Gears of War
Platform: Xbox 360
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Epic Games
ESRB Rating: M
Genre: Action
4 Pulses

With all the hype around the launches of the Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii, Gears of War arrives just in time to give the Xbox 360 some extra fire power for the holiday season.

For starters, every inch of the game is beautiful, even without an HD TV. The power of the Xbox 360 is really shown with this gorgeous game. From every drop of blood to every piece of rubble on the streets, the details are amazing.

The environment has a dark and spooky feel which adds to the game’s freaky plot. Oh, and speaking of freaky, just wait until you have to fight the Berserker. I literally jumped out of my seat a few times.

The campaign mode puts players in the role of an inmate named Marcus Fenix. It’s left up to Fenix, his squadmate Dom and the rest of his crew to save the world from the Locust Horde that has risen from the earth’s core. Sounds a little weird, huh? I know, but the thing that makes this game great is not its story, but its gameplay.

Unlike most shooters, which usually place you in an offensive state, Gears relies heavily on defense to succeed. Taking cover and returning fire is the way to play this game. The simple one-button cover system allows players to blind fire, evade, and flank enemy Locusts. And when you’re not taking cover, you’ll be using some heavy fire power to destroy your enemies.

Try using the Torque Bow to stick an explosive arrow on an enemy or, even better, the Hammer of Dawn to send a satellite beam from space to kill off some of the bigger Locusts.

Although the campaign mode is a blast, it may get a little repetitive after a while. Players can choose to play a split screen co-op campaign offline or invite a friend via Xbox Live to join the fun. But the best part of Gears is the Xbox Live Versus mode.

The team-based multiplayer mode allows for eight players to go at it in three different modes. The four-on-four gameplay is based on how many rounds you win and there are no respawns.

For all those people who think Gears of War is supposed to be the “next Halo”, let me tell you it’s not. The game plays and feels nothing like the great Xbox shooter, but is still a great game.

Some could even say the best game on the Xbox 360, well, at least until Halo 3 comes out.