dark-corners
Latest
Joyswag: Gears of War 2 'Dark Corners' DLC [update]
Update: This giveaway is now closed. Winners are being selected and will be notified via email. So, be sure to check your inbox.Gears of War 2 just received fresh downloadable content this week with the release of the Dark Corners expansion and we're on a mission to share the DLC love. So, that's exactly what we're doing by giving away five copies of Dark Corners -- complete with its seven new multiplayer maps and Road to Ruin deleted chapter -- to five lucky readers. Be sure to enter the giveaway and we'll be sure to randomly select the winners in time to benefit from this week's double XP event. Leave a comment telling us which of the new Dark Corners maps you're most excited for. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) Limit 1 entry per person This entry period ends at 11:00PM ET on Wednesday, July 29 At that time, we'll randomly select five winners to receive an Xbox Live redemption code for Gears of War 2 Dark Corners ($15 ARV) For a list of complete rules, click here %Gallery-51731%
Gears of War 2 celebrates new DLC with week of double XP
Listen up, COG soldiers! That new 'All Fronts' and 'Dark Corners' DLC isn't the only new development in the war against the Locust, as command has revealed that Gears of War 2 players will receive double XP all week long. This boost in our supply of experience points will be available to all fighting on the Dark Corners public playlist front, as well as in public and private horde skirmishes. You should already see a boost in your supply of XP and HQ has determined that this abundance of points should last us until August 3, so use them wisely. Now get out there and scratch some grubs!
Gears of War 2 'All Fronts' and 'Dark Corners' DLC available now
Attention, COG lovers and Locust loathers, the new Gears of War 2 DLC is now available for download on Xbox Live Marketplace. For the truly hardcore Marcus fans out there -- the ones who have already bought all the previous multiplayer maps -- you'll want to look for the Dark Corners Multiplayer Map Pack. It contains seven new multiplayer maps and the single-player level "Road to Ruin" and will set you back 1200 ($15).For those who are new to Gears of War 2 -- or those who have avoided all the DLC thus far -- you'll be better served by the All Fronts Collection, which contains every single multiplayer map released and "Road to Ruin" for 1600 ($20).For a detailed look at all the new multiplayer maps, check out our video walkthrough above. Find our take on "Road to Ruin" after the break.Add Dark Corners to your Xbox 360 download queueAdd All Fronts to your Xbox 360 download queue
Video: Gears of War 2's 'Dark Corners' maps
Epic recently hooked us up with the new Gears of War 2 maps included in the upcoming Dark Corners expansion, so we decided to put together a little video showcasing the new levels. Above you'll find footage of all seven new maps, so dive right in and enjoy. Dark Corners, along with All Fronts, will be available for download through Xbox Live on July 28 for 1,200 ($15) and 1,600 ($20), respectively.
Review: Gears of War 2 'Road to Ruin' (DLC)
Gears of War 2's "Road to Ruin" campaign add-on brings a new chapter to the story with a pair of different ways to enjoy it. You can play through Road to Ruin like the rest of Gears of War 2, shooting and mantling your way through everything in sight, or you can try something new to the Gears of War franchise ... stealth.[Editors' note: This review also features a video walkthrough. So, please, walk with us.]%Gallery-51731%
Half-price Gears of War 2 'All Fronts' accidentally released, pulled [update]
It's official! Gears of War 2 developer Epic Games has confirmed via its forums that the "All Fronts" DLC set to release on July 28 was available on Xbox Live Marketplace by accident early this morning (or: late last night, for you owl-types). According to a posting on the company's forums, "The 'All Fronts' DLC was leaked for 800 MS points last night around 1AM (US Central). When users attempted to download it, they received an error message." Interestingly, a number of folks have not only been able to download it but also play the new content. The forum member continues, writing, "Those who bought them right away are playing them RIGHT NOW -- if you attempt to download them now you will receive an error message ... those [of] you [who] received the first error before Microsoft was alerted can redownload them fine." These statements appear to be confirmed by the flood of excited responses of people playing the game, as well as by statements from Epic's Community Manager "Flak," who explains, "This was a bug or mistake. The DLC is still scheduled for release on the 28th for 1,600 Microsoft points (All Fronts) and 1,200 Microsoft points (Dark Corners)." Unsurprisingly, Epic asks forums users not to upload any video or screenshots of the accidentally released DLC -- so, ya know, you'll probably be seeing it everywhere by noon today ...Update: Microsoft has officially responded to the situation and released this statement:"Earlier this morning, the "Gears of War 2: All Fronts Collection" Game Add-on was briefly made available on Xbox Live for 800 Microsoft Points. The content has since been removed and will launch on Tuesday, July 28th worldwide as planned, together with the "Dark Corners" Game Add-on. Pricing will remain as originally intended (1600 and 1200 Microsoft Points for "All Fronts Collection" and "Dark Corners," respectively). The small, lucky group of Xbox Live members who were able to download the content during the short window it was available will be able to retain the content for the price at which it was purchased as well as keep all related Achievements. There won't be any penalties for those who purchased this content early. Think of it as a lucky treat for those with quick reflexes!"There you have it, folks! Enjoy!%Gallery-51731%[Thanks Lucas!]
Epic dishes on Gears of War 2 TU4, Dark Corners Achievements
Epic is waiting on certification for Title Update 4, the latest major update to Gears of War 2, but that didn't stop Rod Fergusson from hitting the forums and dropping some info. First of all, Public Horde matches will now have the ability to restart on a failed wave, instead of having to go all the way back to square one. Then there's the addition of experience to Horde mode (which we knew about), which Rod says will break down as follows: 50 points per completed Casual wave. 75 points per completed Normal wave. 100 points per completed Hardcore wave. 125 points per completed Insane wave. Epic is also adding Achievements for the new Dark Corners DLC and updating the game with 325 more points of delicious Gamerscore. Head past the break for the full list.
E3 2009 highlights: The Xbox roundup
E3 was brütal! If you blinked, for a split/second, you missed something. Even if you were trine to keep up, it was a blur -- staying a.wake like that, you only pushed yourself to the brink of your own dark void. That's where Joystiq comes in; to crackdown on the madness; to reach out ... with conviction -- phew! Crysis averted. We've scoured the dark corners and survived the inferno to piece together this roundup of all things Xbox at E3. Why? Just 'cause we love you. So, draw nier and shift your eyes past the break.
Hands-on: Gears of War 2 Dark Corners 'Nowhere'
This should actually be called "Hands-on: Gears of War 2 Dark Corners DLC -- One Map Only," because Epic wasn't showing off any of the single player campaign when we stopped by, and it only had two kiosks on the side of the Microsoft booth playing the Nowhere map. Even though the other maps appeared in the menu screen, they wouldn't let us select them. What are you hiding from us, Epic?So here's a tiny review of Nowhere, and a big new video featuring the "Road to Ruin" deleted chapter of the DLC, along with a peek at the seven new maps just beyond the jump. %Gallery-65567%
Epic cuts price on 'Dark Corners,' pushes 'All Fronts' to Xbox Live Marketplace
We finally know why 'All Fronts' started vanishing from online retailers. In speaking with IGN, Epic's Rod Fergusson said that the feedback from fans on the original 1600 ($20) price for 'Dark Corners' and the retail release of 'All Fronts' wasn't, well ... favorable. So, Epic decided to mix things up. Dark Corners will now be offered at a much cheaper price of 1200 ($15). As for 'All Fronts,' it's ditching its planned retail release for an exclusive Xbox Live Marketplace stay, where fans will be able to download the content for 1600 ($20) at 12:00am GMT on July 28.[Thanks, surinder!]
Next Gears of War 2 update adding experience to Horde mode
G4 recently aired a preview for the new Gears of War 2 compilation, All Fronts, that features an odd in-game pop-up around the 2:49 mark, highlighted in the image above. It shows a player earning experience during a Horde match, which all good COG soldiers know isn't normal. So, we bugged Epic about it, and the developer has confirmed with Joystiq that the next title update for the game will add experience to Horde mode.Advances to seduce Epic to put out further information about the update, including a release date, proved useless. Jeez Epic, you can be so prude sometimes![Via Stick Skills]
Gears of War 2 'All Fronts' retail compilation on July 28
Gears of War 2 has done tremendously well, with Epic announcing that the game has sold over 5 million copies. So, how does a company celebrate such a milestone? Enter the "All Fronts" compilation, a $19.99 (£14.99/€19.99 for our European brethren) retail expansion that includes all of the game's previously released DLC map packs (Flashback, Combustible, and Snowblind) plus something new. Epic will also mix in "Dark Corners," a pack that includes seven new multiplayer maps and a deleted campaign chapter called "Road to Ruin." "Road to Ruin" sees Marcus and Dom teaming up again to go into the Hollow and take down some more Locust. What's interesting is that the press release mentions two ways to play this scenario: "guns blazing or in all-new stealth mode." Curious, indeed!The retail-only package will also provide more purchasing incentive in a custom Live theme, poster, strategy guide, and an introductory video by Cliff Bleszinski. The Dark Corners content will also be available separately, directly through Xbox Live for 1600 ($20) for those of us who already own the previously released DLC (where's our discount for being loyal?). Head past the break for a summary of the new maps from the press release.%Gallery-51731%
Rumor: Gears of War 2 'Dark Corners' DLC to be revealed this week
Oil up that Lancer, Gears of War 2 fans, because we've got a juicy rumor you'll want to dig your chainsaw into. One very thorough user over at the Gears of War forum deduced via Geoff Keighley's Twitter and an alleged Asian product page (pictured) that the Gears 2 DLC train won't make its final stop at Snowblind. It appears the train will keep chugging along to its next stop, "Dark Corners," which may be announced during GDC09 this week.The above image says that 'Dark Corners' will be arriving in April some time, after Snowblind, but that's really all we have to go on right now. We'll be sure to update as soon as we have more information.
