Editorial - The Face of the Eighth Generation

With the end of Sony's E3 press conference last night, and the knowledge of both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One being due for a holiday launch, it seems that the Eighth Generation of video game consoles is finally upon us. That is not to say that the next generation hasn't been there; the seeds were planted with the release of Nintendo's 3DS handheld in early 2011, the following year opening with Sony's PlayStation Vita handheld and closing with Nintendo's Wii U, the next generation's first home console. While there are plenty of video gamers, such as those on this blog, who have become comfortable with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3's services and ever improving game library, there may come a time where they will have to decide on a console to take them into the future. Quite a few have already made their choice, whether it was the purchase of a Wii U within its first year or the pre-order of an Xbox One or PlayStation 4 (or perhaps some combination of the three). With the new knowledge pouring in from both the press conferences of E3 and Microsoft's pre-show reveal in May, now is the perfect time to see where the two major players, Sony and Microsoft, have gone right and where they have gone horribly wrong.

Xbox One

Microsoft's Xbox One (from top to bottom): Kinect 2.0, Console, Controller.

Between the two companies, the Xbox One was first revealed at a press event separate to E3. The result was backlash from both gamers and professional journalists, though a number of people remained hopeful that Microsoft would change their tune come E3. In the weeks leading up to the event, the company revealed new information regarding the policies that had proved be unpopular, though they seemed to fail to sway anyone besides the hardcore to their side and the unpopularity has become rather memetic. I'm not going to focus on the reveal event or any pre-E3 information, but rather how Microsoft has managed to handle their new home console as a result of their press conference at E3; basically, what the system is about when all is said and done. First, I'd to take a look at the system specs:

When it comes down to specs, the Xbox One is pretty impressive. It has a good memory and seems like it would be able to process a lot of information at high speeds. The addition of Blu-ray would ensure that more forms of media would be playable and the HDMI would ensure very high quality playback. Taking other facets into account, this is overall a display of how well Microsoft can choose the innards of a device, which some have compared to a gaming PC. However, the shape of the console has earned criticism for resembling a VCR, to the point where Photoshop mock-ups were created depicting the system's games as VHS tapes.

Of course, at the reveal event, Microsoft put a heavy emphasis on how the Xbox One is meant to be an all-in-one entertainment center, which includes being a console and a cable box at the same time, with additional function as a social media center via Facebook, Twitter and (mainly) Skype video chat. With Xbox Live Gold service, you also have access to media such as the movie and video services Netflix and Hulu Plus, along with other such apps for sports tracking and fantasy football stats. While they should probably have talked a bit more about games, aside from the memetic Call of Duty: Ghosts reveal and subsequent all access event, it may have actually been a smart move for them to talk about all the entertainment features then so they could discuss more of the actual gaming at E3.

The memetic dog in question.

With their press conference ending yesterday, it is now a good opportunity to look back at everything Microsoft has said on the subject of their games, their plans for games and how they've handled the backlash to all the strings attached.

Games and Policies

One of the most important things for a system is the kind of entertainment it can provide through its games, and Microsoft made sure to drop some big names to associate with the Xbox One, implying stronger third-party exclusives and first-party offerings. Some of the games announced include Titanfall, Ryse: Son of Rome, Sunset Overdrive, and Dead Rising 3, along with first-party titles like a new Halo, Killer Instinct and Project Spark. Some of these games appear intriguing, as well as show off what sort of tech the Xbox One has in store, but those won't really mean much unless we know how Microsoft is planning to handle their games; we do, and the controversy is there for a reason.

For one thing, Microsoft revealed that, for authentication purposes, users will be required to connect to the company's servers once every 24 hours, so while you don't need a constant internet connection, you still need to have some kind of active connection in order to play single player games, which can be very inconvenient for people with bad internet connections or those on overseas army bases. If you fail to connect, then presumably the game ceases to function. The other big issue is how used games will work, which is another source of contention among prospective users. To summarize, it will be up to the publishers to decide how you will be able to trade in and sell used games to retailers, since these transfers can only be done through participating ones. In addition, you may only loan a game to a friend if they have been in your Friends list for at least 30 days, and even then they may only borrow a given game from you once.

A shot from the trailer for the upcoming Halo game.

Further still, there is the issue of the Kinect 2.0. Microsoft has made sure that Kinect is a big part of the system to the point where it is included with every Xbox One. However, a point of contention here is that the console will not function unless the Kinect peripheral is connected at all times. And while the company has stated that they will not be using it to record data, some still find it a little creepy that the peripheral can see you in the dark, detect your heartbeat and is always watching and waiting for you to wake the system up with the spoken phrase "Xbox On". Fortunately, they have assuaged the fears a little by saying that you can pause the Kinect functionality at any time. On the other hand, there are players who will refuse to use a Kinect to the point that they won't buy the system if it is required for it to function.

Microsoft plans to release the Xbox One in November at a price point of $500, with conversion of the European price points revealing that the console will be even more expensive for non-American users. This price point is pretty steep and only time will tell now if Microsoft's efforts will pay off despite their still somewhat vague stance on policy matters and price tag. Regardless, reactions from Japanese gamers, which include referring to the system as "X1" as a cultural joke, indicate that this may be the final nail in the coffin for the Xbox brand in Japan.

PlayStation 4

Sony's PlayStation 4 (from top to bottom): Console, Controller, PlayStation Eye.

Unlike the Xbox One, Sony revealed information on the console gradually, beginning with a reveal of the controller and a look at the specs, then teasing the look of the console with extreme closeups shortly before Microsoft's reveal event. Following this route, they decided to basically reveal everything at E3, with the reaction being nearly unanimous praise from gamers and professional journalists, as well as a good number of previous Xbox faithful saying that they are officially jumping ship to buy a PlayStation 4 as their console for the next generation. To understand why people reacted so highly to the two-hour press conference, we must first take a look at what is an important change for Sony, that being the console specs:

Table snipped from Game Informer.

Essentially what this means is that not only is the architecture similar to the Xbox One, it is also possibly a little better. I'm not an expert or anything, nor will I claim to be, but the RAM capabilities being 8GB GDDR5 as opposed to the Xbox One's 8GB DDR3 just sounds a little better, along with some of that other stuff in there. I'm not really going to talk much more about this, but it should be noted that the PlayStation 4 resembles a parallelogram, which, while not completely amazing, does seem to stand out a little more than its competitor in the living room. Sony also made a point of saying that the system architecture was based on feedback from developers regarding how they could make games easier to program for the system and the types of features they'd want to take advantage of. In other words, this is the end result of a major company collaborating with developers; a rather important bond.

During their press conference, Sony went out of their way to explain that the system is catered specifically to support gamers, as reflected in their policies (more on that later), though there will still be other entertainment options. They spent the first bit of the conference explaining what sort of apps will be available to use, most of them Sony-related like Crackle and Music/Video Unlimited alongside Sony movies in the Video section of the store and some original content created just for the system. Users will also be able to access services like Red Box, Netflix, Flickster, Hulu Plus and Neon Alley through PlayStation 4. After also discussing what they have planned in the future for PlayStation 3 and Vita, which makes sense considering that they still have an install base to provide for, they went on to blow everyone away with what they had in store for PlayStation 4.

Games and Policies

When Sony began discussing upcoming games for the platform, they made sure to hit it right out of the gate with some highly anticipated exclusive titles; they stated that they will be getting 20 exclusives within a short time after launch, 12 of which would be original IPs. While they did touch more upon upcoming PlayStation 3 titles like The Last of Us and Beyond: Two Souls, some of the games revealed for the PlayStation 4 were, aside from a lot of indie games, The Order: 1886, DriveClub, Knack, Final Fantasy XV and Kingdom Hearts III. While all of the games on display did a great job of showing off the technical feats capable on PlayStation 4, there is still the matter of their policies on games as compared with Microsoft, which is when precisely everyone in the crowd went wild.

For a quick understanding, here is why:

Going for the throat.

Sony basically revealed that their policies are the exact opposite of Microsoft's. There will be absolutely no restrictions on used games, so you can do anything you're currently able to do with current generation games, and there will be no authentication checks of any kind. It was also further evidence that Sony wasn't going to pull any punches against Microsoft's controversial policies. On top of this, Sony announced that, although we don't have a solid release apart from the 'Holiday 2013" window, the price they set for the PlayStation 4 is $399 dollars, a full 20% cheaper than the Xbox One. This solidified the change in support for some of the Xbox faithful and put everyone's fears about the system to rest. However, it should be noted that there is one caveat to all the good news, mainly this image from the reveal:

Specifically the last line.

While there are no restrictions on Single Player content, you will now need to pay for a PlayStation Plus account in order to access Multiplayer content. Before I continue, I should elaborate that this will not prevent you from enjoying services such as Netflix, Hulu Plus or Neon Alley; none of those will require PlayStation Plus to access. Now, there are some differences between Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus services, notably the Instant Game Collection, wherein you can get certain games for free by default, including Gravity Rush, Uncharted 3 (Single Player) and LittleBigPlanet Karting (granted these are more like rentals since the free games go away when you cancel your subscription, but it's enticing nonetheless). As a current user of PlayStation Plus myself, I can tell you that I think the service is very well worth the investment considering what you get for your money and the rotating sales and free game and Beta offers eventually help the service pay for itself, and it's only around $50 a year, curently cheaper than Xbox Live Gold. Plus, if you pay for it once, you can access it on PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4. Still, it's understandable if there are those who are on the fence about the fee.

Final Thoughts

One final point of contention is that neither system will be backwards compatible with previous systems, thanks to the differences in system architecture. However, while Microsoft doesn't seem to have a solution for this, Sony will be using the Gaikai cloud company they purchased in order to eventually create access to older PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 titles possible. Personally this isn't much of a problem, considering that I'm the kind of guy who keeps games and consoles even when something new rolls around, but it's still something worth thinking about.

After Sony's E3 press conference, almost everyone declared that the system had already won not only E3, but the Eighth Generation console war itself. While I support PlayStation 4, I don't think we'll really know for sure until sales for it and the Xbox One begin tallying. I said at the beginning that this editorial would look at the good and bad of both of these systems, but I honestly don't think I see that much wrong with the PlayStation 4 compared to the Xbox One, since it's $100 cheaper and much more developer and consumer friendly. Sony may not have officially won the war just yet, but unless Microsoft changes their ways or does some major backpedaling before launch, it's clear that Sony currently maintains a distinct advantage over its competition. Barring initial sales of these new home consoles, it will be interesting indeed to see how the Eighth Generation console wars will play out.

Gears of War 3 - A Fatal Ending With No Surrendering

So, five months after Gears of War 2, I've finally gotten around to playing Gears of War 3, the very first Xbox 360 game I ever owned. There were other games that had been keeping me busy in the interim, and plus you may have noticed the proximity of this review to God of War III (If you figured out why, then good for you). I've been waiting a while to play this, especially since it came with my Gears of War Xbox 360, so to finally do it after being invested in the series got me wondering if it would meet my expectations. As it turns out, it has.

Unfortunately, the "manual" is not much more than copyright info and a seizure warning, like most games nowadays (thanks, EA), but there is actually a small blurb within it describing the game's premise. Since this and controls are the only things that make this folded paper qualify as a manual in any sense of the word, and due to liking to describe the premise of games which I review, I have decided to borrow heavily from this single paragraph as I do so. After the ending of Gears of War 2, Jacinto, the last stronghold of humanity, has been destroyed. The Locust Horde has driven the Stranded remnants of civilization to the very brink of extinction now that they have swarmed the surface of the planet. And a fearsome new enemy-the Lambent-now threatens to destroy them both. It is now up to Marcus Fenix and the remaining members of Delta Squad to find Marcus' father, Adam Fenix, in order to help destroy the Locust once and for all.

It's Carmine!

What I find interesting about the Gears of War franchise is that every game seems to have a story that is better written and more involved as it goes on, which I find to be a good thing since story is something that I actually care about in a video game. Gears of War 3 is no exception, having been written by science fiction author Karen Traviss. Traviss seems to have a great understanding of the Gears of War universe, as her story is easily the best of the bunch. She writes the characters in a way that shows the deeper connections between them, as well as filling the player in a little more on their lives pre-Delta Squad and how they reverberate to the current situation. Her depiction of the interaction between Marcus and his father is actually very well-written, giving us a sense of their relationship and a reason to care about them. In fact, the plot is done in a way that pretty much every important character is fleshed out very well and we end up caring about them throughout, especially the surprise deaths that have a very meaningful impact on everyone else. To this, I say that Karen Traviss is an excellent writer and a good choice for elevating the quality of the story even higher.

On that note, the single player campaign is actually very good. The levels feel more varied than before, though I could still tell that chest-high walls equals immediate or eventual firefight. Locust and Lambent Locust are introduced at a good pace almost all the way to the end and the introduction of Lambent Humans also created some rather interesting combat scenarios. If I could say one thing though, it would be that a couple of types could easily get annoying, particularly Lambent Stalks and Armored Kantus, the latter of which can only be harmed by explosive ordinance or shooting it in a small area on the face; using a Torque Bow and/or Frag Grenades made these encounters more expedient. On the other hand, the final boss is very challenging and thankfully doesn't go into the realms of annoyance that General RAAM occupied, which made it more satisfying to defeat.

At this point, the gameplay systems are basically the same, but there are some new additions to the weaponry, including the Incendiary Grenade and Sawed-off Shotgun, which allows for experimentation with play styles. Armored suits like the Silverback are also introduced, giving a distinct advantage on the battlefield for as long as its armor can hold out. All in all, the weapons respond very well and all have their own advantages and disadvantages that will surely influence how anyone decides to advance through the game. While I ended up changing my secondary weapon very rarely, I would make sure that I used the Lancer the entire time since I grew to depend on it to help me get through encounters. There may not be any smart bombs, but there are definitely some precision-guided armaments that ensure a more sophisticated way to end up dead.

Or not.

Graphics-wise, Gears of War 3 really pushes Unreal Engine 3 to the limit, utilizing its capabilities in ways that can display both beauty and power. The lighting is much improved and the enemies remain very detailed in a way that you can develop quick strategies simply by looking at what's in front of you. The sounds of the game are also appealing, with voice acting that conveys the characters very well and noises that manage to sound realistic and avoid cacophonous resonance even during the more complex battles. I also really grew to love the sound that plays when a fight was over, since there seemed to be a much higher volume than the previous game.

On another note, I'd like to briefly talk about the different game modes, specifically the return of Horde mode. This mode is similar to what was introduced in the previous game, but has the new addition of command bases, which you must spend money to build up and maintain. The all new Beast Mode is sort of a reverse Horde Mode, in which you spend money to spawn individual Locust to attack a group of humans, either Stranded or COG Soldiers. Due to the changes made in the former, as well as how the latter works, they end up being a lot more fun if you're playing with at least one other person, since your approach by yourself can be significantly different and may end up costing you the match.

So yeah.

Finally, I'd like to bring up the Online Multiplayer component, which is a rare thing for me to actually do, so you're in for a treat. When Microsoft was offering up two months of Xbox Live Gold for $2, I made sure to ride that train for as long as possible. Within this time, I got requests from friends to join in on their matches, so I decided to actually go for it and see what it was like. While I did go through the noob motions at first, I quickly gained speed and figured out how to dominate on the battlefield, even without having the best record among everyone. My play style continued evolving in a short time frame and I was even good enough to beat a modded controller in a Chainsaw Duel, which was actually a surprise to everyone in the party. One of my friends said I was a natural at it, which was great for me because I was actually having a blast. While I have yet to upgrade to Gold again, I found the multiplayer to be excellently done with good balancing and I recommend this feature to anyone with Gold.

Gears of War 3 concludes the saga on a very high note of game design. The story by Karen Traviss is very well written, the graphics are the best it's ever been and the multiplayer is simply fantastic. Fans of the franchise will definitely enjoy this entry in the franchise and shooter fans in general who are looking for their next fix and only care about gameplay should make this their next stop. Newcomers should start from the beginning to aid the story, but if multiplayer is all you care about, should you be in this group, you'll still have a great time.

While Gears of War: Judgement comes out next week, this will unfortunately be the last Gears of War game review that I will get to do for quite a while. If you come back here looking for a review of the next game in the franchise, which takes place at the very beginning, don't expect it anytime soon.

Gears of War 2 - The Gears Keep Turning

Well, it's been about nine months since I first played Gears of War, but I have good reason. After the first game I was ready to play the next entry, but I didn't really have a way to obtain it when I wanted. Fortunately I was able to get a copy of it for my birthday last month and was then able to start and finish it. As a side note, I was going to try and review Otomedius Excellent (you know, the one shmup that all American reviewers hate for no particular reason), but I quickly realized that I wasn't the right kind of person to grant it a proper review (and no, it had nothing to do with that game's anime art style or the clothing decisions of the characters), so I almost immediately swapped it out for this. Anyway, Gears of War 2 is the 2008 sequel to Gears of War, developed by Epic Games. Though four years is a pretty short time frame, or the internet equivalent of eons, it serves as proof that the game has aged gracefully in that time.

As always, I begin with the story (you know, the thing no one seems to pay attention to in shooters anymore). Months after the ending of the first game, COG learns that the lightmass bomb they detonated failed to produce the intended result, with the Locust now returning stronger than ever. As cities continue to sink into the depths of the planet Sera, Marcus Fenix and the rest of Delta Squad are sent into Locust territory to find a way to destroy them once and for all. During this journey, Dominic "Dom" Santiago embarks on a personal quest to find his wife Maria, who had been taken by the Locust horde long ago.

This is the basic idea of the storyline, but its execution is done much better than in the original. No longer does it feel like a bunch of events strung together by a loose plot thread. Now there is sense of urgency, a true sense of war on a much larger scale than what they had shown before. The conflict is also more personal, adding an extra layer to an already deeper story. I personally felt myself becoming more attached to the universe of Gears of War thanks to the true magnitude of the story finally becoming more realized and fleshed out. Dom is also seen as a much deeper character and the heightened emotions of the Delta Squad teammates lets you get to know a bit more about their camaraderie on the battlefield, their real strength when they work together. Plus, the revelation of what exactly happens to Maria Santiago is a truly heartbreaking moment, especially when it's revealed just what the Locust do with the humans they capture.

However, the campaign, which I played on the new Normal difficulty setting, is not without its faults. For one thing, the (strongest) villain Skorge's boss fight, while difficult, is nowhere near as difficult as General RAAM  (not that this lowered difficulty is inherently a bad thing) and he can only be damaged through the newly introduced chainsaw dueling feature, which makes him out to be a rather gimmicky boss. Then there's the final boss, which I won't spoil the identity of, that literally dies in seconds, so it felt rather anticlimactic. The sequence of events that happen up until this point however is nothing short of awesome.

To switch over to gameplay for a bit, there are some improvements to the systems introduced in the first game. While the cover system remains largely the same, it is now possible to pick up downed enemies and use them as meat shields to act as bullet sponges for longer lasting survival. I didn't use this feature too often, but it really came in handy when I needed cover in a pinch (and of course didn't already kill someone). Another feature that's really cool is the aforementioned ability to initiate chainsaw duels between enemies that also posses a Lancer. In a chainsaw duel, the chainsaw bayonets clash until someone gives up and dies. To ensure your own survival in this situation, you must rapidly pound B to overpower your opponent. While this didn't occur too often, I did find this feature to be a great addition, since it takes more advantage of the series' signature weapon.

While these are both fun new abilities, there is something very worth mentioning as far as new battlefield additions go: weapons. The already existing weapons seemed to have some tweaks done to make them more balanced (no longer will I lean on the shooter strategy of "pick the shotgun and win"), but brand new ones are introduced, and I love almost all of them. Two of these will lower walking speed while in use, but they come with some serious firepower in return. The chain gun can be used as a cover mount and the mortar cannon can rain death from above; I liked using the former more, but only because at times it seemed a little difficult to determine the correct distance with the latter. The flamethrower allows one to attack multiple enemies at once, which gave me a sense of power while using it, and the Gorgon pistol, which fires in bursts of four shots at a time, was actually good enough for me that I would always take that over the regular pistol whenever possible. The last one is the ink grenade, which is a grenade that emits a poison cloud instead of an explosion, but it just wasn't the weapon for me. In fact, I couldn't really tell the difference while playing (does it have anything to do with me playing on a standard def television?).

Then there are the enemies themselves: The Locust. There are some new locust types to keep things interesting and the firefights long. While I don't quite remember the names of the new additions off the top of my head, except for the infected Lambent Locust I do remember that they showcased the new weapons to a sometimes brutal degree, which made them fun to overcome. However, I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that only one new type particularly pissed me off: Tickers. They make a sound that eventually becomes annoying and they move too fast for proper aiming. Plus, they explode.

The level design in the campaign was very good. Checkpoints are well located, for the most part anyway, and the environments are all unique from each other. Sections would sometimes come with a unique environmental challenge, including one where Marcus has to dodge razorhail, hail that is presumably as sharp as razors, while moving through a train yard with plenty of open sections. It is challenges like these that really spice up the events and help make the game more memorable in its ability to do so. What helps are the improved graphics, which help to truly capture the feel of each environment and display its full nature, including a stretch that takes place in an realm that is completely organic.

While I haven't really played the online multiplayer, since I actually play games for their stories, I did actually try out the new Horde Mode, a wave based survival mode that pits the player against up to 50 different groups of Locust on several maps. The challenge is certainly present, especially if you go it alone, but the result is no less enjoyable (except for those pesky Tickers). I liked playing through Horde Mode for a bit and wonder now just how much better it is when playing with friends. However, I do have a complaint about the lack of a local multiplayer option for this mode, since I believe that more games should be able to do that.

As a sequel, Gears of War 2 is proof that what started in the original can indeed get better as it goes on. The story is better written and its most awesome moments make it unforgettable, there is more variety in combat and Horde mode is an excellent addition to the franchise (which would then be included in every shooter ever made). Though the bosses end up being underwhelming, the strengths totally outweigh the weaknesses. I can't wait to play the next installment and in the mean time would highly recommend what is definitely a future classic for the Xbox 360; It's one of the best I've played so far.

Gears of War - The Invasion Has Begun

Soon after Christmas had ended, I decided to use money I had been saving over a few months to purchase the Gears of War Xbox 360. While the console did come with Gears of War 3, I felt it would be best to play the other games first in order to help the story. After borrowing the first game from a friend, I can now proudly introduce Gears of War as this blog's first ever Xbox 360 review. As a game developed by Epic Games in 2006, Gears of War is still enjoyable today, though I did find some things off about it.

The first thing to address is the story. If you don't read the manual or idle at the Title Screen for a few seconds, the game drops you into conflict with little to no explanation as to what led up to it. The best explanation given is that the Locust have been invading the planet Sera since an event known as Emergence Day, which led to the government using a Scorched Earth tactic on every invaded city. The continuing invasion leads in turn to the main character Marcus Fenix getting released from prison; he was in there in the first place for disobeying orders. After being taken out, he rejoins his fellow Gears soldiers in the Delta unit of COG (Coalition of Ordered Governments) to aid in wiping out the Locust threat.

And that's about it. The story is really more of a series of events tied to the invasion and what Delta Squad does about it. I didn't find myself engaged in it too much because of this, since their efforts don't really amount to much in the long run. Still, even if the plot doesn't go anywhere, it was interesting anyway and I kind of want to see what happens next in the overall storyline. The characters are also interesting to interact with, but I still couldn't find myself getting emotionally attached to them.

The gameplay mechanics on the other hand are fantastic. The emphasis on getting to cover during a firefight is aided by an excellent system that allowed me to do what I wanted with ease and allow good tactical precision. Occasionally I would stick myself to an object I wanted to navigate around, but it was more my fault than anything. I also liked the Active Reload system, where the player can double tap the reload button on a meter similarly to a sports game in an attempt to reload faster. Hitting the button at the right time will give a much faster reload time, with a perfectly timed press offering extra damage. Miss however, and your gun will jam and delay the timing more than if you didn't do anything at all. Once I got the hang of it, it made my tactics a lot faster to implement.

Encounter design is done very well too, with deaths attributed more to the fault of the player and checkpoints placed mostly in right areas. What also helps is that the overall AI is smart enough to aid Fenix without getting in the way, as well as make it somewhat satisfying to overcome. I wish I could say the same for boss encounters, which for the most part weren't very challenging due to employing simple strategies to take them down. The final boss on the other hand felt a bit too overpowered due to all of the elements in place to make sure that beating him even on Casual is extremely difficult. The only way I was able to pass was to take advantage of a glitch where he stayed in one spot the whole battle. Incidentally, this was also the only major glitch I could detect from the game.

I also enjoyed wielding the various guns in the game, especially the iconic Lancer/Chainsaw Bayonet. Getting up close and personal to dispatch Locust with that weapon was always incredibly satisfying as blood showered everywhere and onto the camera. The other weapons handle very well and act accordingly, though the Hammer of Dawn, while awesome, has an admittedly underwhelming size for a laser beam that rains down from the sky.

On the technical side of things, I loved how detailed everything was down to the guns and environments, but especially so on the living objects. Sometimes when reloading a checkpoint though, the textures can visibly take a few seconds to fully appear. Voice acting was also good, even if the occasionally humorous dialogue falls flat some of the time. The music on the other hand was fantastic to listen to, with a great score that kept me playing until the end.

Overall, Gears of War was a very enjoyable experience that helped to justify owning an Xbox 360. Even when stumbling in some places, Epic Games created a solid campaign that I hope will be improved upon in Gears of War 2. If you're playing on a 360 for the first time like me, I would give this a good recommendation. Here's to the first of hopefully many 360 reviews to come.