ahahahaha....well, to put it simply, that's incorrect.
First of all, tell me where you saw these demonic faces blocking your way in the GOW3 demo?....and the areas were fairly open....BB, you're really being fanboyish here
Secondly, all I remember from GOW2 are places like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6wgOnQ8VQk&feature=PlayList&p=324FC3454C3A0A08&index=17
Actually, it varies from place to place. In DMC4, I remember you had to kill some particular enemy to get the doors unsealed, even when visiting the place for a second time. Strange design choices, no? Or maybe it's just technical limitations.
The reason why these invisible barriers feel old-gen is because they're restricting your movement in an already compact area. Most of the game is spent going around through corridors....now don't tell me that isn't true, cuz it really is
Okay that is pushing it a little....it's more like your intent here is to argue why GOW isn't like *insert your fav game here*....as in, why it doesn't follow in the footsteps of DMC or Bayonetta....lol....
Oh and, the GOW series has always been praised for being the first game to properly implement grapple mini-games, so I don't know where the lack of innovation came from. Other games have failed where GOW has succeeded at keeping things fun and interesting.
The comeback wasn't as 'amazing' as you're making it sound. Sure, the different styles were interested, but they were unbalanced. Also, it didn't help that the game made you fight in claustrophobic environments, with the red ooze stuff that I've already mentioned. Pretty much old-gen stuff. In fact, I was quite shocked to see that the invisible walls were still there in DMC4....so much for next-gen lol
Dude, GOW2 is to GOW what UC2 is to the original Uncharted....lol
Juggles, combos, they're one and the same in this case. And why are you so hell-bent on combo videosanyways?....honestly, it's not our thing....us GOW fans will take superior, open-ended level design over the tiny corridor juggle/combo-fests any day. You easily seem to overlook DMC's shortcomings and highlight those of the GOW series.
Oh come on man!....they didn't even get rid of the invisible barriers, for crying out loud!!
BB, seriously, let's just end it here. To each his own.
^THIS is exactly what is wrong with the DMC series, and why its going downhill with each iteration.