Gears of War is a fantastic first entry in what is sure to be a successful, long-running series. And it's amazing.
The game follows a group of soldiers called Gears fighting in an epic war in a post-apocalyptic atmosphere. A mutant alien race called the Locusts have taken over, and the world is left in ashes. The Gears are humanity's last hope. Lead by Marcus Fenix, this band of warriors fight for their lives against a staggering force threatening to eliminate all human life. This story is just an excuse to kill a whole load of uglies.
The gameplay takes place from a third person person perspective and forces you to rely on your cover to survive. Any block of concrete or wooden box supplies cover for you and your squadmates. This is your only way of defending yourself from the powerful onslaught of baddies. This game developed a new genre of gaming, the third-person cover shooter.
In the game you are given a variety of futuristic weapons, all of which are superbly satisfying. The shotgun can blast enemies to pieces, the longshot sniper rifle can pop the heads off of your foes in a way that will have you screaming with joy. A creative weapon named the hammer of dawn is a laser targeting weapon that is controlled by satellite, and can take down the biggest of foes. And of course, the highlight of the game, the lancer rifle. Basically, this is an automatic machine gun rifle, a standard weapon in any game. But there is something special about it. On the bottom, there is a chainsaw. Yes, a chainsaw. You can use this to ferociously tear hostiles in half while laughing gleefully at the sight. When you chainsaw an enemy you feel like an absolute beast, and when you get chainsawed, you feel embarrassed because you know you just got owned. It is an extremely fun and satisfying mechanic to the gameplay that simply never gets old. Overall, the gameplay is fun, thrilling exciting, and most of all, satisfying. Blowing guys to pieces, stomping on their heads when they're down, ripping them in half, it's all so over the top, crazy, and FUN.
The graphics in Gears of War do seem a bit outdated in 2010, but for 2006, they are outstanding. They most detail and picture available in a game was showcased in Gears of War, and at the time it was a top of line graphical presentation. Even though it is four years later, the graphics still hold up well enough. The game does have a few hiccups and bugs along the way, but the overall presentation and the excitement of the game eliminates this annoyance.
The sound is great. The weapons souind good, and the gushing and sloshing of blood is fantastic. This game is a technical standout for 2006.
This game is absolutely AMAZING, and it defines a whole new genre of games. Gears of War is one of the best games of all time, and anyone who owns an Xbox 360 should have this game. It is absolutely essential. Trust me, this one's a keeper. BUY IT!!!!!