Chainsaw + Gun = Win?
Do not get me wrong there is not much wrong with Gears in itself, it's just it has inspired many similar games this generation which have done what it does much better.
Gears is set in a post apocalyptic world of sorts, in which the humans have apparently been overrun by the locust, which have emerged from underground, I think from there I assume your mission was to initially map the locust warrens, and then try and destroy them. In case you couldn't guess the story isn't the strong point of this game. I barely knew where I was going and why for a large quantity of the time. The main protagonist has been wrongly imprisoned at the beginning of the game, but under what circumstances are never outlined fully. This leads to the characters feeling hollow, and the writing doesn't endear them too much, it's not the swearing which is relatively relaxed, but the lack of them saying anything worthwhile.
I suppose they are supposed to be uneducated military grunts, but there is only so far you can go with hulking guys with not much to say.
Luckily the gameplay itself is great, if a little dated. As mentioned earlier it is a cover based 3rd person shooter. Possibly one of the first of its kind and it does it well. I never once had an issue with sticking to the wrong cover, or jumping from cover into an open spot to be immediately gunned down. Although games since, have done this mechanic a bit more fluidly in more recent attempts, it is hard not to admire how well it really does do as a pioneer of sorts in this genre. The controls feel natural and mostly responsive, the exception being the lancer melee to be a bit more responsive as I sometimes found myself caught up close and personal and stuck in an animation that I just couldn't get out of. The melee for the Lancer is instakill to balance out the animation so this route is a risk/reward type decision, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating.
The guns are a large part of this game, as would be expected and they are fun to use if nothing outstanding, the lancer in itself, for those not in the know a machine gun with a chainsaw bayonet is pure horrific genius but the other guns are pretty standard with a rocket launcher, torque bow (a sort of explosive dart gun) and shot guns. Another special mention goes to the Hammer of Dawn a device used to call satellite laser death rays to smite your foes. As awesome as it is, you only ever get to use it in very select circumstances so as to not make the game a total cakewalk.
It is funny to see the level design choices that infiltrate all games of this ilk now. In a location with overturned tables or fallen concrete pillars? Chances are you're in for a fight! OK so it's not a Gears specific problem and you know, in a cover based shooter; I like cover that is useful. It can just be a little bit off putting when the game telegraphing every fight and how big it will be.
The game is pretty linear, which is fine but I found the pacing a little uneven. The first two chapters just seemed to drag forever, before the real meat of the game and the real action started. The game lacks consistent boss battles, but the final one is a doozy, it took me quite a few attempts on the easiest difficulty to complete. Level design is quite good, it looks grimy and dirty and the levels that you traverse are in various states of decay. There is also a good mix of over world and locust burrows that add some variety to the locations you visit.
That being said, the art design is a little bland at times, like Fallout 3, it both works for and against it, but arguably palettes of greys and blues are not overly interesting. The game does look technically great, although there are a few pixelated textures that while not game breaking were noticeable and just a little jarring.
The voice acting is not a high point, and it probably fits the characters they are all meat head military types and while it probably wouldn't have killed them to add a bit of characterisation, it somehow works on the whole. On the positive side the rest of the sound is good the musical score fits in exceptionally well and adds tension to the many battles you are involved in and the sounds of the weaponry and explosions are top notch and go a long way to making the shooting feel satisfying.
At this point in its life, multiplayer matches are few and far between. The community has inevitably moved on to the newest iteration of the game, while I can't say that I've spent any time with the multiplayer it hasn't been from want of trying so if multiplayer is where your one and only interest lies, I'd avoid it now.
Gears of War will probably go down as the 'game with the chainsaw gun', and it's a shame that this is how the game may be remembered forever more. This game set the tone for cover based 3rd person shooters this generation and while it may no longer be the best it holds up exceedingly well and is still well worth your time to play.