Hardcore's Holiday with Gears of War
At A Glance
- Gears of War not hard enough? Amp it up with these hardcore challenges.
It is the hardcore masterpiece that has been slowly simmering to scrumptious perfection since Xbox 360™ was announced. Gears of War® is both every bit the killer app fanboys have been clamoring for and the brutal test of skill the hardcore faithful have been itching to master.
Time to cowboy up.
Its glory is seen in the gore-drenched chainsaw kills born of cold-blooded patience, as you wait for your hapless victim to round the corner. It is felt in the rapidly rising frustration of the final boss battle, and the euphoric release once you finally defeat him. It is reinforced in the white-knuckled grip with which you hold your Xbox 360 Controller in each carefully crafted Campaign battle.
All praise aside, Gears of War still offers those few extra delectable steps that can tip its difficulty from insane to unfathomable. Master Gears of War with the following limitations and you can stand tall even amongst the most hardcore.
Insane Alone
I would never suggest trudging your way through one of the best cooperative experiences ever without a buddy, but do so on your first play-through (on Hardcore, please), and save the unlocked Insane difficulty for your solitary hours. If you can best the Immulsion-filled-wretches, General RAAM, the house defense in Act 4, and the other momentously difficulty moments on your own, you've got an achievement to hang your hat on for the rest of your years.
Keep coming. I dare ya!
Special Kills
When playing online, it's not enough to win the round with top honors, but to embarrass your opponents into expending every epithet and excuse they can wrap their feeble minds around. Don't shoot them from afar, but chainsaw them up close. Don't shotgun them at close range, but headshot them on the run. Don't use the Torque Bow on a still target, but lob an on-target Boomshot round at them from across the map.
No Ninja Kills
The least praiseworthy online habit is the despicable art of the ninja kill. This tactless cowardice is performed by stat-whores who steal kills from their comrades. Whether you're curb stomping an enemy you didn't fell, lining up a sniper shot on a cringing opponent you didn't put down, or just tossing grenades at downed opponents to steal a kill, cut it out!
If you do spot an enemy on their knees with no one running in to finish the job, let the team know you're taking them out before they get back up. If someone pipes up and says it's their kill and they're taking care of it, let it go. Otherwise, you're just branding yourself the sorriest sort of n00b.
Oh, the sweetest online kill you'll find.
No Tagging
There is a sick thrill in tagging an enemy with a melee kill, and most can't help but chuckle as they roll from harms way and admire the carnage that is their exploding opponent. That said, resist the temptation. It's the easiest melee kill to manage, so leave it to the less skilled members of your online posse.
No Reload Boost
Want to know if you're the deadliest shot around? Don't use the active reload to give your bullets that extra bite. If you can regularly cut down the opposing forces with nothing but top-flight accuracy, you know you're a top dog.
Man Down
Your A.I. controlled allies in the single-player campaign may not always offer the most tactical support, but they still contribute kill. If you really want to test your campaign skills, though, wait till the end of a battle to revive them. If you can hold off the swarms of Locusts on Insane all by your lonesome, you know you're gaming in rarified air.
Article by Hardcore
