Gears of War Grind in November

And what do you know, that's when the PlayStation 3 is coming. What a coincidence.

Halo 3 may still be a way off, but at least Xbox 360 owners on the lookout for the next big shooter have Gears of War to look forward to. Epic's game has been getting all sorts of attention since it was unveiled, but we've been without a launch date, save for the vague "Emergence Day". That's clearer now.

Gears of War will be out in North America on 12 November and 17 November in Europe - just days before the launch of the PlayStation 3 in both regions. The game will be released in two versions: a regular edition for $60 in the US and a collector's edition for $70 that includes a bonus DVD of behind-the-scenes stuff and an art booklet.

For an explanation of what you can expect from Gears of War, we turn to a recent interview Joystiq had with lead designer Cliff Bleszinski:

"It's sort of like an interactive cinematic experience. I wanted to take all the cool features that I've seen in other games and put in some new cool stuff too. This game is all about intimate violence. The gameplay itself just feels tight and crisp, which is something I really wanted, that snugness."

The game brings a spooky tone to the third-person shooter genre, but the biggest gameplay feature is the evolved approach to the use of dynamic, interactive cover.

At this time, Bleszinski isn't ready commit to any expansion of the series, but he did tell Joystiq that he has "ideas though for spin offs and things like that."

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games