Challenging even on the casual setting. Quality graphics and a uniquely different perspective from other shooters.
Gears looks really good. The first thing I noticed was the detail on the characters and the machines. You can see the scars on their faces and the intricacies of their armor and weapons. This detail carries over to the environments and enemies, so it's a visual treat. It's very dark though. After awhile you get tired of the same dark color palette that's used in every setting. It's supposed to be dark. The world is at war, so it's quite possible they achieved what they were trying to do, but it does start to be a bit bland towards the end of the game.
The game play is fun and new, but takes some time to adjust to if you're used to normal first person shooters. You have to make good use of the cover mechanic in order to stay alive. Charging the enemy usually results in death, and in most places you'll want to look before you leap, or else trigger something you weren't expecting, such as a mass of bats coming down from the sky to ravage you. The game can be punishing in places, and frustrating. If you don't do things exactly right, you'll find yourself dead and starting over from your last checkpoint. However this makes a game with a relatively short campaign longer, and once you do figure out how to get through an area, it's not too bad. Thankfully the checkpoints aren't too far apart and the reload times are quick.
The story of gears is straightforward enough. The world seems to be at war with some aliens called Locusts. At least, I assume they're aliens. The game really doesn't say. In fact, you're thrown into it with very little knowledge of the situation in general. All you know is you're a soldier with a mission. And the game is where you carry out that mission. There are twists and turns and the characters are enjoyable if a bit stereotypical. The voice acting is very well done and the cut scenes are good, giving you little bits of information as you go that draw you into the story.
I only played one game of the multiplayer. There were plenty of people online to play with and I got into a game pretty quickly. Rounds are quick and brutal, and again, I wasn't really enjoying myself, so I stopped playing after that.
Despite all of the good things about the game, I found myself frustrated with some of the levels to the point where I wasn't enjoying the game anymore. And the dark palette, while appropriate, did wear on me to the point the nice graphics didn't seem so nice. Thankfully, by now, the game is very affordable, so I would recommend it as a bargain bin pick up or a rental.