Gears of War vs Resistance 2: Final Round

By William Usher: 2008-09-15 11:36:06

All-righty folks, this is it. After two brutal rounds of combat, Resistance 2 has managed to stand tall over Gears of War 2. There’s a substantial gap between these two with the votes. However, this third and final round will make all the difference, as it will either give Gears 2 the one-up it needs to trump Resistance 2 in total votes, or it will prompt Insomniac’s FPS to overtake Epic’s TPS in a three round sweep. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m a bit excited over the final outcome of this versus battle.

At the end of this week be sure to check our Weekly Recap to see what the final tally is regarding the votes for both games. For now, though, let’s get back to business. In this third and final round, this is simply a measure of marketing appeal.

Round 3: Marketing Appeal

One of the most important things about this generation of gaming is how well the game can be manipulated on the market: action figures, toys and downloadable content can go a long way in making a game resonate with gamers long after the release date drops. And while Resistance 2 might have better multiplayer features and a more varied selection of weapons, who knows what the future will hold for this game (or franchise) when it comes to content support and downloadable material. As we know, the first Gears of War managed to own the original Resistance: Fall of Man with additional multiplayer maps and DLC. Yes, Resistance did receive some support via PSN, but not quite as much as Epic’s testosterone-driven shooter.

Nevertheless, it’s completely likely that Sony will offer a lot more support for their first-party shooter this time around. Expect more trophies, more multiplayer maps and more general content. Of course, Microsoft isn’t going to let Sony one-up them at any rate. So be prepared for a ton of Gears 2 DLC. And given the amount of pressure riding on Epic to deliver a triple-A title, who knows what kind of serviceable content Xbox 360 gamers could be receiving this time around.

But aside from DLC, you still have to wonder which game has the better marketing appeal that will sway you towards purchasing said game? Or which game do you think will eat up enough praise and consumer support that it will surpass the limits of mediocrity? Or which one of these might make for a better movie? Which game has more memorable enemies? Or which game has vehicles, weapons or atmospheric engagements that leaves you wanting more? Or more importantly, which game, do you think, will have a lasting flavor of amelioration with gamers?

While you ponder these questions as a factor for your voting decision below, you might want to keep another thing in mind: the original Gears of War was already marketed as the next Halo. Gears already has figurines, a possible movie in the works, and plenty of commercial success standing behind its upcoming sequel. But is it possible for Resistance 2 to carry over and trump the up-and-coming franchise by Epic? Well, only time and consumer interest will tell. I’m firmly betting that Gears of War 2 might carry this round away. But then again...the Wii has definitely owned-up the Xbox 360 and PS3, even when analysts were predicting a stronger presence from the PS3. So it could be the same thing here with Gears 2 and Resistance 2; anything can happen when consumers control the outcome. But enough jabber, let’s get the voting started!

Time to vote!

Gears of War Vs. Resistance 2: Final Round

Which game has more marketing appeal written in its bones?