Maps baby, Maps!!

[Karma Cop]

It's semi-coincedence and celebratory that my 500th post falls on the day the final DLC is released (minus the rally cry this forum will unleash for one more dance with dlc romance on the game's anniversary date, here's hoping). I never thought I'd reach 500 lifetime on this forum two months ago, but when you love Gears like a love song baby...you've got to get it out of your system somehow during the day while you can't play. So I post.

Would love to hear what Gearheads think of the 5 new arenas. I know a few lucky members of the community got the drop on us, and have talked maps already but now that the majority are waking up (maybe like me at dawn and fitting in a few private trial runs before work) what does everyone think?

I'll keep it simple since I've heard most of the breakdowns for them. *I find quite often these rankings change (drastically) after a couple weeks play, as in Anvil started as my fourth favorite from the Fenix Rising DLC and has ascended to my first. Rustlung also ascended where as Academy and Bullet Marsh descended. Still how can one complain, we now have 25 maps to keep the rotation fresh for all modes.

1) Artillery - I can't put my finger on it, map love at first sight. I want to have Artillery babies.

2) Cove - Had bets on digging Cove and there's something about it I really do. Great atmosphere and environmental effects. Love the stranded mini-bar.

3) Raven Down - It's everything I heard it would be, (compliment?). Seems like a testing coliseum, okay fine...I'm a rifle master so I don't expect to keep my scalp when trading shells with Gears who sleep with a gnasher replica under their pillow.

4) Aftermath - Large (not Sandbar large, who said that?!), something for the rifle lovers. Score.

5) Jacinto - Liked them all, but my only previous Gears experience was #2 offline and played this map to tears so it sits here by default of being boring (just like the Mechanic LE, is there really something different...I've been using him for 7 months and forgot I'd even tagged in a new skin, actually thought to myself "maybe it's the lighting?" okay I'll pipe up)

[Last Veteran]

raven down
hands down...

[BRADEN OWNZ]

I love all of them.


They all play fantastically.

[BRADEN OWNZ]

Double post.

[ValeraPitiesDaFool]

Your title is incorrect. It goes: Maps,Maps.baby!

I haven't played on any of the new maps yet so I wouldn't know. :P

[Karma Cop]

Your title is incorrect. It goes: Maps,Maps.baby!

I haven't played on any of the new maps yet so I wouldn't know. :P

Ha, I was kind of playing off the Movie Swingers (You're Money baby, Money!)...I think you're playing off Vanilla Ice. Come to think of it...that would probably have been the wiser title, especially with an Ivory Skin released this DLC a Vanilla Ice reference would have been appropriate. You win this one V.T.P.

[ValeraPitiesDaFool]

Ha, I was kind of playing off the Movie Swingers (You're Money baby, Money!)...I think you're playing off Vanilla Ice. Come to think of it...that would probably have been the wiser title, especially with an Ivory Skin released this DLC a Vanilla Ice reference would have been appropriate. You win this one V.T.P.

Alica Valera:"Yes!"
Yay hahahaha :P

[Autumns Grief]

I dont know why but Cove reminds me a bit of Process...

[Anders Fearer]

Raven Down. I really missed it from Gears of War, and I love the snow. I've been craving a snowy map for a good while.

[Karma Cop]

I dont know why but Cove reminds me a bit of Process...

What's the name of the bar in Cove that plays music? That was a nice touch. I was just saying I might be spending more time there these days after those brutal MP games, which is happening more and more often then I'm comfortable with (anyone experience an odd gradual regression to their game without explanation? Maybe the sensitivity settings I played with when they unlocked some a few weeks ago).

[Maaaaaz]

Gotta be Raven Down.

[Gnasher4Life]

Im at school but i know im going to love raven down.

Can't wait for some guardian!

[XxXMateosXxX]

Raven Down. I really missed it from Gears of War, and I love the snow. I've been craving a snowy map for a good while.

Is not snow, they are ashes.

[He Bridish]

Aftermath. I love how there is a zone for different types of combat, like sniping/rifling, then some CQC at the edges of the map. Beautiful map too.

Cove-Don't like it from my experiences. Sick of the constant use of right hand advantage on this level... Can't see very well and I don't like maps that are only CQC.

Artillery-I like it, but it seems whenever I start Hammerbursting someone or getting into a shotgun battle I get killed from behind. Seems like there are so many directions the enemy can come from.

Jacinto-Fair, but I don't like the changes. I hate how they got rid of the 1 way cover areas by the nades and mortar. I don't mind the other route to the Boomshot/HoD but the route to the mortar feels like too much for me. Also feels like it's small like as if they didn't scale it to the fact that you can move faster in Gears 3.

Raven Down-Despise it. Too small for me. I was playing QM Guardian on it earlier and they just ran to our spawn instantly. Too much use of right hand advantage for me I didn't get into many shotgun battles.

[Urdnot Rhinok]

Is not snow, they are ashes.

umm, it wouldn't be a force of nature (unless there was a forest fire somewhere), and the snow flurry gets stronger at certain points. And the fact Epic said it was snow....

anyway, Artillery for me for the best weather effects throughout.

[TJ_MkII]

I'm voting for Aftermath due to the sheer size of it. It's a LOT better than I expected.

These maps definitely have a more gearsy feel to them than anything released so far. Each one seems to take elements from previous maps. Coves colour scheme is very Tyro Station / Fuel Depot cross, I like it a lot.