Space Marine "Rips Off" Gears of War

[MASTACHIEFPWN]

*Begins laughing like Heavy Weapons Guy*
Games are never rip offs, they are just unoriginal.

I'm actually suprised that OXM went this low, I know they are a bunch of one sided Xbox fanbois, but still.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

I think it's pretty valid. He's not right, but he's not that wrong.

First, he never said it was ripping off Gears, he said it was a Gears clone.

How can he justify this? I'm pretty sure this is the first game that's a TPS, not a strategy game like the other ones.

If Halo integrated ADS, Killstreaks, and two hit kills, I'm pretty sure it would be considered a CoD clone.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

U mad bro?

Seriously though, the reviewer gave it a 7/10 and all his points were more than valid. Could you point me to the place where he said, literally, that its a "gears ripoff"? Maybe im missing it. Because all I can find is this:

At its simplest, Space Marine is a Gears clone with a hair-raising health system which sees you healing by performing execution kills. Given how flagrantly Relic apes the Epic juggernaut elsewhere - weapons are swapped via the same D-pad system - being unable to stick to cover feels unnatural at first, but you soon acclimatise. New cannons and a Fury mode unlock at half-hourly intervals as you progress through corridors and arenas, nabbing Servo Skulls (Warhammer's audio diary of choice) to flesh out the plot's few secrets.

Which is... Well... PERFECTLY VALID AND COMPLETELY FUCKING RIGHT.

TL;DR: Stop whining, write your own review if you disagree, dont write off a reviewer just because he doesnt like a game you do, or rather, just because he doesnt like it as much.

Fucking hell, he gave it a 7/10 for fucks sake. If you seriously think that Space Marine deserves more than that... Jesus.

You don't think that the review complaining about a controls setup isn't being even a little petty?

Not at all, controls are one of the MOST important parts of a game. The controls are how to interact with the game, and if the controls limit your interaction by being awkward then that's bad because it limits immersion.

That's not what I meant. He was saying that the game "blatantly aped" Epic by using a control scheme that works. If it works, why be upset about it? Every FPS out there today would be "blatantly aping" COD for having a control scheme that works.

 

[darksakul]

Space marines are nothing new, before Gears of War or War hammer 40k, there was Star Craft, and before that Quake and Doom. Hell some of the old Star Trek books mention "Space" marines.

Space Marines are a part of Science Fiction the way Elves, Orcs, Wizards and Swordsmen are apart of Fantasy. I don't see Wizards of the Coast calming Legend of Zelda Ripped off the Original Dungeons and Dragons.

You seem to think that Blizzard didn't rip off the story/ideas for both Warcraft and Starcraft from GW. A little history lesson, a long time ago the two companies had agreed to work together to create said games... but that didn't work out. (Who broke up with who for what reason is debatable, though Blizzard most certainly ran away with much of the Warhammer lore.)

If you ever bother to read the backstory of Warhammer and the stories of Warhammer 40k, you'll notice that Warcraft was originally a clear lore rip from Warhammer, similarly for a lot of the Starcraft story but with some things changed from Eredar to Protoss, and the such.

GW invented, for lack of a better word, the modern Space Marine persona, just as Tolkein invented the modern persona of Elves. Their ideas are taken from past creations, sure, but that doesn't change the fact that what you see in modern days is a direct copy of their work.

No, I think the above ripped off older Sci-Fi Novels dating as far back as the 1950's.

Also to those who tell me I do not know what a space marine is, I was in the Untied Sates Marine Corps. So please do not assume that I do not know what a Marine is. And yes I believe Space Marines are just Marines adapted to fight in SPACE. It is part of what real MARINES do, they ADAPT to the situation and surroundings.

 

[omegawyrm]

I'd say that any WH 40k game would almost have to be innately superior to the GoW games just because of how well realized and compelling the universe is. I mean, pretty much any thing set in the 40k universe is going to involve a thematically rich story with big ideas coming into direct conflict with each other. Usually the writers ask things like "Can faith stave off the fear of death and would the fear even be there without the faith?" or "would knowing the future destroy a man?" or "Should a superior man be obligated to help those lesser than him?". In general, that's the sort of stuff that makes great sci-fi fantasy.

What's Gears got? THE COAL TRAIN! WHOO!

 

[Inkidu]

Of course, given that the review is from Official Xbox Magazine, the bias would be apparent.
http://www.oxm.co.uk/33345/reviews/warhammer-40000-space-marine-review/

I get that people are allowed to dislike games for their own reasons, but there is a difference between that and making every comparison in your review to an exclusive title for your respective console.

Yeah, I'm bitching, but it is bullshit reviews like this that barely account for anything the game offers in favor of trashing it in comparison to your latest cash cow that is hurting the way games are judged. Space Marine is supposed to be the anti Gears of War, yet that is all OXM can be bothered to talk about.

You're right. Space Marine does ripoff Robert A. Heinlein's military science-fiction masterpiece Starship Troopers. See you on the bounce!

It can be hilarious to run that line in a Games Workshop sometimes..."Oh look they even stole the Bugs (Tyrannids) and the Skinnies (Tau/Eldar depending)" ...Its all fun and games until someone spills his Irn-bru all over "THE FIELD OF GLORY!"

Though I do admit to joining in the mass scorning of some poor child who tried to claim that his "internet research" proved that WH40k tabletop was a rip-off of GoW

It's the little variations. I mean, I kind of laughed when I first saw a Space Marine. They were almost a parody of themselves. It's not just a sword. It's a chainsaw sword. It's meant to be overblown, whereas the lancer of Gears of War always seemed to have a more utilitarian vibe.

The Space Marines are different from the CoGs, who are different than the Mobile Infantry. It's really kind of pointless to say who came first. Still, it's fun to make my Starship Troopers references.

 

[Venats]

No, I think the above ripped off older Sci-Fi Novels dating as far back as the 1950's.

I'm glad you read the last paragraph of my post. Let me quote it for you:

GW invented, for lack of a better word, the modern Space Marine persona, just as Tolkein invented the modern persona of Elves. Their ideas are taken from past creations, sure, but that doesn't change the fact that what you see in modern days is a direct copy of their work.

I didn't argue about the originality, I argued that the current persona/appearance/reality of 'big burly men who wear cars' came from and is now very similar to Space Marines from GW. Yes, it might have been based off of Space Troopers from the 1950s but that is not relevant to what I said as the idea has been refined and evolved by Games Workshop into something not quite like its predecessor if similar. My Tolkein example, where elves and most of his lore comes from old english myth but with his own imaginative additions and flare, is akin to how GW set a style that has been copied. Be it their Marines, their Orcs, or their Chaos.

 

[romanator0]

Space marines are nothing new, before Gears of War or War hammer 40k, there was Star Craft, and before that Quake and Doom. Hell some of the old Star Trek books mention "Space" marines.

Space Marines are a part of Science Fiction the way Elves, Orcs, Wizards and Swordsmen are apart of Fantasy. I don't see Wizards of the Coast calming Legend of Zelda Ripped off the Original Dungeons and Dragons.

You seem to think that Blizzard didn't rip off the story/ideas for both Warcraft and Starcraft from GW. A little history lesson, a long time ago the two companies had agreed to work together to create said games... but that didn't work out. (Who broke up with who for what reason is debatable, though Blizzard most certainly ran away with much of the Warhammer lore.)

If you ever bother to read the backstory of Warhammer and the stories of Warhammer 40k, you'll notice that Warcraft was originally a clear lore rip from Warhammer, similarly for a lot of the Starcraft story but with some things changed from Eredar to Protoss, and the such.

GW invented, for lack of a better word, the modern Space Marine persona, just as Tolkein invented the modern persona of Elves. Their ideas are taken from past creations, sure, but that doesn't change the fact that what you see in modern days is a direct copy of their work.

No, I think the above ripped off older Sci-Fi Novels dating as far back as the 1950's.

Also to those who tell me I do not know what a space marine is, I was in the Untied Sates Marine Corps. So please do not assume that I do not know what a Marine is. And yes I believe Space Marines are just Marines adapted to fight in SPACE. It is part of what real MARINES do, they ADAPT to the situation and surroundings.

So you have all of this stuff in you?
http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Creation_of_a_Space_Marine#Implants

 

[Inkidu]

I'd say that any WH 40k game would almost have to be innately superior to the GoW games just because of how well realized and compelling the universe is. I mean, pretty much any thing set in the 40k universe is going to involve a thematically rich story with big ideas coming into direct conflict with each other. Usually the writers ask things like "Can faith stave off the fear of death and would the fear even be there without the faith?" or "would knowing the future destroy a man?" or "Should a superior man be obligated to help those lesser than him?". In general, that's the sort of stuff that makes great sci-fi fantasy.

What's Gears got? THE COAL TRAIN! WHOO!

That not fair. Gears examines different. Where 40K, according to what you've said, focuses itself mainly on the organizations and factions within its universe and their beliefs. Gears of War focuses on the individual soldier. CoG was not some cutesy little turn of phrase. I often thin the hood they put on back-story and whatnot is often to get players to examine the characters they see constantly in a different light.

Sure, they all appear meat-head grunts because they are, but you kind of see little touches to their personalities. The nature of the conflict isn't so important as that there is a conflict. Dom's wife, even the fact that Cole shows the clutch of CoG tags he gathered in the second game are poignant moments.

 

[PlasmaFrog]

All platforming games ripped off of Super Mario World.[i/]

With this in mind, any form of originality or uniqueness isn't absolutely necessary in the gaming industry, especially when developers are attempting to make an audience like something.
It's absolutely foolish since nearly every game can be traced back to some original concept or characteristics that were present beforehand.

So no, unless the comparison is absolutely obvious(I.E.: Team Fortress 2 and Final Combat), the argument of originality isn't needed.

On another note: Vanquish was actually pretty good, even if boasting similar similarities shared with Gears of War. As a matter of fact, it even improved upon them. An absolutely perfect blend of face paced combat and strategic cover usage.

 

[faceless chick]

well herp a derp.
i don't know anything about this game besides some of the artwork and that it's hugely anticipated,but the title alone seems to be a huge piss take on gears of war.

actually, it sounds like a parody of the entire genre.
that or the most uncreative production team ever.

still, calling it a rip-off is like calling every shooter game a rip-off of wolfenstein.
hell, i'd say they're all a rip-off of duck hunt, since that's one of the first games i played where you pointed a gun at things and shot it.

doesn't mean the game can't be fun.
so whatever xbox magazine, it won't affect the game nor its sales very much. So bawwwww me a river.

 

[Monty McDougal]

I don't know much about war hammer, but I played the demo for Quantum theory and it this close || to being gears of war.

 

[Lunar Templar]

Some of us don't have Gears Of War here. (PS3)

So to be honest I don't really care.

this, plus, its a reviewer for an xbox mag, their opinion is invalid

if it was like game pro, or game informer or some other mag that reviews games for all consuls, id be inclined to raise a fuss.

also, for all you out there the think the lack of cover tacks away from the game

" Camouflage is the colour of fear... I have no need to hide from my foes...I have no fear of death. My colours I wear openly, they proclaim louder than any words, ' I am proud to live-I am proud to die.'"

-Commander Carab Cullin, Red Scorpions

 

[mofophill]

what i would like to say is that since the dawn of war hammer 40k space marines have been described as large human fortress of death and the gears of war game play matches those characteristics and I think that seeing a space marine do anything more then just run head on into battle ripping everything in its way to sheds would of been a disappointment . i bet that as soon as it was announced quite a while back due to the detailed moulding of the characteristics of a space marine the thoughts going though people heads who have played the model game would be this is going to be like GOW and if a game is going to use the same characteristics as another it should probably use the best I mean it would be weird to see a space marine being stealthy as they are probably the mist un stealthy soldiers there are.
when i saw the first GOW game I thought they are a lot like space marines

 

[omegawyrm]

I'd say that any WH 40k game would almost have to be innately superior to the GoW games just because of how well realized and compelling the universe is. I mean, pretty much any thing set in the 40k universe is going to involve a thematically rich story with big ideas coming into direct conflict with each other. Usually the writers ask things like "Can faith stave off the fear of death and would the fear even be there without the faith?" or "would knowing the future destroy a man?" or "Should a superior man be obligated to help those lesser than him?". In general, that's the sort of stuff that makes great sci-fi fantasy.

What's Gears got? THE COAL TRAIN! WHOO!

That not fair. Gears examines different. Where 40K, according to what you've said, focuses itself mainly on the organizations and factions within its universe and their beliefs. Gears of War focuses on the individual soldier. CoG was not some cutesy little turn of phrase. I often thin the hood they put on back-story and whatnot is often to get players to examine the characters they see constantly in a different light.

Sure, they all appear meat-head grunts because they are, but you kind of see little touches to their personalities. The nature of the conflict isn't so important as that there is a conflict. Dom's wife, even the fact that Cole shows the clutch of CoG tags he gathered in the second game are poignant moments.

You're totally right that I was being unfair, I blatantly tailored that example to favor the setting that I like more. I was mostly going for comedic effect though, so I hope you won't hold it against me too strongly.

I don't even particularly dislike GoW, it's a perfectly fine game, and the character bits you mentioned are compelling drama. My problem is that they are compelling in pretty much the same way that every other bit of military fiction about a lone team of bad-asses are. Those moments aren't really unique to Gears, but that's not really my problem with them. What I'm trying to illustrate is that those moments don't utilize the opportunities of a big sci-fi story very well.

In WH40k, the Space Marines have to fight the LITERAL manifestations of fear, death, rage, and corruption by using the LITERAL power that faith in their God-Emperor gives them. The psyker energies of the Orks channel their primitive bloodlust into the LITERAL force that runs their war machines that are really just heaps of scrap. The setting allows the metaphors to be brought to the fore, allowing the author to bypass all of the obfuscating bullshit that fiction set in the real world has to have. That's just my personal opinion of the benefits of science-fiction or fantasy settings, and I think stories set in the 40k universe can bring in all of the extended-universe ideas that allows a writer to really leverage metaphors and themes in a way the I don't think can be done in a setting like GoW.

 

[Codeman90]

I'm honestly biased towards the game because it's one of the very few games to capture the feel of the Warhammer 40k universe. The weapons, the creatures, the atmosphere, they nailed it. However, from a gameplay standpoint it isn't anything too unique. It's very different from Gears of War. I'd actually compare it more to Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden. Just instead of careful blocking and dodging you rely more on being able to clear out, or stun enemies and be just brutal enough to keep yourself alive while not getting in over your head.

Obviously ranged combat plays a part too and especially in harder difficulties when thinning the horde and picking off shoota boyz and Tankbustaz can mean the difference between life and death. I'd say Space Marine borrows elements from a lot of the 3rd person games on the market and includes the look and feel of the Warhammer 40k universe.

 

[TheMetalGuy]

I'd say they ripped off the omega symbol and fury thing from God of War. But yeah, 40k did come first.

There is also a thing called: Righteous Fury in warhammer 40k, and the game came out a long time ago.

 

[psychodynamica]

I lol'd, Gaming media, so fantastically childish and egotistical. Well does anyone actually give a crap?

 

[Soviet Heavy]

You don't think that the review complaining about a controls setup isn't being even a little petty?

Uh, No. Seems like control issues is a legit issue.

I was referring to how the review seems to take Space Marine using the D-pad to select weapons as proof that it is ripping off Gears Of War.

 

[Agarth]

I'm going to quote Total Biscuit completely right now. "If anyone openly says this game is a rip-off of Gears of War I will literally go to their house and beat them to death with the 4th edition rule book. Warhammer has inspired several things. Starcraft Marines are the most obvious. The Lancer, definitely. Warhammer 40k has been around for at least 2 decades."

How long has Gears of War been out? Not 2 decades, people. Do your research and stop crying about something that isn't true. And GoW's gameplay was based around cover based-shooting. UltraMarines don't take cover because they ARE cover. Ask Total Biscuit. (Or any other Warhammer fanboy) I will even help Total Biscuit curb stomp you if you give the same retarded, and false, argument as any other GoW fanboy would.

Did Gears of War play like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb50aAFiOpM