Teams will be announced by the end of the day…

*If we don’t hear from you, we will assume you do not want to participate!*

Game Type: Horde
Total Rounds: 50
Map: Nowhere
Difficulty: Casual
Friendly Fire: Off

Note: You have to have “Dark Corners” Map Pack in order to particiapte.

With the release of the “Dark Corners” map pack on July 28th.. I thought why not celebrate its arrival with playing some Horde on one of the maps? For the this “Horde Challenge” we will be playing on the “Dark Corners” Map “Nowhere” (I thought that would be the best Horde map.) Being disrespectful, mean, offensive, etc. to any clan member, will result in a DQ for you. Remember this is all in good fun, and please try not to take it too seriously.

Horde mode challenges will feature teams of 5, all hosted by a Gears of War Addicts Chairman or General. Each team will play with the exact same game type specifications and the matches will begin at the exact same time. The teams will race to see who can complete the goal number of rounds first(50) or until 2 hours has past…(I’ll let you guys decide) The hosting Chairman or General will report to the others when their team has finished all rounds. The times will be recorded and reported by the official. The decisions of the Gears of War Addicts Chairmen & Generals are final and non-disputable.

What’s the prize? The winners of this Challenge.. will all get a Rank UP!!

The Challenge will be open to only clan members! Anyone who wants to particpate in this Challenge leave a reply to this post with your gamertag to let us know that you’re interested. The deadline to let us know is Friday July 31st by 11:59 P.M. After we figure out how many players we have, we’ll set the teams and let you know who you’re playing. The teams will be set Saturday August 1st. After we know how many people we have, we will determine the leader of each team. If people fail to show up.. we will adjust accordingly.

The Challenge will be held Sunday, August 2nd, 2009 @ 9:00pm EST.(Please get on a few minutes earlier if you can) If any one has any sugestions, comments etc. on the rules.. or anything in this post for that matter. Post a comment and give us your opinion.

By posting your Gamertag in the comments section.. You have read the post and understand the rules.

*If we don’t hear from you, we will assume you do not want to participate!*

Allfather’s Garden(N00BiNATR’s Favorite)

This is probably the largest map in the new collection in terms of square footage. Its long sight lines and wide-open spaces should make it a paradise for snipers.I think thats why n00b likes it.. The only thing really going for you in terms of avoiding long-range headshots is the fact that the level is set at night, and the darkness can make it hard to spot movement from a long way away. The level is so big I’m sure horde wouldnt be much fun.

Memorial

While not as big as Allfather’s Garden, Memorial does offer some pretty wide-open spaces for long-range combat. At one end, you have the Eternal Flame, ringed by low cover and with a heavy-weapon spawn just behind it. Usually, the mortar or Hammer of Dawn spawn back here, and since there’s almost no overhead cover nearby, the corner it’s nestled in is the best spot to utilize either one. In the middle of the map is a circular room with the Boomshot in it, but the level above that offers an angle for enemies to shoot down on you.

Sanctuary

A tight map based around one central room with three distinct pathways through it and around it, Sanctuary is set in a bombed-out building that resembles a small cathedral. There’s a weapon spawn in the middle of the room, of course, but a Boomshot can usually be found on the upper-tiered route that goes around the outside. Since the building has been heavily damaged, you can shoot down from that upper route, just as you can shoot down from the room on to the lower route that wraps around the building’s other side. A smallish map compared to the others battles here are fast and hectic, though there are some pretty defensible spots.

War Machine

War Machine should look familiar to those who played the original Gears of War multiplayer. It’s a remake of a map from that game, also titled War Machine. Basically, it’s a large underground train platform that spawns the two teams on opposite sides of the tracks. Obstacles on the platform and on the rails provide plenty of cover, and the wide rectangular design was practically made for flanking maneuvers. Sorry guys theres no Troika.. The Mulcher takes it’s place.

Highway

Highway takes place in a location very similar to the area explored in the “Road to Ruin” deleted scene that makes up the new single-player component of the DLC. The level consists of some twisting hallways on both sides that lead to a more open area, which has two basic levels containing a number of weapon spawns of different types. This is an easy map to get lost in, so game types that center around one particular place (Annex, King of the Hill) are usually the best.

Way Station

The main feature of this level is a long track of mine cars suspended over a pit of molten goo that separates this level into two distinct sides. It can’t be crossed until someone goes down to the control room at the end and hits the button to start up the train, and raise a walkway. Of course, you could just go to said control room and climb up and over it to get to the other side, but opening up that middle crossing can be a good or bad idea, depending on what you’re trying to do.

Nowhere(My Favorite)

Nowhere is a simple map, but a really fun one to play, it’s basically a large open area between low buildings with some rusting cars and a few other bits of cover to get behind. On one side, in the middle, is a building where you can go up to the roof. There you will find a heavy weapon spawn and a perfect view of the parking lot on which to use it.

Across the way are two buildings that you can go inside and it has counters you can take cover behind.There’s also a little spot out behind those buildings that you can see from the original spawnpoint, but can’t get to without going around. Nowhere is a great medium-size map I would have to say its the most unique and probably my favorite.

Overall

Overall the maps are great. I would have to say that this is the best map pack that Epic has ever produced. I think that is well worth the money to get “Dark Corners” map pack. If I had to give these maps a rating out of 10.. I would give this map pack a 9.5. It is everything that I would expect from a map pack and more. The addition of the “Deleted Scene” was awesome as well, its not really as much as I was expecting(It was really short)

GWA’s Rating 9.5

For those of you that are unaware. Microsoft and Epic Games released today the Dark Corners Multiplayer Map Pack, which features 7 new Gears of War 2 multiplayer maps and a bonus deleted single-player chapter, “Road to Ruin,” from the Gears of War 2 campaign. Available for 1,200 Microsoft Points, the Dark Corners Multiplayer Map Pack is the largest expansion for Gears of War 2 yet, and brings with it 13 new Achievements worth 325 additional Gamerscore points.

*SPOILER*

DON’T WATCH IT IF YOU HAVN”T COMPLETED THE STORYLINE

The G4 guys recently took a drop down to Epic HQ in Cary, North Carolina to see the highly-anticipated Dark Corners DLC pack for Gears 2, and cooked up a lengthy preview of the new content we’ll all get a chance to enjoy next Tuesday.

Bust out your Lancer and tune into X-Play on G4 this Tuesday, July 21, for hands-on footage of Gears of War 2: Dark Corners’ “Road to Ruin” deleted campaign chapter! Epic Games’ Cliff Bleszinski and Rod Fergusson show the crew at X-Play why it pays to play it stealthy in the new campaign. Epic also shows off some never-before-seen gameplay footage from ChAIR Entertainment’s Shadow Complex, coming this summer to Xbox LIVE Arcade.

X-Play (G4)
Tuesday, July 21
6:30 P.M. Eastern Time (3:30 P.M. Pacific Time)
Encore at 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time (5:00 P.M. Pacific Time)

As posted earlier some lucky people got there hands on Dark Corners Early.. Heres some footage of the map packs!!

Well we’ve known about these for a while now, but they were made official early this morning on xbox.com and the official list here is now complete.

These of course can’t be unlocked until Dark Corners is released on July 28th (1200 MSP), but you can start working toward at least level 50 online which is required for one of the achievements (and a lesser rank for some of the others).

This weekend is a great time to start or get in some extra time with the Double XP+Winning Bonus weekend going on right now.

Continue reading for the list of the new achievements!!

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In just under a month we can look forward to the release of Gears of War 2’s All Fronts collection! Here’s a reminder what’s in the box, which should be with us July 28th.

Included in the “Gears of War 2: All Fronts Collection” is the “Gears of War 2: Dark Corners” Game Add-on, which features seven new multiplayer maps and a deleted campaign chapter titled “Road to Ruin.” In “Road to Ruin,” Marcus and Dom return to the Locust Hollow in a scene that can be played two ways, guns blazing or in all-new stealth mode.

The seven new multiplayer maps in the “Gears of War 2: Dark Corners” Game Add-on are:

Allfathers Garden:

Honor the sacred grounds of the Coalition founders in this explosive map, where powerful weapons catalyze fast and furious action at this COG landmark.

Memorial:

Set near the Eternal Flame, which pays tribute to the fallen soldiers on the battlefield, a hard-fought battle ensues at the Tomb of Unknowns. Putting their flank formation and evasive skills to the test, players will fight to control the Boomshot.

Sanctuary:

 Once a peaceful ground for reflection and remembrance, all that remains of the Sanctuary is the chill of death. Feast your eyes on the arsenal of weapons available as you make your way through the tight paths and blind corners of the Locust-damaged temple corridors.

War Machine:

In the abandoned train station that once served as a hub for travel, players will need to master the Longshot, Mulcher and Boomshot weapons to advance the fight while evading fire from the platforms above.

 Highway:

Take the fight deep into the Locust Hollow in the complex passages of this underground highway system brimming with enemy vermin. Stick together, separate the enemy and have an exit strategy ready or it’ll be a one-way trip.

 Way Station:

Sitting in limbo between death and “processing” are Locust way stations filled with fallen COG soldiers. Tread lightly and practice patience as it’s better to sacrifice firepower for stealth while navigating this minefield of hidden grenades.

Nowhere:

Set in the middle of what was once a destination for weary desert travellers, the land is now barren and devoid of life. Pick off your enemies with the Longshot sniper rifle and make your way to the stairwell with a well-fortified team during this intense firefight.

 Last Updated:
6:10 EST
June 17th

Latest Updates:

• Off-screen footage of ‘Road to Ruin’ from E3
  Click here for the video
• Trailer with all 7 maps and ‘Road To Ruin’ at Gametrailers:
  Click here for the video

Dark Corners DLC & All Fronts DLC FAQ

What?

• Dark Corners contains 7 new maps and the ‘Road to Ruin’ deleted campaign chapter, All Fronts contains all DLC to date (Including Dark Corners) in one compilation package.

When?

• 28th of July, 12:00AM (Midnight) GMT.

Where?

• The Xbox Live Marketplace.

How Much?

• 1200 MS points for Dark Corners, 1600 MS points for All Fronts. 

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