Latest Impressions: Gears of War

The squeamish need not click. Our latest impressions and fresh media of Epic's hellish masterpiece.

The Xbox 360 already has Halo 3 on the horizon, but there is another key piece of software that could drive gamers to purchase the Box and forget all about the Station. In the Epic Games developed, Microsoft published Gears of War; some really dark things are coming to the surface on planet Sera. When the Locust Horde came from the ground on Emergence Day, Sera's relative peace and tranquility became something very similar to hell on Earth.

Marcus Fenix was imprisoned and sentenced to death for leaving his post during battle. Harsh, considering it was probably the right thing to do. But lucky for him and the few remaining souls on Sera, the prison is almost completely destroyed by the Locust, making an escape for this very large man a bit easier. Easy that is until Marcus is faced with the Locust Horde behind these prison walls. This first level is where you come to realize what you're in for. Something intense.

Instead of being a straightforward FPS Gears is actually a strategy shooter similar to Rainbow Six (or countless spin-offs) only streamlined for fun factor and based in a harsh horror realm. So if you intend to get through the game by blasting and running to the end you're in for a rude awakening. Taking cover and clever maneuvering are keys to your survival as well as commanding your COG squad (Coalition of Ordered Governments) via a simple command interface. You can even nurse your squad mates back to health when things are looking bleak via a "stim shot." Apparently some levels will require it.

In addition there is usually more than one path through a level creating different gameplay experiences for different choices, some of them clearly easier than others. In the prison escape level you can opt to go directly through the center and face the most amount of Locusts, or make your way through the alternate route that is less populated. The two paths meet up toward the end and you climb aboard a helicopter, but not before nearly being captured by a giant spider immerging from the ground. Action, stealth, gore, and a whole lot of gunfire are the name of the game.

The action takes place over the shoulder of our hero and can become quite intense. That's not to say that the game can't be equally slow and suspenseful, it definitely is. Gears uses Unreal Engine 3 to produce some of slickest visuals yet on Xbox 360. The shattered festering world of Sera is fully realized down to the smallest details. The eerie environments will include a forest level, a large estate, a lava area, and a whole lot more creating a varied game experience that shouldn't get old or repetitive. The realism of the enemies at close proximity will make you feel uneasy, and our hero Marcus and his squad quickly become characters you can get in the shoes of. The whole affair is very cinematic.

Multiplayer will be a large focus of the game as well, and from what we've seen is already quite addictive. By the time Emergence Day 2006 arrives here on Earth and we finally get our hands on a finished copy, we have no doubt it will be a heavily polished 360-selling shooter for the ages. Many surprises are in store, and we can't wait to blast some Locust scum back down into their deep dark holes. The goal is make a strategy shooter appealing to gamers who wouldn't normally pick one up, and from what we've seen the game succeeds in a big way.

Carl Johnson
Executive Editor, Kikizo.com