Gears of War was clearly designed with co-operative play in mind. Playing through the single-player campaign with a human partner added immensely to the experience, thanks in large part to well thought-out level design and the intense combat sequences that made brilliant use of them. The competitive multiplayer component on the other hand, has long felt haphazard in comparison. With only three basic variants of team-deathmatch to choose from and an ever-present host of glitches and balance issues constantly spoiling the fun, it’s a testament to the strength of the underlying gameplay model that the game continues to entertain and satisfy the Xbox Live community. In the latest game update, Epic has complemented the usual assortment of bug fixes and balance tweaks with the addition of a completely new gameplay mode called Annex, a king-of-the-hill gametype built specifically for the intimate, tactical combat mechanics that separate Gears of War from the rest of the shooter pack.
Similar to king-of-the-hill game modes found in several other shooters, Annex forces teams to fight for and maintain control of specific locations on the map. Teams earn one point for every second they hold the location for a maximum of 60 points. Every map has two to five designated points to capture and hold, all of which are based on weapon-spawn locations, since those locations had already been designed as hot-spots. Some, like the sniper-spawn in Warzone, are filled with cover, while others, like the hammer-of-dawn spawn in Fuel Depot, are potential death-traps. Kills count for few points in this gametype and have no bearing on the winner of each round. Players will obviously kill each other in the process of gaining and defending objectives, but now the departed wont have to wait until the next round for vengeance. A wave respawn brings all of the dead back into the fray every 15 seconds – just enough time for a death to have a significant impact on a team’s success.
Annex forces players to engage in large fire-fights more rapidly and more frequently than the other three gameplay modes. Whereas Warzone or Execution matches could potentially start with the members of each team splitting up and engaging in minor one-on-one or two-on-two scuffles to gradually pick off members of the opposing force before coming together en masse to finish the remaining enemies, in Annex every player on the field is focused on a single objective. As such, one-on-one encounters along the periphery are decidedly less frequent than the more epic clashes between six or eight players. Taking out a single player doesn’t have the same impact on a team’s success as it does in Warzone or Execution since they’ll be back in no time.
The initial clash between both teams to start draining an objective of points is almost always a frantic and intense affair with tons of gunfire coming from every angle. Once a team establishes dominance and the wave respawn brings the dead back into the fight, the first 30 to 45 seconds of fighting is typically characterized by waves of assaults. Depending on the skill of the players involved and the layout of the area in question, control of the area might swap back and forth several times or stay static for the entire duration.
In some cases rushing the control point with all four members of a team might be sound strategy, especially if the hot-spot is relatively open, like the grenade spawn on Gridlock. Under such circumstances skirmishes usually devolve into masses of rapid-firing shotguns and flailing chainsaws, the victors being those who arrived last to pick up the pieces. In most cases however, any team defending from an entrenched position will be able to repel a rush attack with relative ease. No, players will find far greater success by using teamwork and communication to cripple a defense, be it through flanking the position, using diversionary tactics to lure the enemy out of cover, or coordinating close-range attacks with long-distance sniping or power-weapon use. More so than any of the other gametypes in Gears of War, Annex emphasizes and rewards teamplay – those players that watch each others backs, make effective use of each team member’s strengths and communicate effectively will win the day. Of course, sometimes discretion is the better part of valor, and a team will be better served by letting the enemy keep a point for the last 10 seconds or so and use the time to regroup and prepare for the next onslaught.
Defending teams need not sit around and wait to be killed either. Once a team has gained control of a control point they’re free to exit the ring-of-influence without fear of losing their hold of it. Areas cannot be lost – only taken away – and many teams will find that leaving the small rings and positioning themselves more effectively in surrounding cover and guarding the major attack routes is an incredibly effective way of cutting an offensive charge off at the knees. Like the teams on the offensive, teams fighting from a defensive position can opt to attack from the perimeter with long-range weapons like the sniper-rifle and the lancer, or attempt to push the opposition towards each other and draw massive casualties with a well-placed grenade or boom-shot. Assigning specific tasks to each player, like cutting off specific attack routes or rushing with short-range weapons while others provide cover, and adjusting on the fly to the enemy’s actions are key to keeping a control point out of the opposition’s hands.
The action naturally ebbs and flows at a great pace as teams try to out-think each other, and adapt to the enemy’s movements in the heat of battle. An overwhelming sense of urgency builds as the round wears on and more points are accumulated – even if one team is blowing the other out of the water, members of the winning team will still yell ferociously for their teammates to rally round and prevent the enemy of gaining even one more point in their attempt to close the gap. Close matches are characterized by adrenaline and raw emotion, by headsets filled with screams of triumph and frustration as the battles go back and forth, right down to the final point. Obviously any Xbox Live experience is defined first and foremost by the people you play with, but those blessed with an online circle of friends will be hard pressed to find a better reason to pull an all-nighter.
