Gears Of War has no story

[Nick Tyndall]

Just completed the game today, and though it was good I was left with a feeling of emptiness and no idea what the game was about. In other words this game is not really story driven and the ending seemed poorly done and random

[smashbulb]

The game has a VERY rich story.

The only problem is they didn't put it in the game. It was all implied, which is probably the one thing epic screwed up on.

[CAWeissen]

Well, do you even know what GoW is about? If you've read at all about what GoW is all about, then you would feel that the game did make sense. Although I agree that the transition from Act IV to Act V was not entirely clear, it was understandable. No part of this game was "poorly done" because I as well as many other people think that this game is fantastic.

[smashbulb]

If you've read at all about what GoW is all about, then you would feel that the game did make sense.

EXACTLY!

We here on the Gears of War forums are the kind of people who read into this stuff and analyze every little part of the game. The average person who gets this game because it looks good, and who doesn't research the backstory, will most likely have no idea what was going on. I guarantee half the people who have the game still think it's set on earth.

Not everybody is a GoW fanboy, and not everyone read up on the backstory. That's the biggest problem this game has, very few people know what's going on. I mean, the least they could have done was have an opening cinematic.

[Jechtshot78]

You shouldnt have to read an outside source to find out what a game is about, ever. The story, or lack there of was p-orrly implimented into this game

[Olav]

The story in Gears of War is like an non documented open source project. You have no idea what is going on.

[Blankman]

The game has a VERY rich story.

The only problem is they didn't put it in the game. It was all implied, which is probably the one thing epic screwed up on.

Exactly! I believe it was you, Smashbulb, that suggested that the COG tags should have unlocked the backstory (ala Condemned: Criminal Intentions). Epic did release several viral media trailers both from the COG and Locust perspective, respectively. Although the Destroyed Beauty book only came with the CE, there is a detailed story behind this game. Remember, this first Gears game was just chronicling three days of Delta squad. We already know that there is a trilogy that's already been planned, and Mark has already asked/stated why should that stop at only three games? Good times, indeed!

[JediPilot]

Just completed the game today, and though it was good I was left with a feeling of emptiness and no idea what the game was about. In other words this game is not really story driven and the ending seemed poorly done and random

I agree with you. I'm one of those people who didn't really do any backstory reading. I mean I knew about the game, and all its features and was excited as hell about it but I didn't want any part of the "epic" story spoiled.

So when I beat the game I ask myself:

1 -"Why was Marcus's trial a 'sham'?"
2 -"Why did we have to go to Marcus's father's secret lab to get tunnel data?"
3 -"What was the LightMass bomb doing on a train that we just happened to arrive at?"
4 -"I thought Janico City (or whatever its called) was supposed to have a solid foundation that the Locust could not get through from underground?"
5 -"If the flying Locust things (forget name, its on the tip of my tongue, not Wretches) eat other locust that are in the dark, how do any of the Locust survive in dark, underground tunnels?"
6 -"Where's the rest of Humanity? Why not just leaev the planet and nuke it from space? Where's all our starships and fleets? Where's our military if the Locust's home planet is obviously Serra and they are just some subterrainian pests?"

I haven't played through the story more than once yet, but I know there's more question's I have forgotten

[Tedakin]

I agree. Gears has this deep story, but you only saw the surface of it. I think they did this on purpose. They wanted the player to kinda be in the dark like the characters in the game.

[JediPilot]

I agree. Gears has this deep story, but you only saw the surface of it. I think they did this on purpose. They wanted the player to kinda be in the dark like the characters in the game.

I never got the impression they were in the dark about anything. When on our way to the Fenix estate, you'd think Marcus would be all like "WTF ARE WE GIONG TO MY FATHER'S HOUSE FOR?!?" But he never says a word. They NEVER commented on anything. They just went along with everything that happened. Never once did I hear any one of them question the current events

[IARI BloodShot]

5 -"If the flying Locust things (forget name, its on the tip of my tongue, not Wretches) eat other locust that are in the dark, how do any of the Locust survive in dark, underground tunnels?"

They sleep during the daytime and come up to the surface at night. They don't do anything underground but shleep.

[RawrInATor]

Yeah...
I guess a horde of Locusts invading and dominating the human race and a small squad is left to obliterate the enemy and save the world of Sera is just a bunch of jibberish.
Yup thats it.

[JediPilot]

They sleep during the daytime and come up to the surface at night. They don't do anything underground but shleep.

If that was mentioned in the game, I must have missed it.

I was under the impression that since light killed them, then that's why they were underground all the time. They came out at night becasue taht's where the food was and because they wouldn't burn. Then again, why would they need to be awake underground if there's no food. THEN AGAIN how did they survive for years and years in teh first place without surfacing, unless they are only comming up becaseu they depleted their food source (whatever it was) underground.

[zsec]

The game has a VERY rich story.

The only problem is they didn't put it in the game. It was all implied, which is probably the one thing epic screwed up on.

pretty much

[smashbulb]

I believe it was you, Smashbulb, that suggested that the COG tags should have unlocked the backstory (ala Condemned: Criminal Intentions).

Someone said my name... I'm Popular!!!

Anyway, no, that was not me.
and it's condemned: criminal origins, not intentions.

[Blankman]

Someone said my name... I'm Popular!!!

Anyway, no, that was not me.
and it's condemned: criminal origins, not intentions.

Ah, I stand corrected! Regardless, of who suggested that the COG tags should have unlocked the backstory like Condemned; it was a fantastic suggestion.

[Jymtarr]

Yes there may be a rich story, no, it was not implemented in a way that someone who is having their first experience with the game would have a clue what's going on. If it was a movie it would have been a failure with the current storyline...but who cares....it was fun, and the MP rocks. Two Bad dudes for NES had the right idea when it comes to stories "The President's daughet has been kidnapped by Ninjas." That's all I need to know. Let's kill some freakin ninjas. They could have just said at the title screen "These Monsters are tearing crap up, people are pissed." and that woulda been enough for me. I've got a gun, there are monsters, Dickens couldn't weave a better tale.

[Grey19]

But that right there is the problem. Gamers who are too lazy (or too...... "mentally challenged") to learn the story, simply purchase and play the game to get into the blood and gore, and want any intelligent material watered down until it's palatable. Like in the form of more gaming, and less cutscene/dialogue/story.
If you want to play the game, and appreciate it for what it is, research the darn thing until you know what's going on, for crying out loud!

[Jymtarr]

But that right there is the problem. Gamers who are too lazy (or too...... "mentally challenged") to learn the story, simply purchase and play the game to get into the blood and gore, and want any intelligent material watered down until it's palatable. Like in the form of more gaming, and less cutscene/dialogue/story.
If you want to play the game, and appreciate it for what it is, research the darn thing until you know what's going on, for crying out loud!

Please, Gears of War is a re-hased tired cliche of a story, there's nothing ground breaking here. Evil creatures attacka human-like race and their only defense is to destory their home planet?!?!! Somebody call Spielberg we've got a masterpiece on our hands, serioulsy orginal ideas coming through here.

GoW is a great game for many reasons, the story is not one of them at this point. Maybe they'll hash the story out more fully in later sequels but for now...meh. And saying "u should read teh other stuff on the intranets and then u will get it" No. that's lame. I don't go watcha movie and then at the end they say "Also pick up the pamphlet on your way out so you know what the hell you just saw." The game is a work unto itself, and it should encase all aspects of the story that the developers want to present.

[JediPilot]

But that right there is the problem. Gamers who are too lazy (or too...... "mentally challenged") to learn the story, simply purchase and play the game to get into the blood and gore, and want any intelligent material watered down until it's palatable. Like in the form of more gaming, and less cutscene/dialogue/story.
If you want to play the game, and appreciate it for what it is, research the darn thing until you know what's going on, for crying out loud!

I logged in, just to say how retarded this guy's post is.

[SniperGear=Hops]

u know what would be awsome lets say u run across some japanese gears, or german gears or lol even rusian conscripted gears. and like they help u on ur misisons. but u can't revive them. that is probably my coolest idea yet

[Jymtarr]

u know what would be awsome lets say u run across some japanese gears, or german gears or lol even rusian conscripted gears. and like they help u on ur misisons. but u can't revive them. that is probably my coolest idea yet

reported. Some other guy just had this exact same idea in the characters and story forum and you stole it from him, that's plaguirism.

[gex80]

I agree with you. I'm one of those people who didn't really do any backstory reading. I mean I knew about the game, and all its features and was excited as hell about it but I didn't want any part of the "epic" story spoiled.

So when I beat the game I ask myself:

1 -"Why was Marcus's trial a 'sham'?"
2 -"Why did we have to go to Marcus's father's secret lab to get tunnel data?"
3 -"What was the LightMass bomb doing on a train that we just happened to arrive at?"
4 -"I thought Janico City (or whatever its called) was supposed to have a solid foundation that the Locust could not get through from underground?"
5 -"If the flying Locust things (forget name, its on the tip of my tongue, not Wretches) eat other locust that are in the dark, how do any of the Locust survive in dark, underground tunnels?"
6 -"Where's the rest of Humanity? Why not just leaev the planet and nuke it from space? Where's all our starships and fleets? Where's our military if the Locust's home planet is obviously Serra and they are just some subterrainian pests?"

I haven't played through the story more than once yet, but I know there's more question's I have forgotten

1. he went to save his father from the locust and was charged with defying orders
2. dont know that one
3. i think what happened was that we sent out a train and being that the locust speak english, they probably found some plans or over heard a conversation and took over the train, thus explaining why we had to fight our way through the train.
4. it is, no one said it was taken over, the place you saw was aspho i think its called
5. kryll, my theory is that since immulsion is a glowing substance and you dont encounter any kryll under ground, the kryll stay in the dark while the the other roam freely, or they probably react to things that makes the feel threatened, like if the locust are walking by no doing anything they will leave them alone but if they are shooting a gun then they attack.
   
6. (the thing that ironic about the second idea was steve irwin, sting rays dont attack unless they feel threated and the kryll does sorta look like ssting rays, and according to the pictures i saw steve was sorta following the sting ray pretty closely leaving me to believe he made it feel uncomfortable)
   
7. jancinto or how ever you spell it. sera is a mirror of earth when it comes to tech except that they arent as advanced in space travel as us. the only thing they have out there is the satellite defense grid i believe cliffy or rod said this. this isnt halo.again this isnt halo. well the locust wiped out i think it was a 1/4 of the human population in one day so span that over 14 years, and then you will get teh picture. also the remaining military fell back to jancinto and fortified the city. prior to eday the COGs(colilition of organized governments) which was once a philosophical idea of combined governments made of fanatic socialists became a political party. after eday COG leaders were the only one who decided to take charge when no one else would.
   
   in a nut shell most of everyone was killed, an unpopular policital decided to take charge with the small armed forces they had made, and attacked the locust

[SniperGear=Hops]

Jymtaar i think i am that person lol. i stole it from myself then is what ur saying. i made another threasd to see what people thought about my cool idea

[gex80]

Please, Gears of War is a re-hased tired cliche of a story, there's nothing ground breaking here. Evil creatures attacka human-like race and their only defense is to destory their home planet?!?!! Somebody call Spielberg we've got a masterpiece on our hands, serioulsy orginal ideas coming through here.

GoW is a great game for many reasons, the story is not one of them at this point. Maybe they'll hash the story out more fully in later sequels but for now...meh. And saying "u should read teh other stuff on the intranets and then u will get it" No. that's lame. I don't go watcha movie and then at the end they say "Also pick up the pamphlet on your way out so you know what the hell you just saw." The game is a work unto itself, and it should encase all aspects of the story that the developers want to present.

ummm i dunno about you but they didnt try to destroy their home planet. if they did they would be dead. they are using a tatic called schorced earth which was used in the civil war i think and what happens is the enemy comes in takes what they want and burns everything so it cant be used any time soon but in the future it can be. thats sorta what they did.

neways gears is probably more original then some of the games coming out today. call of duty any one? besides how many movies are there where humanoid monsters come out of the ground and attack the human race to almost near extenticion? i can only think of one and it was that movie that took place in britian and some miners or something found a race of dragons that were hard as nuts to kill. and im not sure if attack of the mole men is a real movie

[0v3rd0$3]

yeah the made an assumption that you were one of the hardcore fans that knew everything from the beginning like alot of us older guys on the forums.the people who just bought it really got the shaft,though.

[Jymtarr]

ummm i dunno about you but they didnt try to destroy their home planet. if they did they would be dead. they are using a tatic called schorced earth which was used in the civil war i think and what happens is the enemy comes in takes what they want and burns everything so it cant be used any time soon but in the future it can be. thats sorta what they did.

neways gears is probably more original then some of the games coming out today. call of duty any one? besides how many movies are there where humanoid monsters come out of the ground and attack the human race to almost near extenticion? i can only think of one and it was that movie that took place in britian and some miners or something found a race of dragons that were hard as nuts to kill. and im not sure if attack of the mole men is a real movie

What do you mean "I don't know about you but they didn't try to destroy their home planet." are you implaying that I destroyed Sera? I'm take offense to that. Attack of the MOle men is a very serious, and very real film about the persecution of mole people btw. (Mole men is an offensive term to Mole people)

Didn't the COGs destroy their own planet to stop the locusts? Seriously, it's a standard sci-fi plt, everything about gears of War doesn't have to be THE BEST THING EVAR!!!! the gameplay, visuals, and sheer fun factor are through the roof, they can get away with a bare bones story.

[gex80]

What do you mean "I don't know about you but they didn't try to destroy their home planet." are you implaying that I destroyed Sera? I'm take offense to that. Attack of the MOle men is a very serious, and very real film about the persecution of mole people btw. (Mole men is an offensive term to Mole people)

Didn't the COGs destroy their own planet to stop the locusts? Seriously, it's a standard sci-fi plt, everything about gears of War doesn't have to be THE BEST THING EVAR!!!! the gameplay, visuals, and sheer fun factor are through the roof, they can get away with a bare bones story.

what are u talking about in that first paragraph? was that a chance at being funny becuase i didn't catch it.

no they didnt when you destroy a planet, it cant be used no more. im pretty sure they can use the planet again. like i said not many games or movies used this plot that i can think of

[Valerus]

The story in Gears of War is like an non documented open source project. You have no idea what is going on.

haha nice analogy

I had to play through it again to get a good feel for it

[ALIAS]

they are marinies! so they dont ask ,why or how, because its just all about the game!
hell i dont know! was there a story, all i did was looking at the nice pictures

4: read the booklet, they maybe had a drill.?
5: the didnt eat general raam, and he was covered in flies

I personally think the skipped a part or hurried along the way act1-4 is
really good and the suddenly the pace goes up to quick..

[IARI BloodShot]

They didn't eat him because he had insect repellent that's why they kept circling around him and when you shoot a torque bow or grenade at him they scatter because they're regrouping for the kill because the fire destroyed the purpose of the repellent but it was only for a second. THUS resulting in him not dying from the flying things.

[Madfish]

*SPOILERS *

The IP, the artistic direction and the BACK story are excellent. We're kind of used to game story being delivered to us through cut scenes or otherwise set pieces - alot of the Gears stuff is put over in game; and it's often missed as the dialogue feels disembodied in my opinion (great lip sync... except you never get to see it). The Y key should have let us look in at the person talking, unless in combat or something else of note going on.

I get the impression that they didn't get anyone in to check the dialogue / end product over who a) didn't know the story already and b) had the balls to say "Um, actually I don't know WTF is going on!". If you wrote or were involved with the story, its going to make perfect sense.

Act IV to Act V transition is a perfect example. Why are we getting on a train? And then when you get the orders from Anya you're; "WHAT BOMB?" Me and my buddies felt like we'd missed a cut scene or something. It was only once we got to the end of the train we realised "Ohhhh, THAT bomb".

I think the following games are going to be really exciting - this game essentially was just introducing you to Delta Squad and setting the backdrop of Marcus as the self sacrificial geezer he is (the train at the end - he didnt appear too fussed about going down with it).

[Jymtarr]

what are u talking about in that first paragraph? was that a chance at being funny becuase i didn't catch it.

no they didnt when you destroy a planet, it cant be used no more. im pretty sure they can use the planet again. like i said not many games or movies used this plot that i can think of

I mean. they can use it, but it sucks. Blowing up the surface of the planet to stop the invader's has ben used in Independence Day, and a host of crappy B sci fi movies. I'm sure I could think of more, seriously..I lvoe GoW but not for it's story, there are much better places to find an interesting story than in a video game.

About the first paragraph....I had a feeling you might not catch it. Such is life.

[UsefulIdiot]

The game has a VERY rich story.

The only problem is they didn't put it in the game. It was all implied, which is probably the one thing epic screwed up on.

That's exactly what epic missed.

[UsefulIdiot]

They didn't eat him because he had insect repellent that's why they kept circling around him and when you shoot a torque bow or grenade at him they scatter because they're regrouping for the kill because the fire destroyed the purpose of the repellent but it was only for a second. THUS resulting in him not dying from the flying things.

ROFL! Insect repellent!!! Why didn't Marcus and Dom think of that?

[SuspectMisconduct]

They just went along with everything that happened. Never once did I hear any one of them question the current events

a soldier's job is to 'do or die'. not to 'question why'.

[Grey19]

I logged in, just to say how retarded this guy's post is.

You might point out your reasons for saying that, in the interests of civilized conversation.

[TNT]

The world of the game and the characters have very rich stories, but the game itself has NONE. They really can't expect everyone who wants to know whats going on to go and read it somewhere else. PUT THE STORY IN THE GAME EPIC!