Gears of War (Limited Collector's Edition) (Xbox 360, 2006)

Gears of War is without a doubt the best graphical game yet beating out Ghost Recon for the top spot. Its lush vast environments and its vividly intricate characters and enemies are key to this games success. Even though you face a surreal lizard like creature called "The Locust" throughout the game it maintains a real life war feel to it even more so than a WWII shooter. The Camera shakes when you run, you can find cover almost anywere, heads explode when you shoot them giving a RE4 kind of feel as you wonder through the wreckage of a once great civilization. The most satisfying part of this game is the chain saw bayonet, a simple but essential element to the game that allows you to hack apart an enemy at close range in a spray of blood. The multiplayer is fantastic but only if you have xbox live because you really cant use it otherwise. You can play with a friend during the campaign mode and you can even play with someone online if you need help on a certain level. Now the biggest problem with the game I suppose is the lenght its a bit short lasting probably 4-5 hours on your first play through, but their are additional harder difficulties that you can play as well but that doesnt change the fact your still replaying the game. As for the collectors addition Id say its up to you weather you want to shell out an extra ten bucks or not. It comes with a cool tin case, an art booklet that shows earlier conceptions of the game aswell as backstory, and a bonus DVD that shows the making of the game and the E3 showing of last year. This game is a tremendous buy especially if you have xbox live.

I can sum up this game in one word. Amazing. This is one of the best Xbox 360 and Xbox Live games I've ever played. The single player is pretty good. I personally enjoyed the storyline, although it is a bit on the short side, there is always co-op and the insane difficulty mode which is as exactly as the difficulty description says: insane. The real star of this game is the online multiplayer. It is very tactical and very fun. Gameplay consists of two squads of five players. One team is the C.O.G. and the other team is the Locusts. There are three different multiplayer modes: Warzone is the standard team deathmatch mode. Execution is like warzone except you have to kill your opponent with a execution move. Assassination is a VIP team game in which you have to protect your leader. There is also a fourth mode called annex which is basically a king of the hill/control mode. This mode is availiable as DLC (of which there are two packs, both free). Excellent game that will provide you with countless hours of multiplayer mayhem.

What comes in the tin...
Destroyed Beauty, the Gears of War hardbound art book; "Art of Gears of War" trailer; an inside look at the making of Gears of War; Mini-doc -- "Gears of War: The Race to E3."

GAMEPLAY
The stop 'n pop mechanic works well, although hardcore shooter fans might want to up the difficulty for more of a challenge. The action is intense and very well-paced.

GRAPHICS
This is one of the best looking video games I've seen.

AUDIO
Crank up your surround sound, rev your buzz saw, and feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins.

LONGEVITY
The intense, brutal multiplayer modes will keep you coming back for a long time. Online co-op is lot of fun.

INNOVATION
While there are some cool weapons, most of them fall into the "old standby" category. The active reload and roadie run mechanics are nice touches.

FINAL THOUGHTS...
Unlike many "event" games that come and go, Gears of War lives up to the hype surrounding it, and while it's not perfect, it's impossible not to want more. While the storyline is lacking in a few areas (this is filled in more with the release of the sequel), the gameplay itself is exciting and intense, although hardcore players might want to up the difficulty a bit. For many, the game's strength lays in its multiplayer options, both cooperatively and competitively. If you can keep from letting out a whoop after you curb stomp a buddy, you're a stronger man than I.

Gears of War

Simpyl amazing! Gears of War is SPECTACULAR!!!

This game lives up to all the hype surrounding it. I started playing campaign mode right away, and was amazed by the incredibly fast load times, even the online play loads incredibly quick.

Now there are a lot of games on the next-gen consoles that look like they should be on the older consoles, some even look like they belong on N64 or Sega Saturn. Gears of War takes the potential of the Xbox 360 and runs with it. Simply put, this game is amazing.

Gears of War offers more than your typical run and gun, if you want to survive you must use objects to take cover. If you try to run and gun you won't succeed. There's no cross hairs unless you are holding the aim button, that kinda sucks, but you get used to it.

Pros:

- This game rocks
- Not just a run and gun, you need to think fast and act faster
- Fast load screens, even in multiplayer
- Graphics are superb
- Very easy controls, the "A" button does most of the work
- Weapon Selection
- Overall Gameplay
- Graphics, I know, I know, but the graphics are that good
- Playing in the harder difficulties is actually harder, the AI is smart and challenging, instead of the increase of enemies that is usually the solution in FPS games
- Chainsaw and curb stomp kills
- The end of the game pretty much tells you there will be a sequel

Cons:

- Unless you have an internet connection, you might be a little dissapointed with the length of single player mode
- Other than that... NONE!!!

Final Verdict:

Graphics 5/5
Audio 5/5
Controls 5/5
Gameplay/Story 5/5
Replay Value 5/5
Overall 5/5

Buy or Rent?: Buy, unless you dont play multiplayer, then you can rent and beat, but you still might want to own it.

IF YOU FIND THIS REVIEW HELPFUL PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE. Thank you.

obviously the games is one of the best ive played. graphics are excellent, as well as playability.

i will focus on the dvd.

rubbish.

if you thought you were getting extraordinarily special, you would be wrong. the dvd is compilation of home movies starring the art directors kids. although cute as a button hardly the thing a hardcore gaming geek would be interested in.

there is a fairly long bit about the cramming session getting ready for Emergence day, you get to see the man himself in this on, Bill Gates.

aside from that and the tin box. theres really nothing of value here.

also, keep in mind that anything that says 'collector's editon' in the title is hardly collectible since it was probably mass produced. so if youre expecting to keep this and make some money later, i got some beans i would like to trade for your house.