GoW

Gears of War®—a third-person tactical action/horror game—is being developed by Epic Games exclusively for Microsoft Game Studios and the Xbox 360™ video game system. As Marcus Fenix, you fight a war against the immense Locust Horde, which not only out powers but outnumbers you, your squad, and the entire force of the Coalition of Ordered Governments. Gears of War is the only game to blend a deep and disturbing story of human survival against an endless mass of nightmarish creatures, a next-generation tactical combat system, and unsurpassed visuals and special effects. The story unfolds as a ragtag group of soldiers use every last ounce of strength to survive the onslaught from the forces of evil, which begins on the historic Emergence Day.

Gears of War is designed for gamers aged 18 and older, who seek a deeper and more connected story that revolves around mature themes and depictions. The massively scoped worlds, memorable characters, and epic story line of Gears of War play out like an intense and unsettling Hollywood blockbuster action film. Movie-quality cut scenes, cinematic camera moves, and in-game storytelling bring the brutal, emotionally charged narrative to life, and this narrative remains alive because it is seamlessly controlled by you, Marcus Fenix.

Gears of War is not a game that’s played but rather experienced. Epic is creating some of the most memorable moments in gaming history, and players will share and recall this experience for some time to come. Gears of War is not just a shooter. You’re not just thrown into a Locust-infested village and led to mow down everything in sight; instead, realistic situations immerse you in the action. While some games can indeed convey a sense of fear, Epic intends to strike at the reality of fear. The entire atmosphere is designed to lock you in place while white-knuckling your controller and feeling your heart pumping in your ears. Epic’s goal is an exhilarating ride through the travesty of Sera surrounding you right in your living room.

The use of cover has existed since the advent of the shooter, and it has progressed in many forms. This past generation introduced new elements such as destructible environments and the ability to go prone, but Epic is taking it a step farther by creating a deeper and more useable cover experience through context sensitivity and intuitive controls.

Although cover is the key to survival in Gears of War, it is transient, so cowering behind an object for an eternity is no longer an option. Enemies can easily blow away different types of cover you use, leaving you vulnerable to shell-shock. Likewise, enemies have the same tools at their disposal, and the advanced AI ensures they’ll use it just as effectively as any human would. And throughout all of this, gunfire is blazing over your head and explosions are becoming second nature. Gears of War is setting the stage for a frantic and lethal battlefield with each and every encounter, and the dynamic cover will add another grizzly layer to this.

Gears of War takes squad-based combat to the next level. Epic is developing a highly advanced game that allows computer-controlled characters to behave like intelligent human beings. They’ll make their own decisions, treat their own wounds, return fire, and seek cover when the action gets hairy. They’ll still take orders from you, but they don’t need to be babied. They’re highly trained soldiers, and the design reflects this.

Gears of War is team-oriented because the Epic designers know that no war is fought alone. As a result, increased emphasis is placed on cooperative multiplayer—success cannot be achieved by going at it alone. If you decide to sport a headband and do your best Rambo, you’ll be cut down in short order. It’s all about working as one well-oiled machine, and those who work together are well rewarded.

Epic is also working hard to blend together the single and multiplayer aspects of the game. You’ll have to wait until the final product to see what we’re talking about, but we’re certain you’ll be blown away. Let’s just say we’re giving you yet another compelling reason to join the millions of Xbox Live® subscribers.

Right off the bat, the screenshots tell you why Gears of War isn’t possible on any other platform. With Unreal Engine 3, Epic is attaining a heightened sense of visual reality never thought possible. Add the high-definition support to the mix, and you have one of the most beautiful titles imaginable.

In addition to the visuals, Microsoft Game Studios has another trump card that ensures Xbox 360 is the only platform worthy of Gears of War. The multiplayer aspect of the game will blow you away faster than the horde, and the next-generation online features of Xbox Live are the only ones in the industry that can truly deliver this experience. It’s not one single element of the network but the entire package: the solid network code, the user-friendly interface, the gamer cards, and the backing of the largest community of online console gamers. The only way to play Gears of War online is to be connected to your teammates, and the only way to stay connected is through Xbox Live.