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Microsoft had enjoyed having the only next-gen console out on the market for quite some time, but they lacked a killer game. They didn't have any franchises of their own either, apart from Halo 3 which was not due to be released for quite some time. People had bought the console due to the promise of true next-gen gaming, but up until the release of Gears of War; all they had been given were games with prettier graphics and as a result, what seemed like empty promises from Microsoft. The gameplay and the experience hadn't seemed to evolve at all.

So, it wouldn't be an understatement to say that the expectations were high for Gears of War. It needed deliver for both the fans and Microsoft. Epic Games, the game's developer, was no stranger to game making though. They had titles such as Unreal under their belts and so they were capable of delivering. But did they? The answer would be a yes with regards to making a game that showed what the Xbox 360 and other next-gen consoles could do.

Story:

The game's story is not its strong point. It does do enough though to give a reason for the action that takes place and to propel the game forwards.

The game takes place on a planet called Sera. Humans have colonised the planet but unbeknown to them, there was an alien race that lived underground. They remained hidden for quite a few years until one day. That day would become known as Emergence Day, the day that the Locust horde emerged and began laying waste to everything the humans had built.

Years after Emergence Day, most of the humans have left. This is when the game starts. Players will take control of Marcus Fenix. When he is first introduced, he's locked up in a cell. He had been thrown in jail for trying to save his father. However, moments after he first appears, a character called Dom appears and springs him from jail. He rejoins the army and is assigned to the squad Dom belongs to. After their leader is killed, Marcus is promoted to Sergeant and becomes the squad's leader. The squad is ordered to find the resonator, which will enable the military to map the tunnels below the planet's surface where the Locust live. If Marcus and his squad succeed, then the military would send a Lightmass Bomb down into the tunnels to wipe the Locust out.

That's the plot in a nutshell.

Gameplay:

The game is played from a third-person perspective and is obviously an action game with plenty of shooting. If the player wants to live, then they will need to place a heavy emphasis on cover.

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