New Gears game mode next week

Epic Games has detailed the new Gears of War 'Annex' game mode, which will be arriving in via an Xbox Live update.

It all sounds very familiar if you're an FPS fan; the game mode involves taking control of key locations and holding them as a team to rack up points, and whichever team reaches the target point count first wins. It's all a bit like King of the Hill then, isn't it?

Each map will contain a number of control points though only one will be in contest at any given time. Once a team has exhausted the allotted 60 points from a control point another will be selected for overtaking at random somewhere else on the map.

Respawns will also be limited to 15 second waves and winning scores ranging from a fast-paced 120 or drawn-out 480 - though Epic says there are plenty of variables to tinker with.

Although we were expecting something a bit more original than a re-packaged Halo/Goldeneye/Every other FPS game mode, Annex does sound like good fun - and will at least get us playing Gears again.

It's now been pulled from the official website, but Epic says the update will be available next week on April 9. We'll keep you posted if anything changes.

April 5, 2007