Game Review: Gears of War

This game is just so good, I had to give it it's own post.

Gears of War is one of those games that had so much hype around it that people not familiar with games or remotely interested in the Xbox 360 know about. This is usually a deathbell for a game, as too much hype can be a bad thing. But in the case of Gears of War, it lives up to it, for the most part.

Let's start with the good. First up, Graphics. Exceptional. Quite possibly the best graphics I've seen on a home video game console to date. Some of the in-game cinematics looked almost like movie quality CGI. The shadows, the lighting, the way the blood splatters, is extremely impressive. All with a steady framerate to boot.

Sound and music is also exceptional. When you rev up the chainsaw and slice someone in half, you can actually feel it through the sound. The developers made the smart choice to employ an exceptional orchestral score, again adding to the feel of a big budget Hollywood blockbuster-type production.

All these things add up to create a campaign mode that is atmospheric, action-packed, and most important of all, fun! The campaign can be played in single-player or cooperatively with another player, which can be done online and offline. Cooperatively is definitely the way to go. This game is meant to be played with others working together as a team. In single-player, your A.I. teammates just don't cut it as they seem to die way too much, and when you try to go and save them, that's when you end up getting killed.

The real meat of this game's replay value is its online multiplayer where you team up with up to 3 others in 4 vs. 4 matches. While I love those 20 and 30+ multiplayer deathmatches, there was just too much chaos, which I guess is also part of the appeal. But in Gears, they chose to go with a lean and mean multiplayer by going 4 on 4, a number which is actually perfect for this type of game. To succeed in multiplayer, you must work well as a time. It's all about communication, taking cover, suppressing fire and flanking. There is no bigger satisfaction than sneaking up behind an unsuspecting victim and chainsawing them into 2 bloody pieces. A close second would be calling a satellite strike down on your opponent. And of course, there's always the smile-inducing headshot with the sniper rifle.

Now for the bad, about the only thing I can fault this game on its short length and anticlimactic ending that no doubt sets up a sequel. While it was short, I liked that the campaign had action at every turn. There was no filler, no library levels, no boring dungeon-crawling-random-battle power leveling. It's short, but it is so sweet you'll get a cavity. (Yep, I love my lame cliches.)

This game earns its M rating, and rather peculiarly warns like most games today that "Your game experience may change during online play." Now this is a warning they usually apply to E or T rated games because of certain people who could possibly swear during online play, something game companies have no control over. However, Gears is already an M rated game, so will the online play change into an E-rated game?

It may have taken a year, but the Xbox 360 finally has its killer app. For those who have an Xbox 360, you've already got this. For all others, it's time to get one.