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At
A Glance
We examine what makes Gears of War so special and why
it's important to the world of next-gen gaming.
With Gears of War® now reaching
its six month anniversary at retail, it's worth looking at
how this blockbuster Xbox 360™ game has changed the
face of next-gen gaming and become a near instant classic
among game players. From its jaw-dropping graphics to the
exquisitely refined cooperative play and slick, tactical multiplayer
option, it’s the small design decisions and features
that have pushed Gears of War from being merely good to being
undeniably great.
Beaten, battered
and beautiful.
Benchmark Presentation
The brilliance of the Star Wars movies lay in their presentation
of a "lived in" universe: the Millennium Falcon
was a dump, C-3PO and R2-D2 were constantly scuffed up, and
the X-Wing fighters looked scratched, burnt and dented. Gears
of War employed this vision with their "destroyed beauty"
concept, and it has succeeded brilliantly.
Most developers are content just to
get a texture "right." But the Gears of War team
labored long and hard to create truly breathtaking environments,
and then they took a wrecking ball to them. Even our hero,
Marcus Fenix, is scarred and greasy, and his armor looks beat
to hell. Every console needs a visual benchmark and Gears
of War has given Xbox 360 its graphical showpiece. Impressive
as that may be on its own, its real importance is as a goal
for other next-gen developers to reach toward.
Let's face it, everyone
lights up a little when they hear that satisfying "click"
and know the next few bullets have that extra bit of oomph.
Integrated Co-op Play
Cooperative gameplay is not a new feature. We've been teaming
up with friends in action games since the days of Double Dragon,
but Gears of War may offer the most finely tuned, seamlessly
integrated cooperative gameplay yet seen. This is largely
due to the fact that it is a cooperative game even when you
play alone.
Instead of taking the easy way out
by doubling up on enemies when a partner jumps in, Epic designed
every level with cooperation (whether with the A.I. or a friend)
in mind. Dominic is nearly as essential to the mission design
as Marcus himself. In a fascinating twist, playing co-op online
isn't drastically easier than playing alone, it's just more
fun.
Working together
never played so good.
Active Reload
It may seem like such a small detail (and it is) but the addition
of Active Reload fundamentally changes the action experience.
Taking a simple button press and making it an immersive activity,
further engages the gamer and adds an appropriate level of
tension.
Of equal importance is the accessibility
of Active Reload. The initial button tap and fast moving meter
simply make sense, and let's face it, everyone lights up a
little when they hear that satisfying "click" and
know the next few bullets have that extra bit of oomph. Instant
gratification that still requires skill is a beautiful thing.
Action Meets Common
Sense
Though much of Gears of War could be called over the top (chainsaw
kills anyone?), the essence of the combat is rooted in common
sense. For example, you can't run and gun at full speed, because
it takes effort to aim. You can't carry unrealistic amounts
of gear. And standing out in the open is a sure way to find
yourself taking a dirt nap.
Chief among the common sense features
is Gears of Wars' reliance on cover. First, while taking cover
just makes sense, it also allows you the freedom of time to
make strategic decisions. Where other games require constant,
schizophrenic movement, Gears of War permits you to catch
your breath, examine the battlefield and develop a plan of
attack. Sure, it moves fast, but not at the breakneck, twitch-happy
pace of other shooters.
Honorable mention
for weapon balance.
The Game's Post-Release
Growth
Along with games like The Elder Scrolls® IV: Oblivion™
and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Vegas, Gears of War continues
to not only improve, but evolve over time. Downloadable content
is no longer a wish for top-tier titles, it's practically
a requirement.
Gears of War isn't out to produce a
couple of new maps and call it a day. Instead, Epic is willing
to fundamentally change the way you play the game and make
corrections where appropriate. For example, the recent update
introduced the Annex multiplayer game mode, and for online
Gears of War veterans, using capture points represents a monumental
shift in strategy. You may have also noticed that you can
no longer spot the names of the hosts of Ranked matches, ensuring
that glitchers can't load up veteran teams to prey on a band
of strangers.
While critics may maintain that much
of what makes Gears of War great has been done before, I would
submit that it's not the individual features that make the
game but the total combination of every feature, bell, and
whistle working so harmoniously together. It's that package
that has made Gears of War one of the most popular Xbox 360
game titles and an instant classic of gameplay.
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Article by Ryan Treit
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