Gears of War (Microsoft/Epic)

I'm not always the most connected person when it comes to the world of gaming. Nor do I really care to be. Don't get me wrong, I love video games, but usually not the crowds that follow. So up until I moved to Japan, I had a few consoles, but played recreationally, never delving into any game outside my living room. Things weren't much different after moving here.

At first...

A friend and neighbor and video game enthusiast (to a degree), Norm, introduced me to the world of the Xbox 360, and all the wonders that almost make you forget (happily) that it isn't owned by Microsoft. The first game we played was this, Gears of War. This is really the game that decided it for me, and now I'm part - in-part- of the Microsoft family.

The story of the game is a bit vague at the moment, so I'm going to fill in what I think the missing pieces are at the moment...

Story

You inhabit the virtual body of Mr. Marcus Fenix, a man who once owned a very successful flower shop in the heart of the Starbucks infested, 'Blue' city. Life was wondrous for the young Fenix. He was rich, had a beautiful girl, and enough daisies to fill the hearts of all with happiness unending. That is, until Emergence Day.

The Locust, a fanatical group of Daisy-haters, and Republicans, dig their way out of the ground and start, as Republicans often do, shooting up the place. All seemed lost. So the Dems did something unexpected... they blew the crap out of everything. This made the Locust very angry as that was their job.

Several increments of time later, your friend, Mr. Santiago lets you out of prison. You'll remember him as the owner and operator of several Starbucks located across the street from your flower shop. Being there due to some pollen-related incedent, you're glad for the stretch. Now it's pay-back time for the loss of all your precious azaleas.

Your job, if you chose to not to go back to prison, is to find - ultimately - several ways of blowing the crap out of the Locust. On the way, you'll meet a veritable rainbow of former shop-owners and entertainers, such as Cole - former thrashball player and office line-backer, and Baird - the local mathlete.

The Game

This is an over the shoulder, third-person shooter and one of the first games of the type to employee a cover system, allowing you to duck behind rubble and wreckage. While most of the time this system works, and works well, instances of it's flaws rear their ugly heads. The most noticeable of times is when I can't for the life of me actually get OUT of cover. Instead, I start flying from wall to wall, loosing all perspective on the battle. Sometimes this has actually helped me out - hilariously - when being swarmed by the little doggy-like Locusts, the Wretches.

The graphics are pretty keen, mister. The level of detail that went into the game is great. I love seeing little torn posters occasionally, faded into the ruins of the city. I love knocking things over like bottles and cutting the crap out of furniture with me chain-saw. If Gears of War were a logging-competition game, I wouldn't love it any less. What I don't really like about it is the shininess of it all. I think that that which is meant to be bright goes a bit too far. I'm just glad I wear UV protected glasses.

The physics of the game are interesting. Not bad, the problem comes when I kill something that is so big that it should take all my guys to lift it's arm, I can kick it around like my wife does to me - way too easily. If Gears of War were a soccer game that uses bodies instead of balls, I wouldn't love it any less.

As with any game, there are glitches, however, and this one is no different. I love it when an enemy gets stuck in a place that I can't reach him - but of course, I have to kill him to continue.

And as with many games, there are cheap bosses, and this one is no different. I still haven't killed that frakkin' Raam on the hardest difficulty. It's impossible for a casual gamer like myself. Impossible I say! Damn you!

I'm not even going to get into mutliplayer as I haven't even tried it. I might just wait until the second game until that happens.

In The End...

This game is infinitely re-playable. I have picked it up and played it all the way through on at least four or five occasions since buying it. It's intensely fun, and fun to play with a friend sitting next to you who will laugh at and/or with you every second of the way. Check it out!

Go to Xbox's Gears of War page.