Gears of War in Versus Modes

Putting the cooperative campaign to one side, Gears of War® offers a multiplayer Versus mode that is quickly becoming an Xbox Live® staple. Though a lot of details of the campaign mode were revealed before release, most of the details of the multiplayer component were kept under wraps. This is a brief but comprehensive rundown of what Gears of War has to offer in its Versus game modes.

It's risky online, but the reward from a Hammer kill is oh so sweet.

Basic Structure
Gears of War is not a game with epic sixteen-man teams doing battle on massive stages. Instead, it is designed to be played in four-on-four matches, on smaller scale maps, each of which is taken from, or inspired by, areas in the single-player game.

Also like the single-player campaign, every map utilizes the tactical importance of cover, so the same gameplay basics that work against the Locusts in the single player modes will work against human opponents online.

Check out the Carmine character model online.

Game-Types
While the basic four-on-four framework remains intact for every online game mode, there are subtle differences among them that alter the way you should approach the game.

• Warzone: This is your basic team deathmatch, where you simply gang up and kill the opposing team.
• Execution: Though similar to Warzone, Execution has an important difference. If you do enough damage to your opponent, they drop, but they do not die. Once they're down, you can't kill them by shooting them, you have to approach them and finish them off with the Curb Stomp. If you get dropped to the ground, pump the A button repeatedly to get back up before you are put down permanently.
• Assassination: This is the most tactical of the three multiplayer modes. In Assassination you have to hunt down the opposing team's leader and kill him. The COG side is represented by the taciturn Colonel Hoffman, while the Locust are led by RAAM. The team leaders can't just sit back and wait, however. Special weapons are only available after the leader locates them, and the highest scoring competitor gets to be the leader in the next round.

Which side will you play online?

Achievements Online
All things considered, Gears of War draws an equal line between achievements in Campaign and Versus modes. Some of the achievements available in online Versus combat include:

• Always Remember Your First: This ten point achievement is given out for completing a single ranked match. You can't ask for an easier gamerscore boost.
• Don't Hate the Player: Finish a ranked match with the most points and you'll garner ten points and bragging rights.
• Special Kills: You'll find several achievements focused on racking up 100 kills using a specific weapon or attack like the Longshot, the Torque Bow, or the Curb Stomp. Each of these achievements is worth twenty points.
• Series of Tubes: This strangely named achievement refers to hosting and completing fifty ranked matches. No quitting out allowed! Twenty points will be your reward for generously sharing your bandwidth.
• Mix it Up: This twenty point achievement requires you to earn a notch in the win column for every online game-type.
• Around the World: You'll need to get out of your comfort zone and win on every map in the game in order to net this twenty point achievement
• Seriously … : The pot of gold at the end of the Gears of War achievement rainbow is this fifty point beauty. Only the rarely skilled and dedicated will rack up the 10,000 online kills in ranked matches required for this giant gamerscore boost.

The Gears of War Versus mode is focused on the same tactical gameplay that makes the campaign mode so intense and satisfying. In combination with flawless graphics, network coding smooth enough to satisfy the most jaded gamer, and the promise of downloadable content in the future, and you have a Xbox Live favorite in the making.

Article by Ryan Treit