G-pinions

I've never had my hands so soaked in blood before. Gears of War is just a violent mess of a Third Person Shooter. Every battle in Gears is as immediate and pressing as a battle with the final boss. You can die at any time. There is no time to jump around and experiment. It's you versus your sworn enemy in a fight to the death. It doesn't matter if they are being controlled by an artificial algorithm created by some M.I.T. math wiz or the dexterous fingers of some 17 year old punk from West Philly, the fights all feel exactly the same. Each battle may only take a few seconds, never more than half a minute, but the amount of effort put into outmaneuvering your opponent and being quicker to the draw is just staggering. One slight mistake, a gun shot that hits the shoulder or a split second delay while you rip the cord to your chainsaw, and you will be dead. I have never played a shooter so full of emotion after each battle. You will either yell with glee that you overcame a worthy foe, or curse the gods for you stubby finger and slow-firing synapses. Gears of War does many things right, but the way they were able to elevate each individual battle to one of epic proportions just overwhelmed me at times.

The multiplayer mode really needs to be experienced to fully understand. Every second is hugely important. From the moment the round begins it is imperative to begin your offensive assault. You need to coordinate with your teammates to ensure you are on the same page. Some will run for the good weapons, others will form a slow-paced attack on the opposition. With only two teams and four players per side, each person, no matter what their skill level, is as important as the next. You cannot act on your own. You cannot run into the open, get gunned down, and leave the rest of your team a man short. They will be quickly overwhelmed. Gears feels like a more vicious version of Counter Strike. One in which position and tactics play as large of a role as pure shooting talent. To move your team into perfect position and overwhelm your enemy all at once is just pure bliss.

Basically, Epic has completely nailed the gameplay in Gears of War. I never thought a gritty, dark shooter could be this much fun. But there are flaws present that keep this from being the perfect game some publications have stated. First of all, I believe Epic has made a fatal flaw in the single player campaign. The majority of the campaign is a pure shooter. You progress through linear levels, taking out enemies while completing small tasks. Fundamentally, there is little difference between the level design and pacing of Gears of War compared to other shooters. This normally would not be a problem, but Gears has introduced a level of immersion that all but demands a strong departure from the norm. Epic seemed to only realize what they had during the Third Act of this game. The section begins in the middle of the night during a heavy thunderstorm. You are surrounded by water and rock in the middle of nowhere. The rain is so thick at times you cannot actually see structures and enemies ahead of you. It feels more like Resident Evil than a standard shooter. It is terrifying. Because each encounter could mean the end of your life, each step needs to be taken with care. You don't know what is ahead of you.

When you finally get out of the rain you find yourself in an abandoned factory. The wallpaper is peeling. Ceilings have caved in at places, forcing you to find alternate routes. The few lights flicker, obscuring your view even more. And there are the omnipresent sounds of imminent death reminding you what is at stake. This can be a truly terrifying game. The rest of the level offers gameplay twists that were not present in the first two acts of the game. For the first time, you and your buddy, who you have fought side-by-side with from the opening cinematic, must separate. No longer can you rely on your friend to shoot down a sneaking foe or help you when your gun jams. This is cooperative play done right. One in which you are not merely doubling firepower, but finding your own way through a dense level.

Gears of War should have been a horror game. It is at its best when the lights are out and you have no idea where to go. Because the combat is so visceral there is a constant feeling of dread as you turn every corner. The levels and story should have followed this theme throughout. Making you build up courage as you turned each corner. Unfortunately, only the Third Act is a truly memorable experience. The other Four Acts have very similar level design to each other - you battle through one section, clear out enemies, and then clear it out again when new threats emerge behind you. Every battle is fun and exhilarating, but subduing the fear element makes these battles seem lesser by comparison. It seems as though Epic tried to make the whole game truly scary - there is one mini boss who appears on two separate occasions who is just a blast to fight - but as a whole the level design sticks far too close to more traditional shooters.

Because GoW is able to elevate each fight to such a high level, I must recommend this game to anyone who loves shooters. You simply will not find better individual battles anywhere else in gaming. But the game as a whole is merely "Damn Good" instead of "Instant Classic." Now that the technology is built and the gameplay is solid, I hope Epic will be able to construct some truly fascinating levels in the inevitable sequel. Until then, I will be getting my thrills in the land of online multiplayer.