Gears of War Hands-On

May 10, 2006

For the majority of the gamers who own the system, the most anticipated Xbox 360 game being shown at E3 is Gears of War. We've been eagerly awaiting the game ever since we saw it for the first time at E3 2005, and many people believe that Microsoft won the battle of the E3 press conferences primarily because they kicked it off with the most intense, eye-opening (literally, since most of us were exhausted) demo we've seen in quite some time. Earlier today, we had a chance to check out another section of the level that was shown in the demo, and we were actually able to get our hands on the game for some glorious multiplayer action.

Gears of War tells the tale of one Marcus Fenix, a former military man who's been sent to jail for disobeying the orders of his superior. Of course, once mankind is largely decimated by an army of subterranean creatures called the Locusts, all bets are off, and it's not long before Marcus is broken out of prison by his former partner. In the demo we saw at the Microsoft press conference, Marcus and his buddy had to fight their way through wave after wave of terrifying enemies, but today's demo found them taking a different route. Many of the levels in the game will feature multiple paths, and this one was designed for those gamers that haven't played many shooters. It basically acted as a training mission, allowing Cliffy B to take his time and explain the gameplay mechanics.

While many third-person shooters are run 'n gun affairs, Epic likes to say that the emphasis in Gears of War is on a "stop 'n pop" style of play. This means that, rather than running directly into the action, players are better off using cover to proceed across the war zone. Using said cover is a breeze in Gears, thanks largely to the "All button," which is mapped to the Xbox 360's A button. Once you're facing cover, a quick press of the A button will slam you into place, out of harm's way, and pressing it again will pull you away. When your back's against the wall, you can fire blindly by holding down the right trigger or use the A button in conjunction with the analog stick to roll left or right or hurdle short obstacles.

During those moment when you aren't taking cover from enemy gunfire, holding down the A button will allow Marcus to break into a "roadie run" similar to the running crouch performed by stagehands at a rock show. The camera will zoom in tight while you sprint, shaking wildly as if you're actually being followed by a cameraman. One of the coolest elements in the game is the graphic that will come up at the bottom of the screen that indicates when you can perform a context-sensitive action, such as pressing a button or kicking open a door.

This comes in particularly handy when a "point of interest" is onscreen, and a simple press of the Y button will allow you to focus on whatever important event is happening nearby. We got to see this in action as Marcus shifted his gaze to a helicopter that proceeded to blow up a guard tower. While it wasn't essential to the plot, it allowed the player to become more immersed in the world around him. You'll also be able to switch between weapons and grenades using the D-pad, with a press toward the left equipping Marcus with the gun on his left shoulder.

Once Cliffy was done demoing the game, I was ushered into a small room that housed 16 networked Xbox 360s. We were told that we'd be playing some 4-on-4 Team Deathmatch, with one team playing as COG soldiers (i.e. Marcus and his pals) and the other suiting up on the Locust squad. The level that we played on featured plenty of places to take cover, from raised platforms to burned-out cars.

When the match finally kicked off, my teammates and I charged forward, each of us taking a different path. Since the level was very small, it wasn't long before we were engaged in fierce firefights against our foes. Tracers tore through the air as I took cover against a wall, and I was able to peek around the corner to see an enemy charging toward me. Without warning, I popped out and immediately held down the B button, enabling the now-infamous rifle-mounted chainsaw. As I cut downward through my foe, blood sprayed everywhere and we took the first match.

From the moment the second match kicked off, I could tell that we were in trouble. As I rounded the corner to the spot where the game's powerful grenade launcher was, the teammate next to me was torn apart by a blast to the chest. Sure enough, one of the COG soldiers had grabbed the grenade launcher first, and I knew that it was likely that I was doomed. Thankfully, I noticed a foe fall to his knees in the street in front of me, and I took it upon myself to end his misery. You can be down but not out in Gears, and players can heal their downed foes with a simple press of the X button. Of course, the alternate holds true for enemies, and I quickly crushed my foe's skull with the heel of my massive boot.

When the multiplayer dust finally settled, our team was victorious, and I had a newfound respect for Gears of War. I knew that the single-player game was exciting and intense, but I wasn't prepared for the gory fragfest that comprised the multiplayer mode. It's an absolute blast, and we're hoping that it'll hold up when we finally get to take it for a spin on Xbox Live. While it's a bit early to make any predictions, you can be sure that Gears of War will once again be one of the top Xbox 360 titles at E3.