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Wow, just WOW!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 66 / 76
Date: November 08, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Ok, I have the CE version (yes, the tin + the book + the dvd's are well worth the extra $10. I just finished ACT 1 on hardcore in co-op mode with my buddy and I have to say, its the greatest action game Ive played since Metal Gear 1. The berzerker at the end of act1 might go down as top 10 fun boss moments in gaming history (just get there, you will see).
Anyways, here are some reviews from the net..

GameSpy (5/5) - "I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Gears of War is the best-looking game I have ever played. It's a truly stunning achievement in terms of visuals, presentation and sound. Never before have I been given so much to look and marvel at while actually playing an adrenalized shooter. It's a fantastic achievement, and it's also easily the best reason to own an Xbox 360 to date. Now that that's out of the way, I also need to hammer home that while the single-player game is a good amount of fun, Gears' real hook is the superb multiplayer game. You'll be all done with the main story after eight or so hours, and even though there are three difficulty levels to play through, the legs of Gears is certainly in abusing foes online."

TeamXbox (9.6/10) - "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, 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. Finally, the Xbox 360 has the killer app that everyone's been waiting for, a game that should be shown to anyone who doubts the system's power."

360.IGN (9.4/10) - "Gears of War is a must-have game, pure and simple. Epic has effectively created a new gaming universe, and the rich story of planet Sera holds its own with the likes of Hyrule, City 17 and the Mushroom-friggin'-Kingdom. A game so gorgeous, both visually and audibly, that is this fun to play comes along only a handful of times a console generation."

GameSpot (9.6/10) - "Gears of War is a game that capitalizes on all of the promises made by the next generation of gaming. It looks more than a few steps beyond what consoles have been doing to this point, and the gameplay is supremely fulfilling from start to finish in all of its various modes. While there have certainly been plenty of similar shooters before it, the game's great weapons, amazing graphics, and absolutely thrilling action make it stand out from the pack in a big, big way."

EGM/1Up (10/10) - "I can go on and on, but you really need to play this visual and visceral masterpiece for yourself. When you do, you'll find plenty of minor problems, just like I did...but you can always find reasons not to give a game a 10. And while I was playing Gears of War, all I kept running into was reasons to give it a 10."

Game Informer (9.5/10) - "Gears of War is, without a doubt, the must-play Xbox 360 title of 2006. I have some minor qualms with the single-player game, but as a co-op or multiplayer game it's a treat unlike any other. The gameplay is fresh, and the graphics are simply stunning."

Eurogamer (8/10) - "In a sense, Gears of War lives up to expectations in that it's one of the most intensely beautiful-looking games ever made, but is one that plays by the rules in the gameplay stakes. If you want to gorge on a next generation audio-visual feast then Gears of Wars is a king's banquet. But what of the gameplay pudding that Peter Moore so often reminds us that he likes? The proof, he says, is in the eating, and in this case Gears of War sticks to a well-worn recipe."

Yahoo! (4.5/5) - "If you've been wondering why you lined up all night for an Xbox 360 this time last year, agonize no longer. This is the kind of game that sells systems, and if you have the merest action-loving bone in your body - and you can handle the gore, bad language, and short-ish play time -- it's pointless to resist. Gears of War is the best 360 game of 2006."

Games Radar (10/10) - "We were wary of Gears of War and its hype-fueled debut, but actually playing this magnum opus has shoved all doubts from our extremely critical minds. If you own a 360, you owe it to yourself to buy this game (and an Xbox Live account... and broadband internet service if you don't already have either of those). If you like guns at all, you owe it to yourself to buy a 360 just for Gears of War - you will not be the least bit sorry."

X-Play (5/5) - "It's bitchcakes"

GamePro (4.8/5) - "Gears of War may be big and dumb, but it's fun - the video game equivalent of a Jerry Bruckheimer film, maybe. Even calling Gears "fun" doesn't quite seem to do it justice. The game glows in a revelatory way we haven't seen since God of War and Resident Evil 4. If nothing else, it's infinitely more engaging and suspenseful than this year's crop of by-the-books FPS games, and is likely to sell more than a few consoles for Microsoft."

GameTrailers (9.1/10) - "Gears of War is fairly short, and with no vehicles in the multiplayer, its overall longevity could become an issue without adequate post-launch support. But what is here is some of the best gaming to be had this year. The attention to detail--from the heat waves that emanate from discharged weapons to the ultra-gory executions--help it to ascend above the status quo. It borrows many ideas from other games, but manages to perfect almost all of them. It's all the little things that add up to make Gears of War an experience like no other, and one that every adult with an Xbox 360 would be a fool not to experience."

GameBrink (97/100) - "From the amazing experience that is the single player to the well balanced and extremely fun multiplayer to the visuals and beyond Gears is the best game of the year hands down."

Computer & Video Games (9/10) - "For single-player, the pacing is spot-on. You're never doing one thing for too long and there's plenty of variety in the gameplay. One moment you could be attacking a room full of Locust, the next you're defending it from a counter-attack through the front door, navigating around a gun turret or holding a town square as the appearance of emergence hole after emergence hole drops the white blokes all around you."

DailyGame (9/10) - "With this package of graphics and gameplay nuances, Gears of War should have no trouble carrying the Xbox 360's load for the holiday season. Its campaign is both short and unsatisfying from a storytelling perspective, but the actual mechanics of the game and the overall experience are fantastic. It even does a good job of mixing-up its gameplay, not just with the multiple paths, but by including vehicle sections, on-rails segments and turret sequences. Gears of War doesn't break any barriers or push any envelopes totally off the edge, but it does enough to make for an addictive, memorable experience. And for a third-person shooter, that's quite an achievement."

Move Over Halo, Gears is Here.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 36 / 44
Date: November 10, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Gears of War - Circa 2006

GOOD:
- Intuitive cover system which is a great fresh way to approach the overcrowded Action / Sci-Fi / Shooter Market. The Cover systems works well and is easy to pick up it also makes for a fun realistic gameplay experience.
- Intense multiplayer versus action either online or off online with either spilt screen, or system link.
- Great Co-op Gameplay allows two players play through the game from start to end. A co-op player can come into the game at any time and leave at any time.
- Gorgeous graphics, that even look better then the likes of Halo 2, Elder Scrolls 4, and F.E.A.R. (which is saying a lot).

BAD:
- Some might consider the plot Underwhelming.
- No buddies or parties in ranked matches only in player matches (non-ranked games).
- Game is considered short to some.

IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE:
- A Sci-Fi First third Person Shooter (Camera behind the player) with quick pacing (Although slower gameplay) with an emphasis on shooting behind cover.
- Cover Play's a big role in the game much like in Full Spectrum Warrior or Kill Switch
- A slower-paced shooter, focusing on sound tactics rather than brute force.
- This game is not meant for kids or the immature, this game is gory/bloody/violent and has many fowl words. Although you can turn off most of these features
- Co-op and online versus is the big draw here.

GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO:
- Unreal Championship 2 (Xbox)
- Resident Evil 4 (Game Cube/PS2)
- Halo 2 (Xbox)
- Full Spectrum Warrior (Xbox)
- Kill Switch (Xbox/PS2)

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- Many of the game's achievements are in references to movies, and Internet Meme's. For example getting 100 kills online with the Bow & Arrow will net you the "Nuge" Award which is in reference to Ted Nugent (the 70's Rocker) who is known for his love of Archery.
- In the limited collector's edition you will find an art book "Destroyed Beauty", a bonus DVD with the video "The Making of Gears of War" documentary and it comes in a tin case.
- There are 6 new maps for this game two of which are free. The Free ones are Raven Down and Old Bones; the other four maps (called Bullet Marsh, Garden, Subway, and Process) will be free in September (2007) but right now they cost 800 Microsoft Points ($10.00 USD)
- Annex is the new gameplay mode for Gears of War, it automaticaly downloaded to your game once you log you copy of Gears of War on Xbox Live (even if you have a Sliver Account) this new gameplay mode which requires teams to capture and hold certain areas of each map plays much like a King of the Hill gameplay mode from other First Person Shooters.

Lives up to the hype in every way

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 12
Date: November 23, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I'm just going to give you the nitty gritty:

- Graphics are better than just about anything else currently out there. Pretty enough to make you stop and take in the visuals at some points. If you've seen the "Mad World" trailer, then yes, the graphics are THAT GOOD.
- It's loud, has great music and gritty voice acting
- The game is fun in every sense of the word
- Single player is great and the online multiplayer is even better. So good in fact that it's the first game to finally knock Halo 2 off of the top of most played Xbox Live titles online and Halo 2 has been at the top since it's release... what does that tell you?
- The collector's edition is actually worth the extra ten bucks, with a nice tin box, a cool little hardcover book and an informative bonus DVD
- Note to those concerned parents: this game has plenty of foul language and is pretty damn violent. While this is perfect for people like me, a 32 year old gamer, your precious six year old would probably be better off NOT getting this under his Christmas tree. Consider yourself warned.

I have no complaints and it's crazy to think that after all the hype from the past year and a half, the game actually lived up to it. I'd recommend this but if you have an Xbox 360, I'm sure you already have it so I won't bother. But if you don't have a 360, this game is reason enough to buy one. Highly, highly recommended.

Simply Amazing

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: November 14, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Gears of War: Limited Edition (2006, Xbox 360)

The Good:

- Amazing graphics, delivered without any drops in the framerate or graphical annoyances such as a lack of V-Sync
- Excellent gameplay
- Solid controls
- Fun Multiplayer
- Online Co-op through Campaign
- Fun and challenging single player
- Nice, varied environments that don't wear on you.
- You'll want to play through campaign more than once
- Co-op is a blast
- Good enemy AI
- Good level design

The Bad:
- Controls take some time getting used too
- Lack of party system in ranked games
- Story feels thin, could have been told better
- Checkpoint placement could use some work
- Lack of online multiplayer modes

The Ugly:
- Squadmate AI in single player is beyond terrible
- Grades and relationships are likely to suffer

Thoughts:

This game is an absolutely amazing experience, but I can understand that its not for everybody. The violence might turn some off, since this game easily earns its "M" rating. I also know not everyone's a fan of first or third person shooters. However any gamer that doesn't at least give this game a rental is really missing out. This game has amazing graphics, addicting gameplay, and is a great online experience. The gameplay does take some time getting used too, but once you get the hang of it other shooters will feel like they're missing something. This game also makes really good use of the Xbox 360 controllers rumble capability. The controller will often shake when there are big enemies lurking off-screen or while you're in an intense firefight. It really adds to the immersion factor. The Collectors Edition is also a pretty fair value. For ten dollars you get a pretty nice metal tin with a hardcover art book and a special features DVD.

The annoyances are all minor in comparison to the positives. While the fact that you can't play with friends in ranked games is annoying at first, you'll quickly realize that you can't get anything accomplished in multiplayer unless you work with the people around you, which leads to teams of strangers working together extremely well (It's also not that hard to get into a ranked match with your friends, it just takes a little more work than it does in Halo 2). There really isn't much of story being told in Gears of War, with most of the cut-scenes only offering snippets of information you'll find yourself lost if you don't read the background information in the manual or the "Destroyed Beauty" art book that comes in the Collectors Edition. The checkpoints also tend to be placed before cut-scenes instead of after them. This works if your just starting up a saved game from a checkpoint but if you're at a particularly hard part of the game it can get a bit annoying to hear the same dialogue multiple times. There are only three multiplayer modes, and they all have killing people as there primary objective. While that's not a bad thing seeing something like a CTF mode would have been nice. Although these could be added in future updates. The worst thing about this game though is the Squadmate AI in Campaign mode. Your squadmates are idiots, there's no nicer way to say it. They often don't use cover and don't make any attempt to find cover if they're being shot at. It's often easier to just let them sit there bleeding instead of risking your life trying to save them.

Bottom Line:

One of the best gaming experiences you'll ever have. Something every gamer should experience.

Rating: 10/10

Cliffy B and Epic, THANK YOU!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: November 12, 2006
Author: Amazon User

All I can say is how great this game is; it' a masterpiece manifested on a disc. If one were to read the previous reviews than they would be fully aware of this game's glory. I will not re-iterate what his already been stated. I will say, though, to buy this game (every reviewer must say that ha-ha)! Single player, co-op -- which I spent the night playing with my friend, and it's amazing, -- and multi player (online), are all excellent beyond belief. This game will woo you in and won't let go till you realize sleep is your enemy, not the locust. Everyone, happy Emergence Day, and hopefully you already have this game by the time this review is posted. See you online!

This is a tour de force of 360 power

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: November 19, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I think anybody that owns this game is much less concerned about Halo 3. XBOX Live is full of players 24/7 and for good reason. It is excellent online with well balanced games. It is a bit bloody and violent for the younger kids out there and parents should turn down the gore in the menus for them. For the rest of us, enjoy the incredible surroundings. All the little details put into the buildings and streets make them come alive. The campaign is fun, and it isn't too short as some mentioned. It takes a good 10-12 hours the first time through, not 3 like somebody said. It seems like 3 because you can't pull yourself away from this game.
There is a reason why Ranked matches don't have parties. It is so teams end up more even without having to jump in games against 4 friends that play together all the time.
Somebody also complained about getting stuck to walls. They obviosly didn't listen to the training mission. When you run you don't lean against cover unless you hit the "A" button. This is a game for thinkers and not run a and gun button mashers. It requires that you move from cover to cover. This is not a drawback, it is going to set the bar for shooters. Once you get the hang of it you will be sneaking behind people with your chainsaw. Once you stick a grenade on somebody's back and roll away you will never want to play another game.
Buy this game because all your friends will have it. This is the flagship game for the 360 and for good reason. Those people that gave it less than 5 stars, go back to Monkey Ball.

BEST GAME EVER with bonus artwork and metal case

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 9
Date: November 11, 2006
Author: Amazon User

HOLY GOD THIS GAME ROCKS. I thought i would never stop playing HALO 2 but this game is insane. Graphics are the best ever on any system including PS3, the sound is perfectly done, the controls are easy and make shooting, moving, finding cover easy. Online CO-OP wow i am in love. So much action and intensity. BUY THIS GAME NOW!!

HOLY CRAP!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 9
Date: November 13, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This must be the best game ever created. The graphics are uncomperable. The gameplay is untouchable. Everything about this game is amazing. If you have a 360 this MUST be one of the games in your collection, and if you dont you collection sucks! This game makes any collection great, even of you only have golf games!

Beautiful all around ...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: December 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Gears of War ~ EPIC/Microsoft ...

This game is beautiful in every aspect of gaming. The environments are lush and realistic, the gameplay is near flawless, and the character mannerisms are simply amazing. During the single player modes, the cutscenes almost make it seem as if you were watching a movie! It's a great storyline (it did take me a little while to actually play the game and figure out the storyline, the online gaming is soooo addictive!), with a great plot and dialouge. It's also nice to have a friend tag along on the single player missions, they get hard if you choose the harder difficulties. The Allied A.I. isn't always too bright, but who cares, you're the star of the show anyway!

The absolute best part of this game, might I say, is the online gaming. I don't think there is a better multiplayer 1st Person shooter out right now, there never was, and it's going to be very difficult to beat this! I think Lost Planet might give it a run for it's money, but let's take a quick glance at the multiplayer ups and downs ...

Up's ...
Only 4 on a team, so it's rather personalized. With headsets, you and the other 3 teammates can communicate to stratagize. If you kill 1 or 2 enemies, you feel accomplished. Whereas, in a multiplayer game with many players (10+ per team), ya get 1 or 2 kills, and ya feel worthless!

The shooting system/movement system is very easy to get the hang of, but trust me, you're going to want to get the hang of it before playing online! The kids that play online are gooooooood!

The maps aren't too big, but they aren't too small ... I like it! You tend to lose intrest and quit a game when the map is too big, due to the fact that the last 2 combatants standing, are generally wondering around aimlessly looking for each other!

Lastly for the Up's ... you have the ability to host a multiplayer game, but make it public (any/everyone can join) or private (play w/ just gamers whom you invite!)

The Down's (no worries, there's not a lot!) ...
DO NOT ... I repeat ... DO NOT, try learning how to play this game online! The people playing online are unbelieveably good! It's ridiculous! It gets discouraging playing this game online at times, until you've mastered the Sniper Rifle that is (MWWWAAAAHAHAHAHAHA)!

There are a few gliches that need to be worked out. "Frag-tagging" (Sticking an enemy with a grenade), is all too common in multiplayer gaming ... 7/10 times you die, it will be from a grenade stuck to your head. Some of the other weaponry could be patched up, and more weapons could have been added ... but I can patienly wait for a sequel!

Lastly, this game is truly not meant for anyone under the age of ... I personally think, 16. There is a lot of detailed blood and gore, excessive and profane language in the dialogue during the single player campaigns, and the kids you play with online don't usually take too kindly to losing, and they let you know that verbally (Half the time it sounds like your 10 year old neighbor reciting Richard Pryor! F-Bombs are dropped frequently!).

All in all, this game is AWESOME! A++++ to EPIC and Microsoft for a job well done! Watch out though! It's reeeeaallllllllllllllllllyyy addictive! I myslef, along with my roomate and his younger brother, have stayed up to the weee hours of the morning playing this one! Have fun!
~ B.

Great Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: November 08, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game is awesome. It looks great, and once you get used to it, plays great. Got a cool story, with awesome cut scenes. I haven't even gotten to online play because I cant stop playing the single player campaign.

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