The folks over at Xbox360 Fanboy have discovered (via NeoGaf) some new tidbits about the upcoming Gears of War sequel.  Get your chainsaw gun ready, because the GoW2 has some really unique cooperative features. 

Up first is the ability for each player in co-op to be playing on their own difficulty.  Yup, that means one person could be playing on Hardcore while the other person would play on Casual.  I'm not quite sure how this would work, perhaps it's damage based,  but I believe this is a first in any kind of multiplayer game.

Of course the game is going to retain the same awesome drop in/drop out cooperative option, something that we all think should be standard in our co-op exerpience.

There's also some details on the story and weaponary.  Perhaps it's best summed up by this quote.

"We have creatures that make the Brumak look like a baby panda bear." -Cliff Bleszinski

If you don't remember, the Brumak is that giant dinosaur looking creature with Rockets on it's back that was only seen in the 360 version, while it was an actual enemy in the PC version.

More details after the jump and on Xbox360 Fanboy.

 

• "We were shown a vast underground cave level wherein Marcus and his companions will take the fight to the Locust. Unlike the sometimes cramped and and linear subterranean paths from the first game, the cavern complex is vast and breathtaking. Branching levels and open spaces give players true tactical choices as they decide which way to tackle an assault. Whatever path you choose, bio-luminescent plants light light the faces of the new Locust Kantus enemies. These monk-like devils hum low and droning chants that can be focused into sonic attacks against you. They wield weapons like the new Gorgon burst pistol and poison grenades, both of which can become part of your arsenal if you play your cards right. However, the Kantus' true danger lies in their ability to revive their fallen brethren from afar. Where before you could rest easy after taking down an enemy soldier, now there is the constant danger of them rising back up to continue to fight. The only alternative is to brave the hail of gunfire to break through enemy ranks and kill the Kantus sulking in the rear. Along the way, you may not have access to stable cover anymore, so you'll have to make do with the moving kind. Massive Locust rock worms will emerge from the cavern walls during battle, guided by the Kantus' chanting. Luckily, the creatures are so large you can hide behind them as they slither about, and you too will be able to guide them to an advantageous firing position."


• "We want to fulfill the promise - it is a war. It's more than just these four guys. The first game felt very personal, and in a lot of ways that was good," senior producer Rod Fergusson tells us. However, it's clear from our time with the team that Gears 2 will shoot for a much larger conflict. "In order to save Jacinto, they have no choice but to take the war to the Locust," Fergusson continues. "They're going to push back and go underground, and bring the battle to them."


• The team at Epic is well aware that many players out there hunger for a deeper and more involved storytelling experience. Lots of emotion this time. Joshua Ortega has been brought on, he is a novelist / comic writer. Really sounds like they are working a lot on the story. Sense of depth with the characters. A "darker and more heartfelt narrative."

I hope they add 4 player co-op, not just the standar 2 player co-op.

I don't think they are going to. Reading the article, it sounds like you'll be without the other 2 team mates for a bigger part of the game.

Weird though that he says "We want to fulfill the promise - it is a war. It's more than just these four guys." I could see how they could do an "elite" squad of Marcus and Dom (justifying just 2-player co-op), but for me to believe it's really a war I'm going to need to see tons of good guys storming in and among us as we're going along. And not just Locust fodder either, I want to see them doing things.

Guess we'll have to wait and see, but 4-player co-op would rock.

4 player co-op would indeed "Rock". I could imagine it as being a grittier RB6. Better cover control, etc...dang, now I'm salivating at the thought of something that will most likely never come to pass...

DIfferent difficultly ratings for simultaneous players is certainly very rarely seen nowadays, but it didn't begin here - the Atari VCS was doing it 30 years ago with its two a/b hardware difficulty switches for the two players.

4 player co-op would indeed "Rock". I could imagine it as being a grittier RB6. Better cover control, etc...dang, now I'm salivating at the thought of something that will most likely never come to pass...

I don't think they are going to. Reading the article, it sounds like you'll be without the other 2 team mates for a bigger part of the game.

4 player co-op would indeed "Rock". I could imagine it as being a grittier RB6. Better cover control, etc...dang, now I'm salivating at the thought of something that will most likely never come to pass...

I don't think they are going to. Reading the article, it sounds like you'll be without the other 2 team mates for a bigger part of the game.

I don't think they are going to. Reading the article, it sounds like you'll be without the other 2 team mates for a bigger part of the game.

4 player co-op would indeed "Rock". I could imagine it as being a grittier RB6. Better cover control, etc...dang, now I'm salivating at the thought of something that will most likely never come to pass...

I don't think they are going to. Reading the article, it sounds like you'll be without the other 2 team mates for a bigger part of the game.

I don't think they are going to. Reading the article, it sounds like you'll be without the other 2 team mates for a bigger part of the game.

I don't think they are going to. Reading the article, it sounds like you'll be without the other 2 team mates for a bigger part of the game.