The Changing Faces of Gears of War

Is it just me or does anyone else notice the evolution, or inconsistency, in certain characters in the Gears series?

Firstly, I love Gears of War, so this is more of a curious observation than criticism. But the two characters that seem to be victims of changing character design, physical models or forgetful designers are, Anya Stroud, and stranded leader, Franklin.

Take Anya. Her features, when introduced in Gears 1, are radically different than in Gears 3, not so radical from 2 to 3, but different enough. Check out the pics below.

Anya makes her first appearance in Gears 1. High cheek bones, almost chubby cheeks, rounded nose, dark eyes.

Here she is in Gears 2 looking more Cameron Diaz-like - note the upturned nose and pouty lips, slightly sunken cheeks and light brown eyes.

Gears 3 Anya - her eyes look blue here as opposed to the brownish tinge. The nose is no longer upturned. Her face seems a bit longer and narrower, and the lips aren't as pouty. No high cheekbones or chubby cheeks of Gears 1. 

Suffice it to say, Stroud looks different every time. Why? I don't know. I don't get the impression anyone has ever asked. Have any preferences?

Now Franklin. Being a minor character, his pics are harder to capture or find. But in the stranded camp where Dom 'borrows' his Junker, he towers over Dom, staring down as Dom pokes him the chest, calling in a favour.

Gears 2 deleted scene Franklin, shorter and just different from his long plaits and clean shave in Gears 1 below

Gears 1 Franklin

In the deleted scene, Road to Ruin, we are surprised to meet Franklin once again, but a shorter version that hugs Dom when freed, a good 7 inches shorter than his Gears 1 incarnation. That and his features have also changed from hairdo, facial hair and dress. He just looks like a different guy.


One possible explanation for the changing faces could be the advent of a Gears movie. If casting is being done, then maybe, just maybe, Epic is modeling the characters off of the selected cast. Just maybe.

In general, however, the characters remain pretty consistently characterized throughout the series. In Gears 1, the main characters (Dom, Marcus, Cole Train and Baird) all tended to have the some kind of body and look, but in Gears 2 their features and musculature were more distinctive. Gears 3 seems to have really properly defined the physical characters, as much as their stories and personalities. 

Just something to think about.