Going Snowblind

Published March 31, 2009

Gears of War® 2 caps off March 2009 with a wintry blast, courtesy of the Snowblind multiplayer map pack Game Add-on, available now on Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Included with Snowblind are three brand new maps (Grind Yard, Under Hill, and Courtyard) and one fan-favorite (Fuel Depot).

The wintry world of the Snowblind Map Pack.

Of course, achievement enthusiasts can bask in the glory of 250 more potential Gamerscore. In addition to rewarding players for their Horde Mode and multiplayer exploits, the new achievements also take aim at the freshly implemented leveling system. Expect substantial Gamerscore boosts as you fight your way through levels one through one hundred.

Queue up the Snowblind map pack for download now!

Grind Yard

Junked out vehicles lie scattered about in this industrial scrap yard, waiting forlornly for their turn to be stripped down to component parts and used again as fuel for the war machine's fire.

It's tactics, not recycled steel that matters here, and Grind Yard provides plenty with a symmetrical, cover-ridden map dominated in large part by a signature tower structure that looms over the center of the action. Much of the action will funnel through here as Boomshot or Mulcher spawn at the top. Grenades and the Flamethrower are also within just a few seconds' roadie run of the tower's entrance.

Lining much of the periphery of the map is a mid-level pathway accessible via ramps that extends nearly from one team's spawn to the others. You'll find both interior and exterior areas along this outer path as well as excellent vantage points for picking off enemies that stay at ground level.

Under Hill

Under Hill sports one of the game's most remarkable multiplayer landmarks, a sweeping suspension bridge which connects to a subterranean metro tunnel system, where now long abandoned cars sit, left to rot and rust just outside the caved-in entrance.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

For multiplayer purposes, the tunnel area and bridge divide the map almost equally between indoor and outdoor battles, with the tunnel area offering a claustrophobic mix of cover and confinement, and the bridge portion offering lengthy uphill/downhill lines of sight.

While the indoor elements can be broached via entrances near each team's spawn, there's also a switch-operated door positioned right in the center of the map at the bottom of the bridge. Map discipline is critical in Under Hill when each team hunkers down and holds their spots.

Courtyard

This picturesque, statue-studded courtyard rests just outside the city and represents multi-tiered multiplayer gameplay at its best. While power weapons lurk on the lower levels of the courtyard, a high-level platform dominates the center of the combat area, making dashes for Boomshot and the like fraught with peril if you're not careful to flit from cover to cover.

Two mid-level mini-courtyards are positioned at each team's spawn area. These provide excellent lines of fire to the lower-level areas, although they remain somewhat exposed to the center structure.

All is not lost on ground level. Cover is plentiful, and more importantly, an ivy-covered stone wall divides the lower area in half, so those perched in the center or outer courtyards will have little chance to line up a shot if you're behind the wall.

Fuel Depot

This blast from the past is almost exactly as you remember it from the original Gears of War, albeit with a frost-bitten, snow-swirling twist. There's the same helipad dominating one side of the map as well as the depot's warehouse, with its ground-level center and raised wings, just opposite. And those exploding fuel pumps still sit just off to one side of the helipad.

Fuel Depot impressed me on the first go 'round with its deft mix of indoor/outdoor action on a largely flat playing field. It maintains that same sense of outstanding balance here in Gears of War 2.

Epic continues to lavish its latest creation with post-release attention. With Snowblind's icy-themed maps and the recently released Title Update 3's leveling system and gameplay tweaks, Gears of War 2 is looking stronger than ever.

Article by Ryan Treit