Gears of War (Xbox 360) - BUY IT!!

Epic Games are perhaps most known for their groundbreaking creation Unreal, and its subsequent multiplayer adaptation and bestseller Unreal Tournament. With no rest for the wicked, the team is back in action, living up to their name with their first xbox360 based game, Gears of War.

As the name suggests, the storyline revolves around an earth-like planet (Sera) that enjoyed peace and prosperity for years, until one day when a brutal, and seemingly endless army of vicious warriors, appropriately dubbed Locust, burst from beneath the surface and begun carving a bloody path of carnage through humanity. The COGs (Coalition of Governments) mobilized the planet’s army to fight against their merciless enemy, but in the end, their losses were far greatest. The player assumes the identity of Markus Fenix, a disgraced grunt in the COGs army who during a battle with the Locust, abandoned his post, and in doing so, was imprisoned for dereliction of duty. 14 years later, as the last vestiges of humanity struggle to fend off death, Fenix is granted a pardon for his crimes in return for service once more against the Locust Horde.

The game itself is an innovative spin on the traditional third-person tactical shooter, where the camera sits just inches from the character’s shoulder, giving a hybrid of third-person and first-person perspective. Epic have gone to great lengths with the camera work here to immerse the player, changing angles depending on firing position, and shaking from explosions or when running for cover. The gameplay is comprised of a duck and cover style of combat, where the player can use almost anything to take cover behind, and then lean around or over to aim and fire at the enemy. There is also a split screen function to allow you to move through the campaign with a mate, as well as a multiplayer death match setup for all out war. The graphics are amazing and really show what the xbox360 is capable of, the sound is stunning as well though the musical score is a little repetitive. Any shortcomings this game may have are blown away by its innovation and great gameplay. If you buy only one game for the xbox360, make it Gears of War.