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Gears of War launched on the Xbox360 in Europe
back in November 2006, subject to an enormous amount of press
coverage and PR hype. Being one of the Xbox360’s highest
 profile
games – contested perhaps only by
Halo 3 - sales in the millions were predictable, as was the
forthcoming sequel,
Gears of War 2. Now available as part of the Xbox360
CLASSICS range, at a budget price, can Gears of War claim to
offer good value for money nearly two years on?
The games premise is very simple; playing as Marcus
Fenix, the player is extracted from Jacinto Maximum Security
Penitentiary by Dominic Santiago – the character into whose boots a
second player would fill during the complete online and Split-Screen
Co-Operative Mode. Immediately, the game attempts to prove it’s
innovations in immersion capabilities with an in-game option
directing the player one of two ways. One answer to Dominic’s
questioning will take the player through a basic Training Arena;
another will find them thrust straight into action. While it’s
possible to begin drawing comparisons to the likes of Half-Life
at this point, it’s unfortunately not sustained throughout and,
in-fact, falters before the end of the first Level.
Battling against the Locust on the planet Sera, taking
place fourteen years after the infamous Emergence Day, Marcus
Fenix’s former COG Solider status is reinstated and you travel to
join Delta Squad. An unfortunate mishap preceded by heavy casualties
finds the remainder of Delta Squad on the trail of the Lightmass
Bomb, and General RAAM.
The combat in the game, being precisely the only aspect
involved, is some intricately balanced gunplay. The Cover System is
simply yet responsive, and has since been imitated by many,
including the recent release
Dark Sector. The weapon selection is limited, but does offer
some degree of variety. A unique component of the weaponry is the
Active Reload System: when a player reloads their weapon, a meter
appears in place on the amount count on the top-right of the screen.
Pressing the Right Button as a line moves from left to right at the
point it crosses a highlighted part of the bar will not only
instantly reload your weapon, but also increase
 the damage it
inflicts upon impact. Failing, however, will find your weapon
jamming, and a reload delayed. The main armament throughout the game
– the Lancer – features possibly the most famous aspect of the title
since it’s first unveiling; a chainsaw bayonet. By holding the B
Button, allowing time to rev-up the chainsaw, and charging an enemy,
the player can instantly and gruesomely remove limbs, or even sever
directly in-half almost any opponent.
The Roadie Run – named under it’s inspiration of Roadies
at music events running on stage during a set – sees the player
crouch and dash directly forward. The player cannot fire whilst
performing the Roadie Run, and can only turn to a restricted degree,
but can instantly engage with any cover ahead. The Health System,
too, is quite uniquely devised; instead of featuring a commonly
conceived on-screen meter, the Gears Of War logo appears in
increasing clarity as the player takes damage, reddening the whole
screen. During Co-Operative gameplay, a player can revive a downed
partner simply be travelling to their location – a view of which is
instantly accessible with a press of the Y Button – and pressing the
X Button. In Single-Player, however, you have to rely on the
Artificial Intelligence support, which although is well presented,
does occasionally flounder when most needed.
The Campaign has often been criticised for being too
short and, while this argument may well be valid for Core Gamers,
Mainstream and Casual players may well find ten hours of solid
action within Gears of War’s main gameplay mode. A missed
opportunity, many would say, is that lack of an update which this
CLASSICS release did not receive. With the PC release of the title
bolstering, amongst other enhancements, additional Levels in the
Campaign, it may have been wise to reproduce this slight expansion
for the title’s Xbox360 budget release and, therefore, stimulating
much of the fanbase to indeed acquire another copy of a game they
already own.
The title, quite obviously, features an XboxLIVE!
component and, being one of the most popular online games on the
system, still features a healthy community, and no issues finding a
game; a feat which few other games of the same age on the
Current-Generation can still claim. The Multi-Player is largely
 team-based, promoting four-on-four matches. Featuring five gameplay
modes, including classics such as King of the Hill and Warzone (more
commonly known as Team Deathmatch), a couple of original modes are
included, including Assassination in which each team must
concentrate on defending their Leader, whilst removing the
opponent’s from play.
The title still looks phenomenal, and although has since
been surpassed on the Current-Generation of consoles, it’s attention
to detail has been matched by few. Marcus Fenix may well represent
one of the most clichéd videogame characters on record – and his
resemblance to the lead role from Epic’s
Unreal Tournament III has not gone unnoticed – but the draw
of the story forces you to realise that he has at least some depth.
The sound quality too is fantastic, with an epic score and
Futurama’s John DiMaggio lending his voice to the lead.
Gears of War is an out-and-out Action title.
Every set-piece in the game involves an influx of enemies and
dramatic changes of pace. As well-balanced as the combat is, those
who don’t instantly become enthralled will not find any warrant
further into the title. Though appreciated by very many, Gears of
War has found it’s market, and it’s budget price is more a
recognition of a slowdown in sales as opposed to an attempt to widen
it’s audience. Gears of War 2 may well increase this fanbase,
but the limitations of the first title may well have cut any further
plans for Downloadable Content in their prime. |
