Upcoming action extravaganza Gears of War: Judgment is making many changes to the template set down by Epic Games in 2006. Developed by Bulletstorm studio People Can Fly, it'll be faster and more character-driven, with multiplayer deathmatch for the first time.
For writers Tom Bissell and Rob Auten, what's most exciting is the possibilities opened up by something called "classifications". These are optional challenges that will pop up as you play, and the game's story and narration will adapt to include what you do. As the game is a prequel, and told in flashback from the perspective of Delta Squad member Damon Baird as he stands trial. The result is a linear game with a very flexible narrative.
"The outcome is the same; it's not a Choose Your Own Adventure," Bissell told Eurogamer. "What does change is the narration itself. You're never going to hear the same game narrated. When you pick them [classifications] the narration changes. And when you succeed at them the narration changes. And so what's cool about it is that it's going to be very hard to play through the game and hear the same narration... It's the same event from slightly different perspectives."
"I'm not entirely sure a game has been told quite in this way before," Bissell says. "Other games have done aspects of it, but we've been really committed to this aspect of the testimony and I think it really works."
Gears of War: Judgment is due next March exclusively for Xbox 360.