Before getting started, this has to be said. Gears of War is gorgeous. The game is visually stimulating. Special detail is paid to almost every aspect of the game. The attention to detail is mind numbing. From the movement of your soldier’s mouths to blood splatters on the screen, you can be assured that nothing has been overlooked. You can spend hours just staring the carnal graphics in awe. Of all the 360 titles, this has to be the most visually stunning game the system has ever see which shows the true potential of the 360 game console.

The story is pretty linear, standard, but captivating. You play as ex-convict, Marcus Fenix. Reinstated into the military Delta squad, you are needed to conduct a mission that could possibly end the war between the humans and the Locusts. The controls of the game is solid and easy to get used to. The simplicity of your controls allow you to focus more on swarming locates. Everything is done with the A button. The duck and cover aspect of the game are easy to manipulate. Camera controls along with the AI of your squad, is ideal.

This goes beyond your basic run an gun tactics. To stay alive you have to actively interact with your environment to avoid death. Tediousness is not a feature of the various stages you go through. In the Darkness stage you’ll have to avoid the shadows or risk the wrath of an onslaught of merciless flying Locusts. These are the kinds of stages that keep first person shooters from getting too monotonous.

Realistically, things won’t always go your way. Your gun will jam if you attempt to load too fast, which can become irritating, time consuming, and dangerous. If your buddies get shot too many times you’ll have to go and pick them up. There is always something going on. A simple turn of the camera or movement to a new area will alert you to new plot developments without having to watch a load screen first. It’s a cinematic feel and it’s all in real time that only adds to the endless anticipation.

Characters are entertaining with their own unique personality. You never have to worry about cheesy lines and over enthusiastic voice actors attempting to imitate Steven Seagal. The verbal foreplay between the catchers is amusing, although sometimes your team members can be a little too chatty.

Like any other 360 game, Gears of War does have online capability and co-op mode. Because of the nature of the game, cooperation is critical. Saddle up with a bad partner and you’ll experience many failed objectives. Compared to other online first shooters, like Halo, Gears of War falls into the standard category.

JIVE Magazine Rating: Five out of Five

Fact Sheet

Product Overview: “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 War” thrusts gamers into a deep and harrowing story of humankind’s epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet. In this third-person tactical action/horror game, players live and breathe the role of Marcus Fenix. A disgraced former war hero, Marcus seeks personal redemption as he leads his fire team against an onslaught of merciless warrior fiends. Gamers immerse themselves in an experience so intensely emotional and gut-wrenching that playing will be like controlling a blockbuster action movie. “Gears of War” utilizes the breathtaking new Unreal Engine 3 to create cinematic, high-definition visuals for a gaming experience that truly ushers in the next generation. Gamers will experience beautifully rendered interactive environments and characters so lifelike they appear to be made of flesh and bone. The next-generation visuals create a world in which the tiniest detail is vivid in the largest battle. “Gears of War” unites next-generation technology with classic, emotional storytelling and a revolutionary tactical combat system, engrossing the gamer in a horrifying epic story of war and survival.

Features:

Engaging and disturbing cinematic story. Massively scoped worlds, memorable characters and an epic story line play out like an intense and unsettling blockbuster action film. Dramatic in-game camera work and a compelling story bring the brutal, emotionally charged experience to life. Gamers control Marcus Fenix and his fire team as they pit advanced human technology against the overwhelming and horrific Locust Horde.

Fire team co-op action. All game modes, levels and scenarios are designed for cooperative fire team play (AI or human). For the first time, AI teammates are indiscernible from human players. They move intelligently, take orders effectively, and seek cover and defend themselves when necessary. Gamers will experience richer cooperative gameplay than ever, through unique characters that require cooperation to survive.

Unprecedented visuals in next-generation gaming. “Gears of War” ushers in the next generation with unprecedented visuals. The Unreal Engine 3 technology pushes high-definition visual designs and brings out the smallest details in the largest battle. Gamers will experience a rich dynamic world with an unprecedented level of detail. Characters come to life with unbelievable model quality and a physics-integrated animation system that has them truly reacting intelligently to events as they unfold around them.

Hyper-realistic and intense combat. In “Gears of War” the battlefield is a lethal place — to foolishly stand out in the open is to die. To survive, gamers can create and take cover using interactive and dynamic environments, suppress the enemy with blindfire, and use their weapons and teammates to outwit and outfight their terrifying enemies.

Next-generation Xbox Live action. “Gears of War” will embody the next-generation Microsoft® Xbox Live™ experience and extend it even further. Gamers will be able to experience individualized matchmaking, view player statistics, earn player achievements, customize their games, and build and personalize their gamer profiles. http://www.epicgames.com

Release Informatin From the Publisher:

"Gears of War" Is Set To Emerge

Xbox 360 exclusive "Gears of War" poised to light up Xbox Live leaderboards and online battlefields

November 16th, 2006 — Hailed as the most-anticipated video game launch of 2006 and punctuated by incredible demand from gamers, ‘Gears of War’ hits European retail outlets from Friday 17th November. Microsoft Corp. forecasts that ‘Gears of War,’ an exclusive title for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, is expected to sell more than 1 million copies worldwide this Christmas, setting a new mark for the fastest-selling original game for Xbox 360™. Starting from tomorrow, gamers can run for cover and crush the enemy on their own, or take the season’s hottest action title online via Xbox Live®, the world’s largest online gaming and entertainment network, which boasts 4 million members.

‘Gears of War,’ developed by Epic Games Inc. and published by Microsoft Game Studios, made its debut to great fanfare at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in 2005 and has captured the imagination of industry watchers and fans ever since. The intense, genre-defining game thrusts players into humankind’s epic battle for survival against a nightmarish race of creatures known as the Locust Horde. With its combination of cinematic, visceral gameplay, dramatic storytelling and intense action, and with single-player and multiplayer online play via Xbox Live, ‘Gears of War’ is a seminal title for Xbox 360, providing one of the best next-generation interactive entertainment experiences.

“‘Gears of War’ is a title we know will deliver on all of its promise, and we expect the game to reach 1 million copies faster than any new titles for Xbox,” said Chris Lewis, Regional VP Entertainment & Devices Division (E&D) EMEA. “This Christmas is an extremely important one for the entire industry, and Xbox 360 will offer the world unparalleled experiences available only on this console. We’ve put an enormous emphasis on bringing new and exciting titles to market, and ‘Gears of War’ is a key example of Microsoft’s commitment to developing original and immersive titles for gamers everywhere.”

‘Gears of War’ has received several highly coveted awards, including the Game Critics Awards’ Best Console Game and Best Action Game of E3 2006, and has already garnered praise in early reviews, earning a 9 out of 10 score from Official Xbox Magazine in the UK.

“The reception that ‘Gears of War’ has received has been tremendous,” said Cliff Bleszinski, lead designer for ‘Gears of War’ at Epic Games. “Designing ‘Gears of War’ has been a labour of love, and we’ve poured everything we have into the title. We expect this game to be huge, and it’s exhilarating to see that people are as excited about ‘Gears of War’ as we are.”

‘Gears of War’ from Epic Games and Microsoft Game Studios is a third-person tactical action/horror game available exclusively on Xbox 360. Available from Friday 17th November for an estimated retail price of £49.99 for a special Limited Collector’s Edition, which will include a collectible embossed metal box, the ‘Destroyed Beauty’ hardbound art book, and a bonus DVD that features the making of ‘Gears of War,’ the ‘Art of Gears of War’ trailer, and the MTV programme ‘Gears of War: The Race to E3.’

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Emergence Day Imminent as New Gears of War Site Launches

With the threat of Emergence Day on the horizon, Microsoft Game Studios released a new “Gears of War” site that allows gamers inside the mind of its lead character, Marcus Fenix. The site, which can be found at http://www.gearsofwar.com/, immerses gamers through a series of disturbing flashback videos that foretell various aspects of the game’s storyline and highlight the uniquely destroyed beauty of the games environment.

Visitors to the site can also pre-order “Gears of War,” visit the community forums, share the site with a friend, or register to join the Xbox community for exclusive updates.

“Gears of War” thrusts gamers into humankind’s epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet. Blending the best of tactical action games with the best of survival horror titles, “Gears of War” features cinematic, beautifully rendered interactive environments with high-definition visuals. “Gears of War” will launch on 12th November 2006 in Europe.