Of course I like Halo 3 better but let me just explain why:
As far as the graphics go, gears obviously beats the crap out of Halo. Even if both games did come out at the same time Gears would still easily win, however Halo's environments are better IMO. In Halo 3 literally every single level has something different to look at while Gears 2 felt remarkably similar to the first game with the exception of the sunken city and the GIANT WORM!!! I felt that particularly in the second to last act in Gears 2, the underground areas just got boring and repetitive. Thats just my opinion, and that does not mean at all that I disliked the levels in gears, I just thought that Halos were better.
I think it's a complete joke that Gears won the best story category. I didn't even know Gears had one to begin with. And why is everyone praising the game for Dom's story with his wife Maria? It sucked.
Everytime a cutscene starts it show's Dom holding up his picture and looking sad, and then finally while he's underground he decides "hey, why don't I randomly ask this old guy if he knows maria?"
So he does and look at that! He knows Maria! What a coincedence!!!! And then Dom finds her and she dies. Boo hoo
Maybe I would have felt some emotion if I actually gave a crap about Maria, but I don't. And Dom's acting had something to be desired (not terrible though for a video game looking back) In Halo 3, Johnson's death did actually make me sad. I knew that guy for 3 entire games spanning over 6 years, so when he finally died I was sad/pissed. However I did like the idea that Dom had to shoot his wife, with Marcus walking away as the gun was shot. That was a nice effect.
The music is good in Gears but absolutely superb in Halo. I was actually really impressed this time around too by gears. In fact as soon as I turned on the game the first thing I noticed was the main theme playing in the background as I signed in. But even though it improved, I have yet to see any composer (in video games) beat Martin O'Donells insane score
If IGN got anything wrong I think it would actually have to be the gameplay. While I personally enjoy Halo's gameplay more, it makes absolutely no sense to even be comparing the two. Gears is a third person tactical shooter while Halo is a run and gun (while still being slightly tactical) first person shooter. Obviously Gears is a bit slower and almost repetitive considering the shoot - take cover - shoot - take cover style of gameplay, but thats every 3rd person shooter for you. If anything, the brilliant idea of having a chainsaw bayonet on the bottom of the lancer should have made this category a tie, but whatever. Halo must have twice the amount of weapons and countless ways of killing people such as dual weilding, sniping, vehicles, rockets, assault rifles, and the spartan lazer to name a few... as opposed to gears where most people stick to either the lancer, shotgun, or sniper. Again that's all preference and really shouldn't, hell... can't be compared. Well unless we're talking about multiplayer.
It all depends on how far into the story your looking into, you search deeper into Gears' and you'll find a nice enough one for the shooter it is, although of course lol it won't be much, Halo does have a better story
But Halo's can be overly simplified just like Gears' can also. So really it depends on how far you look into it
But for me, Halo's story is better, but both can be utterly simplified into crap or both can be over expanded.
Ugh don't exactly like the guy giving all the judging there lol. I gotta say I disagree with almost all of his stuff... I'd give graphics to Gears, sound to Gears (simply because other than the background music in Halo 3 Gears sounds better...), Story would go to Halo, gameplay to gears, feature set to Halo and Multiplayer I have no clue, simply because I don't like Halo and I like Gears but so many bugs prevent Gears from reaching the pinnacle of its ability.
__________________ I've got a Charisma of 23, max ranks and skill focus in Seduction, and I just rolled a 17. Are we doing it yet?
I love how every little Halo fanboy is picking on the Dom/Maria interaction, when they have become attached to an anonymous marine in a green space suit, who does absolutely nothing to develop any emotional attachment to him.
Master Chief is the kind of "hero" little boys would have posters of on their wall. Otherwise known as the kind of hero you grow out of. I can sympathise with Dom's situation, couldn't give a shit about Master Chief.
Gears has as much of a story as Halo, neither of them are brilliant. The only reason people are praising either is because they might have PERSONALLY got something out if it, neither is particularly complex or profound.
You being more attached to Halo's Johnson (There has been no truer wording) doesn't mean the story was better, it means you're a sap.