Only one word can sum up this game. Yes it's brilliant, yes it's fantastic...but it's REVOLUTIONARY. This is to date, the Xbox 360's most graphically impressive game, possibly on ANY next-gen console. It drags the player into the world of Marcus Fenix ,battling his way through the Locust. And what makes this game great is the co-op play, summing up what playing together really means. Using cover behind walls and cars and blowing aliens apart with your best mate has no words to describe it...only that for a split second....you are in the game. And even better on Xbox LIVE, as the game uses the consoles full online potential to get players battling together on the game's multiplayer maps. The story could have been longer, and character development could have been looked at, but apart from those minor details, this game is SUPERB.
Plot - Gears of War focuses upon the soldiers of 'Delta Squad' as they battle to save humanity on the planet of 'Sera', against the alien force known as 'The Locust Horde'. You will take the roll of Marcus Fenix, a former soldier who is now battling to save the human race. You will be joined by several other soldiers along your journey, and when accessing co-operative mode, player 2 will take the roll of Dominic Santiago, otherwise known as 'Dom'.
Gameplay - The game heavily focuses upon the use of cover, and how important this really is when facing The Locust. Players will then be given several options of fighting. You can use blind fire (firing your weapon without exposing yourself) or taking careful aim to accurately shoot an enemy (this can result in death if exposed for too long). Another excellent feature is the use of the camera when the player is running. It lowers down towards the ground, continously following the character, once again bringing the player into the fight (this is especially noted when dramatic music is playing, bringing the fear to life).
Weapons - As many people have said since the launch of the game..."best use of a chainsaw...EVER". These words are true. When using the Lancer assault rifle (this will be the most common weapon the player will use), there is a chainsaw attached to the bottom. When the player presses the 'B' button during close-range combat, the chainsaw will activate, and it will rip through an enemy clean, killing them within seconds. However, if a player exposes themself for too long, it can result it being attacked, meaning the chainsaw method cannot be used, due to heavy fire. Other weaponds in the game are standard weapons seen in most shooters (pistol, shotgun, sniper rifle etc). However, one weapon stands out from the rest. This weapon is known as the 'Hammer of Dawn'. When available for activitaion (these moments are rare as the player MUST be in open air and the satellites above the player MUST be active), a single yellow beam fires down from the sky obliterating enemies close-by. This weapon is recommended when the player faces larger, harder to kill enemies, such as the Beserker or a Seeder.
Multiplayer - There are two modes in Gears of War, 'Co-operative' and 'Versus'. Both are very different but offer huge amounts of gaming experience. Co-operative - Allows two players to play through the game from start to finish, both attacking the Locust Horde. Gameplay is enhanced becuase single player options are refined. An example of this is when a player is faced with the choice of choosing one of two paths. This means that player 1 will go one way, player 2 another. This creates variety within Gears of War, as the two players arent always fighting side by side. Versus - A game can contain up to 8 players, battling against eachother over Xbox LIVE or through system link. The player can choose any character to be portrayed as, whether is be human or locust. The player the battles over numerous maps, gaining points whether it be for fun or in actual Gears of War rankings. More and more updates become available over Xbox LIVE, including more multiplayer maps to fight through.
Awards and scores - Gears of War has gained a reputation for becoming a FANTASTIC game, and it has been proven because of the accolades it has been given. IGN - Xbox 360 Game of the Year Score = 9.4/10 Best Graphics Technology Best Action Game (and many more) Gamespot - Game of the Year Score = 9.6/10 Best Graphics, Technical Best Multiplayer Game (and many more) 2006 Interactive Achievement Awards - Game of the Year Sound Design Animation (and many more)
There were countless of other websites and magazines who awarded Gears of War with excellent scores and awards. If my review has not persuaded you to buy this game, then hopefully the experts of gaming surely know what they're talking about. Within just ten weeks of the game's release, it sold over three million copies. Gears of War will stand above the rest for some time to come.
More details
Originality
Excellent - very original
Sound
Excellent - makes full use of my speakers
Longevity/Expected Longevity
ongoing
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“Gears of War” is the first game developed by Epic Games exclusively for Microsoft Game Studios and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. “Gears of Wa...
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