v5 multiplayer

A huge multiplayer preview has been published in UK magazine X360, featuring a massive amount of new info on the multiplayer game modes, weapons, maps and more found in Gears of War 2.

The biggest change appears to be the switch from a maximum of 4v4 online matches to 5v5, with a Halo style matchmaking system also said to be implemented to make the online experience much less cumbersome.

As in the first Gears of War, the multiplayer focus is still on non-respawning play, although there will be some modes featuring respawn.

Game modes revealed:

Guardian: A remade version of Gears’ Assassination game mode where the objective is to kill the opposing team’s leader. Killed players will continue to respawn as long as their leader is alive.

Wingman: Two players team up, taking control of a single character in a match of up to five teams.

Meatflag: A Capture the Flag game type where the ‘Flag’ is an AI controlled player who will move around the map and attempt to kill anyone who gets too close.

The game will ship with around 12 maps on the game disc, including a remake of Gridlock which has now become overgrown with vegetation. River is a symmetrical map featuring a house and a sniper tower separated by a river. The final map which has been revealed is Security, a narrow map with verandas on each side protected by laser beams. In the centre of the map is a button which deactivates the lasers for approximately 20 seconds.

Finishing moves have been expanded and now include a host of bloody deaths which can be activated once an enemy is down. The X button will perform the Curb Stomp, B button a weapon specific attack (a sniper will be used to bludgeon the enemy like a golf club), Y will activate a full-on assault on the enemy’s face and A will use the enemy as a meatshield – this will limit your weapon fire to a pistol and the shield will fall apart after taking enemy fire.

Weapons revealed:

Scorcher: A flamethrower with realistic fire effects.

Medusa: A Locust pistol that is powerful and able to fire five or six rounds per shot. This weapon is described as the perfect combination to the meatshield.

Hammerburst: This has changed and will now require players to pump the trigger as fast as possible.

Grenades: These can be stuck to people, walls, the floor and pretty much any other surface in the game. Players will spawn with a single smoke grenade – these now carry a stun effect. Poison gas grenades will release a harmful gas into the air, killing any player than hangs around in its cloud for too long.

Chainsaw duels will be decided by bashing the B button, with the player who can hit the button the fastest getting to slice through their opponent. The button-bashing mechanic can be assisted by team mates who fire the enemy currently locked in a chainsaw duel. This will make them weaker and less likely to win.

The chainsaw duel won’t kick in if the enemy is attacked from behind, instead a chainsaw kill animation will play out, giving a satisfying instant kill.

The cover system is said to have been reworked, with the players’ gun and body now closer into the cover, making it more difficult for the enemy to get a shot in. Shields, called metal bucklers, can be carried as indestructible cover, but as with the meatshield limits attacking options to a single pistol. This shield can also be planted into the ground, although if an enemy gets close enough it can be kicked down.

Players killed in a non-respawn game type will be offered a dynamic view of the action from up above. Dead players will also be able to view the action from down on the battlefield, taking screenshots and uploading them just like in Halo.

Despite the popularity of player skill progression in online multiplayer games like Call of Duty 4, there will be no such feature in Gears 2.

Gears of War 2 is scheduled for release exclusively for Xbox 360 in November.