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With the release of Epic's latest masterpiece, the haters and fanboys may officially shut up; if the next-gen promise means anything to anyone, Gears of War delivers. Whether you're chainsawing your Locust enemies or simply looking around the environment in awe of the insanely beautiful visuals, you're bound to have a good time. This isn't just the Xbox 360 killer app, it's the next-gen killer app.
Unless you've been living in a cave since long before last year's E3, you know exactly what Gears is about. Convict Marcus Fenix has been freed by an old comrade to fight the Locust some time after Emergence Day, and it's up to you to fight his battles. Sure, the story is cliché-ridden and the character designs are seemingly uninspired, but boy does this game deliver.
Gears of War is easily the most engrossing shooter (or even game) of all time. So engrossing, in fact, that I played it from the beginning to the final boss (I had to hop on a plane the next day, so multiple tries weren't really plausible) in one sitting. That's right. One sitting. After the roughly thirty minute learning curve for the cover system and other gameplay mechanics, I was hooked. Upon finishing the game, I immediately started playing through it again on a harder difficulty without even thinking about touching multiplayer. Aside from a few rare occasions (RE4), I never even think to do this. That's just how damn good the single-player mode is. After playing through the first two chapters in hardcore mode, I hopped into online co-op with a friend and then finally the true multiplayer as a result of pure pressure.
This isn't just the Xbox 360 killer app, it's the next-gen killer app.
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GoW is also the most visually stunning game to date, on any console. Whether you play it in high-def or just standard, your jaw will be on the floor in awe of the sheer graphical detail and fluidity that this game has to offer. There's nothing more to say. You simply have to experience it for yourself. The beauty is more than skin deep, however, and don't listen to anyone who tries to tell you otherwise. Gears of War offers very deep combat by way of the cover system. Moving from cover to cover has never felt so good thanks to the seamless use of the context-sensitive A button. It also makes the gameplay surprisingly diverse, as many strategies become available with so many cover options.
Really, GoW just does everything it can to make you feel like the badass that Marcus Fenix is. The single-player campaign is hands-down one of the most well-paced of any shooter I've ever played, easily trouncing that of Resident Evil 4 and maybe even the Halo series. I'll admit, I was skeptical over whether or not repetition would set in after the first few minutes, but I can now confidently confirm that this is, in fact, a non-issue. However, despite what my score may lead you to believe, the campaign mode isn't perfect. A small, five minute vehicular section may be frustrating for some, but for me it just felt unnecessary. It definitely would've been much cooler as a cut-scene. This minor flaw is entirely offset by the hours of fun before and after it.
In the end, I guess "single-player" isn't much of an apt title for the campaign mode, as the co-op mode (which is exactly the same, but with a friend over lagless Xbox Live play or split-screen) will extend your fun for hours. The feeling of blazing through the game's beautiful stages and teaming up against huge enemies such as the Berzerker is unmatched in any title. Sure, Perfect Dark Zero had the feature, but Gears does it right. The Insane difficulty level is more or less built for cooperative play, and even then you'll find yourself constantly dying, shouting obscenities in unison with your buddies over Xbox Live. The visuals in split-screen co-op look close to those in solo, so that's definitely not a bad option either; it's just that nothing matches playing through the game cooperatively with that full HDTV all to yourself.
If you don't have Xbox Live, make sure you get it for this game, because the same could be said of the regular, 4-on-4 multiplayer. It looks just as good as the single-player mode, plays just as smoothly, and offers tons of extended fun beyond the dozens upon dozens of hours of fun you'll have with the single player mode. Using the stop and pop mechanic so infamously championed by spotlight-whore and lead designer Cliffy B. (no run and gun here, Halo-philes), online multiplayer in Gears feels refreshingly different and even tactical. It's a game of teamwork, and if you don't stick together with your fellow Locusts or COGs, you will die. Much as in co-op, the battles are best enjoyed with a group of friends. This way you can fine-tune your strategies and move effectively as a unit from cover point to cover point. The multiplayer stages are as varied as those of the single-player campaign, too. Just make sure you aren't chainsawed down because you were staring at the beautiful architecture and textures. Yeah, I said it. You may find yourself staring at textures. The few game modes may be limiting, but the gameplay more than makes up for it. Besides, Epic has promised plenty of downloadable content to mix it all up.
I'm not going to lie and say that Gears of War is without its problems, but I'm also not going to deny that it's not the best console shooter of all time. The multiplayer modes may be comparably slim, your A.I. squad-mates may be some of the dumbest in the history of A.I. squad-mates, and the vehicle section of the campaign mode may put you in a bad mood for a few minutes, but the whole package is so unbelievably awesome that it'd be a sin to have an Xbox 360 without a copy of this Epic masterpiece in rotation.
Click the Gears of War artwork above to view it in a larger size. |
