Gears of War

Publisher: Microsoft

Platform: Xbox360

Category: Shooter

Rating Info

Release Date: 17/11/2006

Member Rating:

Number of Players: 1-8

Gears of War Description

Monsters? Check. Burly hero with a chequered past? Check. Highly-detailed destructible landscape? Check. Big guns with chainsaw bayonets? Ohhh yesss! Gears of War came out of E3 2006 as one of the most talked about new releases for any next-gen console. A mix of survival horror and combat-based gameplay, Gears of War is set in a wartorn future where mankind is caught in an epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a race of gun-toting nasties that have emerged from the bowels of the planet. And horribly nasty they are too, as they take the concept of ugly to an all-new hyperreal level. You play as Marcus Fenix, a disgraced war-hero who's spent several years languishing in prison. As things start to get out of hand in the outside world, the prisoners get a pardon and you take Marcus and his squad through an apocalyptic wasteland under a barrage of heavy fire. As you make your way through the game, it's a case of duck and cover if you want to survive: too long in the open and you will die, quickly and horribly (with some truly impressive gore effects). Rapid firing on its own just ain't going to cut it. You need to work with your team (who are either controlled by AI in single-player mode or other gamers in multi-player) to outwit your opponents, and it's this element that takes you beyond the realm of the traditional shoot-em-up. The ultimate extension of this is the eight-player deathmatch, which pits two teams of four against each other in what's essentially a 'last man standing' battle. This is helped along by the voice recognition available to players that goes along with the voice chat facility enabling you to discuss tactics. Gears of War has been described as the gaming equivalent of a Hollywood blockbuster. Well, we always figured you could take your kid brother to see the latest big film at the local multiplex, but we recommend that you should expose him to Gears of War only if he does something really reprehensible and deserves to grow up horribly damaged. However, this does promise to be an incredibly immersive story-driven monster of a game for more mature types, and it's going to make the hundreds you shelled out on your 360 worth every last penny.

Screenshots

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Write a review of Gears of War

Reviewed by: jamesriley	Date: 04/12/2006	Rating:
Im not a hardcore gamer and i only play games for 1 hour at the most but i got this game and i played it for 5 hours steight untill i completed it This is the best game ever

Reviewed by: matthat	Date: 12/12/2006	Rating:
Having just completed the game I have to say that this is one of the best games that I've ever played. Amazing graphics and gameplay, coupled with a backstory and universe that can support a wealth of sequels, it is hard to convey in words just how good this game is, so rent it and see for yourself!

Reviewed by: Santa_2000_	Date: 19/12/2006	Rating:
Having been a gamer since the early 80s i have rarely played a game start to finnsih more than once. I tend to get bored easy and play a game over a week or two rather than a few days like most. That wasnt the case with gears i was hooked from the moment i started playing, and have played it start to finnish 3 times already. Normally i rent games but after seeing some videos i decided to buy gears, a very wise descision as i think i would have kept the rental for months. The whole game is so nicely put together. Its one of the top ten games i have played in the last several years, anbd i would argue its better than anything i played on the xbox or xbox360. The only down side is that their arent enough game modes to play online.... although the ones that are included are great fun and have waseted away hours and hours of my time.

Reviewed by: Sneaky McGuff	Date: 18/11/2006	Rating:
This game is the greatest in the 360 yet. I plan to buy this soon or rent it for months. The story is brilliant the Xbox Live is great the controls are easy!!! The game is nearly as tactical as the mighty GRAW. This is a must BUY!!!

Reviewed by: fidd73	Date: 25/11/2006	Rating:
Excellent game, using I believe the graphics Resident Evil 5 is going to be using, well more about Resi later. The Game is immense online and off line, and been able to play a game online from a level to level purpose is great. Excellent hopefully many more of the same game will come the xbox360 way.

Reviewed by: Acerace	Date: 13/02/2007	Rating:
THE BEST GAME on 360! Welcome to the next gen, please wipe your feet.

Reviewed by: nc360	Date: 04/04/2007	Rating:
wicked game, amazing graphics really enjoyed multiplayer with my bro. it really is the best 360 game thats out now!!!

Reviewed by: Joe 1k	Date: 22/04/2007	Rating:
Since I am writing this for a 'rental' website, ill have to base it on, more of the game, rather than value for money. The game takes place on 'e day' far in the future s you control a convict,, Marcus Fenix against the locust onslaught. The games reviels is critically aclaimed graphics right from the start with beutifully designed walls and textures that feel as though it is coming to life. From the first fight you will be hooked to continue playing! But you wont be playing for very long as the story lasts bout 4 hours (If your any good) on casual and about 2 hours more on insane. So I wuldnt recomend splashing out on it if your only an offline player. But the way the game excels itself is not only in graphics, but the awsome multiplayer. If you have a LAN network or a xbox live, this is a MUST OWN game. The online multiplayer is 8 player, 4 v 4, team based fight for the death. The weapons are exactly the same online as they are off, but i would forget anything you learnt in story mode for online play, because non of it comes into context. But aslong as you like playing online this game will rock your world, and as son as you rent it, keep it. But if your purely an offline player, just rent it, becaue youll be sending it back the next day. Achievements If your a gamerwhore with achievements youll be able to get most of the games achievemnts in about 14 hours. The ones unlockable in story mode are 'stacked' so as long as you unlock insane you dont have to play through hardcore (But if your rubbish youll probably need to for the experiance) but you can grab about 500 points just playing through (The very short) story mode. The online achievements are a bit annoying as they all depend upon ranked matches, but after a bit of gaming, they will be unlocked quiet fast together. Overall, the game is fab. The graphics, the story (Of what there is of it) and th awsome online play. Rent it now, and dont miss out, its the must own game for the Xbox 360.

Reviewed by: --/\/Assasinator/\/--	Date: 31/05/2007	Rating:
This game is the dogs bollox defenitly BUY this game because it is just awesome no even better but do beware of the rubbish connections of other peoples live when they host games because it will become very fustrating when you get 5 second bullet lag ect

Reviewed by: kizza123	Date: 28/06/2007	Rating:
Best game ive played in a while, even online it rocks!

Reviewed by: CombatWombat	Date: 25/02/2008	Rating:
I can get enough, sadly im having to rent this out because my disk is screwed (that i bought myself) >:(

Reviewed by: mazzboy	Date: 14/04/2007	Rating:
Very fluid, stunning-looking game with a filmic flow and feel. Usually this wouldn't be my kind of game but I wanted to see for myself how brilliant this game allegedly is, and it pretty much lives up to the hype. A good learning curve for controls, which are clever but somewhat frustrating every so often. Negative points to this game would be how short it is, which actually seems strange to say as I type it, seeing as a fair amount did happen in the game - every environment beautifully crafted and used in various forms of dramatic effect, from prison to city streets, mansion to underground caverns - but upon realising I'd just completed it I thought about how little had actually happened in the story. It's very thin on story, but I sense that it's probably meant to be. The game is very much about the gameplay itself and the rest serves just give you more excuses to play more and more. I highly recommend giving this game a try, as I did.

Reviewed by: Mr Lovedog	Date: 22/12/2006	Rating:
This game gets the tumbs up from me, with bells and whistles on it. Simply fantastic. If you have got and HD LCD TV, or play on your PC LCD screen you wont see much better graphics, apart from a ridiculously over priced PC. The only slight criticisms I have is that is fairly liner, and continuously drives you on towards the next check point, but there are opportunities through the game to choose a particular path. The second point is that the control system whilst intuitive, it can be a bit frustrating at times. These are only minor belly irritations in avery good twist on the current style FPS's, and Im sure there will be a series of sequels that will iron out my grumbles Overall

Reviewed by: krog	Date: 26/11/2006	Rating:
The fact that this game has been so hyped-up and that it has received critical acclaim from the Xbox fanboy fraternity, meant that I was intent on renting it before I made an impulse purchase that I may later regret ! The game has been described as truly 'next-gen' and if you read the reviews you will know that it is being forwarded as the benchmark for all future 360 shooters ! So, does it do the hype justice ? in my humble opinion, no. If you strip away the over enthusiastic rants present in the web forums and actually ask yourself if the game gives you anything different in terms of gameplay, then you will have to conclude that it is just another shoot-em-up. Yes, the graphics are excellent and the soundtrack is atmospheric, but the gameplay is run-duck-shoot......rinse and repeat ! It takes parts of a lot of other games and brings them together to give the impression that it is offering something new, but basically it is the same as any other future-world based bug-hunt fragfest ! For Microsoft and Epic, it is going to be a very lucrative money spinner with sequels galore, but for me it just propagates the same old generic template that can be found in many other action shooting titles. Sorry, the hype's not worked on me !

Features

Engaging and disturbing cinematic story - Massively scoped worlds, memorable characters and an epic story line play out like an intense and unsettling blockbuster action film. Dramatic in-game camera work and a compelling story bring the brutal, emotionally charged experience to life. Gamers control Marcus Fenix and his fire team as they pit advanced human technology against the overwhelming and horrific Locust Horde.

Fire team co-op action - All game modes, levels and scenarios are designed for cooperative fire team play (AI or human). For the first time, AI teammates are indiscernible from human players. They move intelligently, take orders effectively, and seek cover and defend themselves when necessary. Gamers will experience richer cooperative gameplay than ever, through unique characters that require cooperation to survive.

Unprecedented visuals in next-generation gaming - Gears of War ushers in the next generation with unprecedented visuals. The Unreal Engine 3 technology pushes high-definition visual designs and brings out the smallest details in the largest battle. Gamers will experience a rich dynamic world with an unprecedented level of detail. Characters come to life with unbelievable model quality and a physics-integrated animation system that has them truly reacting intelligently to events as they unfold around them.

Hyper-realistic and intense combat - In Gears of War the battlefield is a lethal place - to foolishly stand out in the open is to die. To survive, gamers can create and take cover using interactive and dynamic environments, suppress the enemy with blindfire, and use their weapons and teammates to outwit and outfight their terrifying enemies.

Next-generation Xbox Live action - Gears of War will embody the next-generation Microsoft� Xbox Live experience and extend it even further. Gamers will be able to experience individualized matchmaking, view player statistics, earn player achievements, customize their games, and build and personalize their gamer profiles.

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