As for the linked achievements:

There were a number of games that I want to test drive but couldn't because of the number of people wanting to play them. Although I did get to play two of the most anticipated games of the year. Gears Of War 2 & Rock Band 2. I'm not the best at playing multiplayer because I stink but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to play Gears 2. This game is going to kick ass when it comes in November of this year. I was a huge fan of the first Gears and am planning on pre-ordering Gears 2.

Rock Band 2 was the other game that I was able to play and it rocked! I've purchased the past two Guitar Hero's and was satisfied. However, seeing the track listing that Rock Band 2 will have is incredible. I don't even want the instruments (since I don't have anymore room in my basement for a third guitar or a set of drums). I just want to be able to rock out to tunes that I grew up listening to! This will also probably be on my pre-order list along with Gears 2.

I didn't get a chance to play FIFA 09 or NHL 09 but did get to watch others play it and they look amazing. The graphics were so crisp (I guess a HDTV/Plasma screen will have that effect) and from what I've read the game play has also been improved.

Anyways I've written a more in depth blog about X08 for work with contributions from my co-workers. Check it out here.

Enjoy!

Durante a PAX, neste final de semana, alo inédito acontecerá: Gears of War 2 estará disponível para ser jogado! De acordo com o site oficial do jogo, de sábado à domingo, a Microsoft irá disponibilizar partidas multiplayer de Gears 2 no modo 5x5. O escritor e artista de Gears, Joshua Ortega e Pete Hayes, respectivamente, estarão lá também para uma sessão de autógrafos. E você também poderá experimentar o multiplayer do jogo!

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.1515165&w=425&h=350&fv=]

Para ver as imagens em tamanho GRANDE clique na imagem aqui e na nova tela, clique novamente na imagem com o botão direito e vá em Exibir Imagem (isso pode variar dependendo do seu navegador, como o Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera ou outros).

Un tal Spacecat, cuyo nick es ya garantía de fiabilidad, acaba de desvelar a la gente de Destructoid la lista de los 50 logros de Gears of War 2. Teniendo en cuenta que las últimas listas de logros filtradas han resultado cien por cien verdaderas, raro sería que nos encontraramos ante una excepción. De todos modos, desde Allyourbasearebelongtous recordamos que una pequeña dosis de escepticismo siempre es sana.

Sin intención de spoilear nada, la información más relevante que se extrae de la lista es la presencia de una campaña aparentemente mucho más larga que la del primer Gears of War y la presencia de cierto tipo de objetos coleccionables. Parece que nuestro amigo Cliffy... oh espera... el honorable y respetable señor Clifford Bleszinsky no nos mentía con aquello de "bigger, better and more badass indeed".

La lista de logros completa (en inglés) tras el salto. Pero antes os dejo con un reciente vídeo del multijugador, aunque imagino que con todo el material que han enseñado pocos habrán que clicken en el video ni yo lo he hecho ...

Fuente: AnaitGames, VidaExtra (vídeo)

Green as Grass (10) - Train the rook (any difficulty)
It’s A Trap! (10) - Story progression in Chapter 2
Escort Service (10) - Story progression in Chapter 3
Girl About Town (10) - Story progression in Chapter 4
That Sinking Feeling (10) - Story progression in Chapter 5
Freebaird! (10) - Story progression in Chapter 6
Heartbroken (10) - Story progression in Chapter 7
Longitude and Attitude (10) - Story progression in Chapter 8
Tanks For The Memories (10) - Story progression in Chapter 9
Water Sports (10) - Story progression in Chapter 10
Saved Maria (10) - Story progression in Chapter 11
Be Vewwy Vewwy Quiet (10) - Story progression in Chapter 12 (passive)
We’re Hunting Rabbit (10) - Story progression in Chapter 12 (aggressive)
Wrapped In Beacon (10) - Story progression in Chapter 13
Have Fun Storming The Castle (10) - Story progression in Chapter 14
And The Horse You Rode In On (10) - Story progression in Chapter 15
They Just Keep Coming (10) - Story progression in Chapter 16
Brumak Rodeo (10) - Story progression in Chapter 17
Does This Look Infected To You? (10) - Story progression in Chapter 18
Reservist (25) - Complete all campaign acts on Casual difficulty
Non-Commissioned Officer (50) - Complete all campaign acts on Normal difficulty
Commissioned Officer (75) - Complete all campaign acts on Hardcore difficulty
Commander (150) - Complete all campaign acts on Insane difficulty
Tourist (5) - Recover 5 Collectibles (any difficulty)
Pack Rat (15) - Recover 20 Collectibles (any difficulty)
Completionist (30) - Recover all 43 Collectibles (any difficulty)
Dom-Curious (10) - Complete one chapter in co-op on any difficulty
Domination (30) - Complete ten chapters in co-op on any difficulty
I Can’t Quit You, Dom (50) - Complete all acts in co-op on any difficulty
Crossed Swords (10) - Win a Chainsaw Duel
Ain’t Too Proud To Beg (10) - Crawl to a teammate and be revived
Pound of Flesh (10) - Use a meat shield to absorb a killing blow
DIY Turret (10) - Use a cover-mounted Gatling gun to kill three enemies without dismounting
Shock and Awe (10) - Use the mortar to kill three enemies with a single shot
Said The Spider To The Fly (10) - Kill an enemy with a planted grenade
Blowed Up Real Good (10) - Kill three enemies with a single grenade tag
Shake and Bake (10) - Kill three enemies with the flamethrower without reloading
Variety is the Spice of Death (30) - Kill an enemy with every weapon in the game
Multi-Talented Executioner (30) - Execute a downed enemy with every weapon in the game
Seriously 2.0 (50) - Kill 100,000 enemies, total, across all modes
Photojournalist (10) - Submit a spectator photo
It Takes Two (10) - Win Wingman with both team members alive
The Old Ball and Chain (10) - Capture a Meat Flag in a winning match of Meat Flag
It’s Good To Be The King (10) - Finish a winning round of Assassination as the leader
You Go Ahead, I’ll Be Fine (10) - Collect all the rings value in a winning round of KOTH
Back To Basic (20) - Complete Multiplayer Training Grounds
Can Do It All (30) - Win a match of every multiplayer game type
Around The World (30) - Win one match on each of the 12 MP maps
Survived To Five (20) - Entire team must survive the first five waves of Horde (any difficulty)
Survived To Ten (30) - Entire team must survive the first ten waves of Horde (any difficulty)

It seems that the Gears of War 2 achievement list has found its way onto the interwebs. Destructoid broke the list, showing off 50 achievements, including the successor to Seriously; Seriously 2.0. With Seriously 2.0 you have to kill not 10,000, but 100,000 enemies! Though the difference here is that kills across all game modes count. So that includes multiplayer, campaign and the new horde mode.

Hit the jump for the full list.

1. Green as Grass (10) – Train the rook (any difficulty)
2. It’s A Trap! (10) – Story progression in Chapter 2
3. Escort Service (10) – Story progression in Chapter 3
4. Girl About Town (10) – Story progression in Chapter 4
5. That Sinking Feeling (10) – Story progression in Chapter 5
6. Freebaird! (10) – Story progression in Chapter 6
7. Heartbroken (10) – Story progression in Chapter 7
8. Longitude and Attitude (10) – Story progression in Chapter 8
9. Tanks For The Memories (10) – Story progression in Chapter 9
10. Water Sports (10) – Story progression in Chapter 10
11. Saved Maria (10) – Story progression in Chapter 11
12. Be Vewwy Vewwy Quiet (10) – Story progression in Chapter 12 (passive)
13. We’re Hunting Rabbit (10) – Story progression in Chapter 12 (aggressive)
14. Wrapped In Beacon (10) – Story progression in Chapter 13
15. Have Fun Storming The Castle (10) – Story progression in Chapter 14
16. And The Horse You Rode In On (10) – Story progression in Chapter 15
17. They Just Keep Coming (10) – Story progression in Chapter 16
18. Brumak Rodeo (10) – Story progression in Chapter 17
19. Does This Look Infected To You? (10) – Story progression in Chapter 18
20. Reservist (25) – Complete all campaign acts on Casual difficulty
21. Non-Commissioned Officer (50) – Complete all campaign acts on Normal difficulty
22. Commissioned Officer (75) – Complete all campaign acts on Hardcore difficulty
23. Commander (150) – Complete all campaign acts on Insane difficulty
24. Tourist (5) – Recover 5 Collectibles (any difficulty)
25. Pack Rat (15) – Recover 20 Collectibles (any difficulty)
26. Completionist (30) – Recover all 43 Collectibles (any difficulty)
27. Dom-Curious (10) – Complete one chapter in co-op on any difficulty
28. Domination (30) – Complete ten chapters in co-op on any difficulty
29. I Can’t Quit You, Dom (50) – Complete all acts in co-op on any difficulty
30. Crossed Swords (10) – Win a Chainsaw Duel
31. Ain’t Too Proud To Beg (10) – Crawl to a teammate and be revived
32. Pound of Flesh (10) – Use a meat shield to absorb a killing blow
33. DIY Turret (10) – Use a cover-mounted Gatling gun to kill three enemies without dismounting
34. Shock and Awe (10) – Use the mortar to kill three enemies with a single shot
35. Said The Spider To The Fly (10) – Kill an enemy with a planted grenade
36. Blowed Up Real Good (10) – Kill three enemies with a single grenade tag
37. Shake and Bake (10) – Kill three enemies with the flamethrower without reloading
38. Variety is the Spice of Death (30) – Kill an enemy with every weapon in the game
39. Multi-Talented Executioner (30) – Execute a downed enemy with every weapon in the game
40. Seriously 2.0 (50) – Kill 100,000 enemies, total, across all modes
41. Photojournalist (10) – Submit a spectator photo
42. It Takes Two (10) – Win Wingman with both team members alive
43. The Old Ball and Chain (10) – Capture a Meat Flag in a winning match of Meat Flag
44. It’s Good To Be The King (10) – Finish a winning round of Assassination as the leader
45. You Go Ahead, I’ll Be Fine (10) – Collect all the rings value in a winning round of KOTH
46. Back To Basic (20) – Complete Multiplayer Training Grounds
47. Can Do It All (30) – Win a match of every multiplayer game type
48. Around The World (30) – Win one match on each of the 12 MP maps
49. Survived To Five (20) – Entire team must survive the first five waves of Horde (any difficulty)
50. Survived To Ten (30) – Entire team must survive the first ten waves of Horde (any difficulty)

No se si sé percataron pero la colisión entre dos franquicias se llevara a cabo este año. Por un lado el XB360 recibira GEARS OF WAR 2, siendo que el primer titulo fue todo un exito, y ahora no solo se espera un mejor gameplay sino que la edición de coleccionistas incluira una replica del Arma Lancer . . . por otro lado el Playstation 3 recibira RESISTENCE 2, secuela del titulo que se realizo para promover el PS3 en su lanzamiento y que promete ser una secuela mas completa, con una gran historia y modo multijugador hasta para 60 individuos.

Ambos titulos aunque en plataformas diferentes nos mostraran una batalla por la supremacia de las consolas a nivel de ventas y de entradas en modo multijugador online. Y aunque tienen diferencias sustanciales en varios aspectos el hecho de que los humanos deben patear traseros aliens, nadie lo juzga. Y tu a cual le vas: GEARS OF WAR 2 ó RESISTENCE . . . SONY Fan ó XBOX Fan . . . la batalla comenzara pronto.

Chegaram informações do conteúdo do disco bônus de Gears of War 2 através do site British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), onde o disco fará parte da Edição Limitada do game. Na verdade, o disco adicional terá apenas biografias e informações extras de personagens, equipamentos e armas, trailers e veículos, além de alguns artworks. Pelo menos até agora não é nada 'muito interessante', a não ser para os verdadeiros fãs da série.

When the BBFC isn't busy keeping cool, violent games away from kids with totally square parents, they like to leak out the occasional news tidbit, just so all the game journalists think they're "hip." It's actually a little sad, but it's hard to argue with the benefits, like learning the content on the Gears of War 2 bonus disc that comes with the Limited Edition of the game. Now, because there are some of you who may want to go into the experience completely pure, we've put the list after the break. But the awesome rebels among you should waste no time in clicking below.

• 00:34:29:00 BENEATH THE SURFACE (NO SOUND UNTIL 3M30S)(FREEZES AT 6M50)
• 00:01:05:00 RENDEZVOUS
• 00:01:28:00 BARE YOUR TEETH
• 00:07:30:00 E3 2008: GEARS 2 DEMO
• 00:03:38:00 GTTV SPOT
• 00:11:56:00 CHARACTERS - MARCUS FENIX
• 00:07:40:00 CHARACTERS - DOMINIC SANTIAGO
• 00:07:40:00 CREATURES - BOOMER
• 00:07:10:00 CREATURES - KANTUS
• 00:15:55:00 LOCATIONS - HOSPITAL
• 00:13:01:00 LOCATIONS - THE HOLLOW
• 00:07:08:00 VEHICLES - CENTAUR
• 00:06:10:00 VEHICLES - REAVER
• 00:13:00:00 WEAPONS - LANCER
• 00:10:50:00 WEAPONS - HEAVY WEAPONS
• n/a MAIN THEME
• n/a CINEMATIC OPENING
• n/a ASSULT INTRO
• n/a MARIA
• n/a COG SQUAD PACK (5 IMAGES)
• n/a LOCUST SQUAD PACK (5 IMAGES)

Ahora dinos, ¿te aventarás por la edición especial o te das con la normal? ¡Opina! Las respuestas van a la revista 36.

This is from Gamespot Gears of War 2 forum and posted by PixelDaemon.

-SECTIONS-

I. Campaign
II. Multiplayer
III. Game Modes
IV. Maps
V. Characters
VI. Weapons
VII. Executions
VIII. Vehicles
IX. Enemies
X. Game Mechanics

I. CAMPAIGN

-Darker, emotional storyline
-Longer campaign mode
-'Bigger, Better, and more badass!'
-Most of the campaign takes place in the Locust underworld. About 30% of the battles take place underground
-Squad commands (Attack/Regroup/Hold position) have been removed
-Character-specific storylines (Doms search for his wife, Dizzy representing the Stranded, etc.)
-New technology allows for hundreds of Locust on-screen
-More vehicular sections were promised
-One vehicular level has you driving a tank through an icy environment
-Takes place six months after the deployment of the lightmass bomb
-The deployment of the bomb caused the Imulsion to turn gaseous, which affected the citizens of Jacinto with a disease called 'Rust Lung'
-Standard CoG soldiers (redshirts) will now aid you in numerous battles. Something that was missing in the first Gears of War
-The campaign is set in the winter. Expect a lot of snowy levels
-Side characters will have more of an involvement to the story
-Will have a good variety of locations and environments ranging from 'the deepest depths of the underground to the highest snow-capped peaks'
-Reavers and Brumaks are rideable

II. MULTIPLAYER

-Multiplayer battles are now 5v5 for a total of 10 players in a single map
-Multiplayer bots are confirmed to be in
-Improved online functionality
-Will include matchmaking
-Players can now vote for the maps they want to play in
-Will NOT include dedicated servers
-Four-player co-operative play is not available in Gears of War 2
-New online optimizations to reduce issues such as 'host advantage'
-On games with no respawn, you can fly around as a ghost cam and view the battles in any direction
-Ability to upload user-submitted images to the web
-Specific leaderboards for user-submitted images
-Images will be scored based on how many particle effects are on the screen, how close to the center the characters are, if there is an execution going on, how much blood there is on the screen, etc.
-You have the ability to edit your saved images before uploading
-The ability to save films is NOT available in Gears of War 2
-Live on-screen damage ticker that tracks damage points is possible
-Altered MP achievements. "If you're going for headshots, you get one headshot that counts and any other headshots won't count towards your Achievement, so players don't just play to get headshots the entire round just to get Achievements."
-Achievement progress has now been simplified & will be tracked in real-time which is viewable through a menu
-Each player can play in a different difficulty setting in co-op
-Weapons now rotate between every round. Boomshot will rotate with the Scorcher Flamethrower, Torque Bow with Longshot, Frag Grenades with Poison Grenades and Boltok Pistol with Gorgon Pistol.
-Players now have the opportunity to spawn with either the Lancer or the Hammerburst
-Once grabbed as a meatshield, you are considered dead
-Players will no longer get booted to the menu once the host changes the options or game mode
-The game does not allow for customizable characters
-The game does not allow for customizable weaponry
-There are three different Stranded models for Submission
-Will include a party system
-No clan support. Might change at a later date
-Teammate icons pop up in your HUD whenever you respawn to signify their location

III. GAME MODES

-Assassination renamed and altered. Now known as 'Guardian'. Every player can respawn until the leader has been killed. The team with the remaining players is the winner
-Wingman is a new game mode focused on 2v2v2v2v2 (10 players split into teams of 2) battles. Each team will take control of the same character model. For example: Dom/Dom Vs. RAAM/RAAM Vs. Carmine/Carmine Vs. Drone/Drone Vs. Marcus/Marcus
-CTF game mode called 'Submission'. The flag is an AI controlled Stranded character wandering around the center of the map. That character has his own weapons and even a place on the leaderboard. To capture him; you will need to down him first, then pick him up as a meatshield, and take him back to your base. If you shoot the 'meatflag' enough times while he's being dragged back to the enemies' base, his captor will lose him and he'll go berserk on everyone around him. Respawning and stats for the amount of kills the AI-controlled 'meatflag' will appear on the intermission leaderboard. Respawning occurs in this mode, but the more that you die; the longer you'll have to wait until you get back into the action. The scoring in this gametype will move around to different random locations after a while.
-New survival mode called 'Horde' where up to 5 players take on waves of Locusts. The difficulty increases with each wave. This mode uses the 'Horde effect' where the engine can process a ridiculous amount of enemies on-screen
-Classic Warzone returns for Gears of War 2
-Players can revive eachother up to six times in the Wingman game mode
-Shipping with at least 7 game modes
-Execution returns for Gears of War 2
-Annex returns for Gears of War 2

IV. MAPS

-Shipping with 12 maps. More than the original game
-Improved Gridlock makes a return
-Subway makes a return
-New map called River. Each team has a thin strip of land with a cottage and sniping tower. Between them is a river separated by a bridge crossing it. Underneath the bridge is a power weapon. It is based on an area called Landown
-New map called Security. To the left and right are stairs leading to verandas that run the entire length of the map. You are barred access by red lasers, which will kill you if you attempt to pass through. A power weapon is barred on the other side of the map while the other end is defended by sentry guns. There is a button in the middle of the map that turns off the lasers and sentries for 20 seconds
-New map called Day One. It is a war-torn city-based map with an emergence hole in the center where a Seeder or Rockworm will pop up and cause an earthquake from time to time
-New map called Avalanche. Snow-based level with a unique environmental hazard. True to its name, an Avalanche could occur at any time an alarm sounds to bury the unsuspecting beneath the snow
-Early Adopter Tax maps (buy now, get it free after a set amount of time)
-Original Gears maps set for DLC is confirmed
-Some maps have environmental hazards which force players to stay in one particular area in order to keep themselves alive
V. CHARACTERS

-Marcus Fenix returns as the main character in the campaign mode. Also available in MP
-Dominic Santiago returns as a part of Delta Squad in the campaign mode. Also available in MP. Player two controls Dom in co-op
-Damon Baird returns as a part of Delta Squad in the campaign mode. Also available in MP
-Augustus Cole 'Train' returns as a part of Delta Squad in the campaign mode. Also available in MP
-Anthony Carmine returns for MP
-Anthonys brother (Benjamin Carmine) is a character in the campaign. Also available in MP
-Luitenant Kim returns for MP
-Colonel Victor Hoffman returns as the commander of Delta Squad. He is a playable MP character
-Tai Kaliso is a new member of Delta Squad in the campaign mode and is available in MP
-Dizzy Wallin is a new member of Delta Squad in the campaign mode and is available in MP. He is a former stranded and drives the Derrick. He is also a part of Operation Lifeboat, a program that enlists regular people in exchange for protecting their families
-Atleast one more CoG soldier called Jay Stratton will make an apearance
-Dom's wife, Maria is a huge part of the campaign
-Chairman Richard Prescott, making his first appearance in Gears of War 2 is the dictatorial military leader of the CoG
-Anya Stroud is the only female member of the CoG. She returns for the campaign mode to assist you whenever possible
-Jack, the all-purpose robot returns for the campaign mode
-Franklin, a stranded returns for the campaign mode and for the Submission game mode
-CoG soldiers (including Carmine) have a redesigned helmet

VI. WEAPONS

-New chainsaw duels
-Player is no longer invincible while chainsawing. Attacks can be interrupted in mid-duel
-Two people can chainsaw one person
-The Lancer has a longer barrel that extends a bit farther than the chainsaw attachment, blue targeting cross-hair on the iron sights, new muzzle flashes, and firing sound effects. Also, new active-reload HUD display animation were seen for the Lancer and Hammerburst
-The limited edition version of the game has an exclusive code to unlock a gold Lancer assault rifle for online play
-Retooled Hammerburst sounds beefier and has the ability for semi-automatic. It now has a barrel extension. The faster you tap the the right trigger, the faster it fires. However, with the faster fire rate comes more recoil. It is more accurate at longer range and does more damage than the Lancer
-New weapon called the Gorgon Burst Pistol. Semi-automatic pistol that fires in 6-round bursts
-Stopping power. If you're running towards an enemy and he is firing straight into your chest, you will slow down. Every weapon will have a different degree of stopping power
-Grenades can be stuck anywhere; not just on enemies. They can be planted on the ground, walls, doors, etc. to produce a proximity mine
-Players can shoot and destroy the planted grenades from a distance
-Smoke grenades now carry a concussive stun effect that ragdolls anyone within its blast radius and knocks any shields from their hands
-Shotgun remains unchanged, except that it now fires slower
-Active reloads have been expanded. Different weapons have a different active reload effect
-Longshot no longer downs after a successful active reload. A perfect reload is just a faster way of reloading. No power effects
-Poison gas grenade is a new weapon. It produces a purplish, poisonous cloud that kills anyone that lingers into it. Grenades can be tagged onto enemies where they will slowly die. Grenade tagged players can also injure teammates if they get too close to them. The poison grenade is actually a baby Nemacyst inker attached to a regular grenade
-New weapon called the Scorcher Flamethrower. It is a power weapon that appears once in a map. Getting a perfect active reload causes it to glow red and increases the flames range. Is said to have the 'most realistic fire in a videogame ever'
-Bullet shields. Metal shield (adorned with Locust symbols) that blocks enemy fire. You can only equip a pistol when carrying the shield. Movement will be dramatically slower when using the shield. They can be planted into the ground to create new cover by squatting behind it. Enemies can kick it down if they get close enough
-Epic says plenty more weapons are on the way, including new additions to the superweapons class (alongside the Hammer of Dawn)
-Boltok Pistol now has a quicker rate of fire after a perfect active reload
-You can now get headshots with the Torque Bow. The bow will actually decapitate the head and stick it to the nearest wall until it explodes
-Boomshot now spawns with 4 rockets and you can fire two shots simultaneously after a successful active reload
-Melee attacks no longer stun players
-New weapon. A Minigun called the Mulcher that slows players down whenever equipped. It can be set on the ground much like the shield to provide cover and will overheat if used for long periods of time. A perfect active reload increases the accuracy of your shots
-New weapon. A Mortar that can be described as 'Troika meets Grenade Launcher'. A very powerful weapon that can also be planted on the ground. Also described as a 'less accurate Boomshot, but more powerful'

VII. EXECUTIONS

-New chainsaw animation from the back going from taint to throat. Dubbed 'ChainSAWdomy'
-Neck snap execution while holding a meat-shield
-Torque Bow execution. The attacker will take the victims head and place it on a Torque Bows blade tip, then use his foot to pop the head off
-Pistols are used to smack opponents on the head. Also known as 'pistol-whipping'
-Shotgun will be used like a golf-club
-Longshots rifle butt gets slammed down on your victims skull
-New execution where you can punch the enemy to death
-These executions can take up to three seconds to complete, and you are totally vulnerable while doing them
-Curb Stomp returns, except this time the attacker flips the victim onto his back before the stomp. The result is that you now stomp them in the face, rather than in the back of the head
-Chainsaw execution to downed opponents is a quick decapitation
-The Locust shield is used to decapitate opponents
-Melee execution animations usually take half a second to complete

VIII. VEHICLES

-Derricks are transport vehicles mounting grindlifts which are used to drill into the Locust underworld
-Centaur tank is a new vehicle. There is a level dedicated to it and the vehicle has a unique active reload
-At least 2 more vehicles yet to be revealed

IX. ENEMIES

-Corpsers return for Gears of War 2
-Brumaks return for Gears of War 2
-Reavers return for Gears of War 2 and can now land on the ground and attack you from there
-Nemacyst Return for Gears of War 2
-Nemacyst Mortar is an enemy making its first appearance in Gears of War 2
-Seeders return for Gears of War 2
-Boomers return for Gears of War 2
-New type of Boomers carrying shields and Miniguns are present in Gears of War 2. Also known as 'Grinders'
-New type of Boomers carrying flamethrowers are present in Gears of War 2. Also called 'Flamers'
-New type of Boomers carrying large Cleavers are present in Gears of War 2. They are known as 'Butchers'
-Many of the new Boomers have a variety of helmets and headwear
-Some Boomers carry an explosive flail which is basically a grenade-like whip. These Boomers are called 'Maulers'
-Drones Return for Gears of War 2 and are playable in MP
-Snipers Return for Gears of War 2 and are playable in MP
-Grenadiers Return for Gears of War 2 and are playable in MP
-Hammerhead Locust is a new Locust enemy seen in X360/EGM magazines and is playable in MP
-Theron Guards return for Gears of War 2 and are playable in MP
-Theron Sentinels return for Gears of War 2 and are playable in MP
-Kantus (priest/healer) are a new enemy seen in Game Informer magazine. They can summon Rockworms and Tickers
-Rockworms (provide moving cover) are a new enemy seen in GI magazine. They can be summoned by the Kantus
-Masked Locust is a new enemy seen in the gameplay debut trailer and is playable in MP
-Grenadier Cyclops is a new enemy seen in X360/EGM magazines and is playable in MP
-General RAAM returns for MP
-Scorch Drone is a new enemy equipped with a Scorcher flamethrower
-Berserkers return for Gears of War 2
-Bloodmount is a new creature that is rideable by Locust. Their main form of attack is to charge at you
-Wretches return for Gears of War 2
-Small insect-like Locust called 'Tickers' are a new enemy in Gears of War 2. They explode once they get close enough to the player. Meleeing one flips it onto it's back and flys it backwards away from you, so you can use it as an explosive trap for enemy locust. They can be summoned by the Kantus
-New creatures that make the Brumak 'look like a baby Panda bear'
X. GAME MECHANICS

-Weapon smoke and blood react to the wind and flow realistically
-Ability to use downed enemies as moving shields. Dubbed 'meatshields'
-Meatshields will protect the player from explosions and gunfire. The hostage can also be chainsawed, allowing the player some time to attack the chainsawer
-Meatshields will detoriate under fire, as well as drip blood on the floor as you drag them around
-Damaged players will bleed on the ground as they move and leave a blood trail
-Pressing A repeatedly while downed allows you to crawl away from danger
-Destructible cover. This does not only affect concrete cover, but also trees and vehicles
-The cover system has been refined, players' guns and bodies sit tighter to cover making it harder for your enemies to get an attacking angle
-Over 400 tweaks have been made to the cover system
-The A-button usage has now been expanded for the slide/slam into cover. By pressing it again & depending on the orientation of the thumbstick, you can change the angle approach, back up, or stop mid-slide
-Martyrdom is a new feature. If you are holding a frag while downed, press RT as the enemy is about to execute you to blow yourself up aswell as your enemy
-Pressing RT while downed allows you to raise your right hand to signal your team-mates in order for them to aid you
-Ambient Occlusion lighting allows for more realistic lighted and shaded objects/characters
-Improved character physics (soft body). Character bodies react realistically to gunfire
-New control scheme similar to Uncharted: Drakes Fortune is available for use

Almost every game of 2008 has a number attached to it. The major games of 2009 are shaping up to be the same way. Right now, Halo Wars, Bioshock 2, and Mass Effect 2 are the main games that I am looking forward to, and each of them is built off of a previously established intellectual property. I expect that we will also see some sort of sequel to Guitar Hero and Rock Band again as well. Will these even be worth buying this time around? Will there end up being a few games similar to a Mirror's Edge or a Left 4 Dead? I sure hope so. It's hard to tell, because these games are usually announced far later than the blockbuster sequels that start getting developed right after the first game has shipped. Have any of you seen anything on any other games of 2009 (either sequel or original) that look promising?

I remember thinking this exact same thing when 2007 was coming to a close. I didn't think there would be much to play in 2008, but I sure was wrong. The same will probably happen in 2009. But you never know, maybe our wallets will great a break and we'll have some time to catch up on all the games we bought and didn't get to give sufficient time to. I know it's a little bit early to start looking at next year already, but I'm curious to see what you guys think!

And now, I leave you with the newly revealed cover art of Halo Wars! Comments? (Check out a massive version here)

3 notas rápidas sobre o Xbox 360e o mês de Novembro que estão rolando pela imprensa especializada e para não deixar passar em branco:

* GTA IV recebe conteudo adicional em Novembro: Já está praticamente quase confirmado que realmente a DCL de GTA IV chega mesmo no mês de novembro para o X360, exclusivamente. O que anda rolando por aí é a especulação de seu conteúdo. Pelo que estão mencionando haverá novos carros, duração de cerca de 15 horas, uma nova ilha com um novo arco de hsitória... é aguardar para ver.

* Fall Update do X360 em Novembro: Mais tarde do que o que as especulações diziam, aparentemente, a nova dashboard do console só será disponibilizada em Novembro. Eu e outros caixistas apostava no treco agora no fim de setembro... pena...

* Gears of War 2 com conteúdo adicional logo após seu lançamento: Não preciso nem de palavras, somente um símbolo repetido 3 vezes = $$$. Segundo o produtor do game, logo após o lançamento oficial do game GoW 2 já irá ganhar conteúdo adicional para baixar na live na maior cara de pau e picaretagem para fazer dinheiro. Ainda não foi revelado exatamente o que será, mas já rola nas rodas de apostas que será um mapa multiplayer... vai querer roubar nossas moedinhas assim na casa da mãe Joana Microsoft! o jogo nem saiu e os caras já estão fazendo conteúdo além do game...

O Gamescore Blog, blog oficial da Microsoft para jogos do Xbox 360 e Games for Windows lançou a programação da empresa para a Penny Arcade Expo (PAX). O evento começa dia 29 de agosto. O curioso é que no sábado e no domingo, o famoso "To Be Announced" apareceu. E como sempre, é o último.

O que pode ser? Halo 4? O novo controle? Um novo jogo? Alguma informação de algum jogo, como Alan Wake? O DLC de GTA IV? Alguma coisa nova do Xbox 360? Façam suas apostas.

Veja a programação abaixo, com os horários dos EUA:

Sexta-feira

2:00 PM Gears of War 2

3:00 PM Project Origin

4:00 PM Gears of War 2

5:00 PM Popfly

6:00 PM Project Origin

Sábado

10:00 AM Halo Wars

10:30 AM Xbox Experience

11:30 AM Popfly

12:00 PM Gears of War 2

1:00 PM Gears of War 2 - Sessão de autógrafos

2:00 PM Gears of War 2

3:00 PM Project Origin

3:30 PM Xbox Experience

4:30 PM TBA

Domingo

10:00 AM Halo Wars

10:30 AM Xbox Experience

11:30 AM Popfly

12:00 PM Gears of War 2

1:00 PM Gears of War 2 - Sessão de autógrafos

2:00 PM Gears of War 2

3:00 PM Project Origin

3:30 PM Xbox Experience

4:30 PM TBA

Em Toronto, no Canadá, Cliff Bleszinski, produtor de Gears of War 2 disse que o conteúdo para download será lançado "logo após o lançamento". Esse conteúdo será focado em mapas de multiplayer. Veremos então. Estamos ansiosos!

É o mesmo mostrado na E3, mas jogado de forma diferente. De qualquer forma, vale a pena ver de novo. A arte está incrível! Gears 2 sai em Novembro exclusivamente para o Xbox 360, feito novamente pela Epic Games e com distribuição da Microsoft Game Studios. Também usará a Unreal Engine 3 mais atualizada. Veja o vídeo neste link.

The Chocolate and the Cherry

While pricing and release date hasn't been confirmed, Epic Games Cliff Blezenski has said that DLC will be released soon after the release of Gears of War 2.

Blezenski has said the DLC would be a multiplayer map released soon after the release of Gears of War 2.

He was also saying about Co-op in the game talking about the new co-op mode, Horde as well as the campaign co-op of the story.

"The thing about a campaign is, when you start getting over two players - it's cool to have that, but - the narrative quality decreases exponentially with more players. Once you get a third or a fourth player in there then you're in the middle of fighting a bad guy and somebody's triggering a cutscene and people are flapping their gums and nobody knows what's going on with the story. Whereas if you keep it two-players, keep it focused, grab a buddy and go through the blockbuster experience and then grab five players and fight against the Locust. That's how we're doing it."

Lets hope that the game delivers on DLC, Co-op and a great story as well as keep the spirit of the great multiplayer from the last game going.

Gears of War 2 is out worldwide on Wednesday November 7th 2008 for the Xbox 360.

Em conversa com o Joystiq durante o X08, em Toronto, Cliff Belszinski afirmou que, logo após o lançamento de Gears 2, um pacote DLC será lançado à LIVE; isso não significa que o DLC lance na mesma semana de estréia do jogo, mas o designer disse que ele estará dentro do timeline de lançamento de GoW 2.

O conteúdo adicional já está sendo desenvolvido e ainda não há uma base de preço para ele, mas está quase confirmado que o conteúdo não será de graça, já que a Microsoft pretende cobrar por todos os novos DLC's de Gears of War.