Gears of War

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3029 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,457 out of 3029
  2. Mixed: 306 out of 3029
  3. Negative: 266 out of 3029
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  1. MichaelM.
    Nov 26, 2006
    10
    This game was amazing! Me and my brother were so pumped by the commercial that we went out and bought a 360 just for it. We hooked it up to a 55 inch sony xrd and played 1080i, and i can honestly say that this game has perhaps the greatest graphics displayed by any game yet. Just makes my mouth water for the ps3's unreal 2007 (which uses the same engine). We played coop for about 7 This game was amazing! Me and my brother were so pumped by the commercial that we went out and bought a 360 just for it. We hooked it up to a 55 inch sony xrd and played 1080i, and i can honestly say that this game has perhaps the greatest graphics displayed by any game yet. Just makes my mouth water for the ps3's unreal 2007 (which uses the same engine). We played coop for about 7 or 8 hours, and it was fantastic!! The story line is great, the gameplay is great, and it was tough! (if you play on the harder of the 2 settings, it took us 15 times to beat different parts. And now i look forward to beating it on the newly unlocked insane mode. Being a very experienced gamer, and very picky, I can honestly say this game lived up to all the hype, I enjoyed its campaign even more than i enjoyed the Ps3's resistance:fall of man, campaign. Now its time to hook it up and play online, dont be deceived by people who hate on this game, other than maybe the campaign wasnt quite as long as i had hoped, i had a hard time finding anything wrong with it. Thats enough rambling... im gonna go play Gears Of War.… Expand
  2. JohnS.
    Nov 27, 2006
    2
    I must be a jaded gamer now. This is the first time I've ever bought such a highly rated game and felt so let down. Maybe I just find the game boring and the controls terrible because I play pc games where the controls are precise and the action faster and more interesting. The graphics didn't wow me, the terrain is all flat and it's nearly impossible to distinguish enemy I must be a jaded gamer now. This is the first time I've ever bought such a highly rated game and felt so let down. Maybe I just find the game boring and the controls terrible because I play pc games where the controls are precise and the action faster and more interesting. The graphics didn't wow me, the terrain is all flat and it's nearly impossible to distinguish enemy foot soldiers from your teammates. And everythign in the game is either metallic or brown. The duck and cover game play is not only repetitious but extremely buggy. Melee is pretty wonky. And perhaps the most unforgivable thing about the experience is that after exactly 7 hours of owning the game I had beaten it.. At least coop was kind of fun. Maybe I've been around too long and played too many games but I can honestly say I had MUCH more fun playing the new Zelda and Final Fantasy this Thanksgiving. At least I expect the resale value of my GOW to be relatively high.… Expand
  3. JohnG.
    Nov 28, 2006
    7
    The game play if fun and the coop is great but the game is to short and it doesn't really feal like a big battle when you only face 6 to 8 bots at once and they can be dumb as heck. and only 4v4 online is crap I like a big battle.
  4. JDKim
    Dec 11, 2006
    10
    Its a fantastic game because of overall gameplay. Single player could've been longer and details should've been more thorough.
  5. Alan
    Dec 12, 2006
    9
    Outstanding game. Being in the military, this game has some of the most realistic war tactics I have ever scene in a game, and it still puts that futuristic, imaganitive icing on the cake. My only regret is that the single player mode leaves me salivating and wanting more. It will be hard for "run n gun" halo players to adjust, but for me it felt right at home.
  6. ChrisD
    Dec 13, 2006
    9
    'Daniel F.', if you're going to make a 'review', make it more than something like that. That's just pathetic. You didn't even state why you didn't like the game. Guess it's just another fanboy.

    Anyway, Gears of War is easily one of the greatest gaming experiences I have ever had. Playing through the co-op campaign with a friend is    'Daniel F.', if you're going to make a 'review', make it more than something like that. That's just pathetic. You didn't even state why you didn't like the game. Guess it's just another fanboy.

    Anyway, Gears of War is easily one of the greatest gaming experiences I have ever had. Playing through the co-op campaign with a friend is definitely an intense experience. While the cover system is a little rough around the edges, the controls are pretty seamless once you get the hang of them. Active reloading is one of the coolest features I've ever seen as well. If you're looking for a gory, intense, and beautiful shooter, look no further.    … Expand
  7. JasonA.
    Dec 13, 2006
    10
    Most bad ass game out there its fun as hell especialy on insanity and for those retards that think its suck go analy rape yourselves for being re-tard-ed i mean whats more bad ass run up chainsaw a guy in half back up in cover frag them shot gun there face off if there close and still think its hard very orriganal very good looking for more games in the future props
  8. TylerS.
    Dec 18, 2006
    10
    This game is the greatest game that I have ever played to this date. I have beaten it and love to play it online. The use of the chainsaw is the beyond words and the y effects are the best. This game is very challenging and has a great cover system. I'm glad that I got it the day that gears came out.
  9. F.G.
    Dec 19, 2006
    10
    It is at least 10 time better than Halo2 I liked it more than all the other game I have there is great graphics and a really good history. That's why i give it a great 10 on 10
  10. FelipeM.
    Dec 27, 2006
    8
    This game is the real deal. It has the most awesome graphics, and the gameplay is really neat. But, it only lasts 5 hours and it is really easy. Of course, not counting the hardcore version nor the team strory. Otherwise, the multiplayer is real fun, but it is only available for two players, not counting the online version of it.
  11. AlecB.
    Dec 28, 2006
    8
    I'm not really an Xbox 360 fan at all. I own a ps3 ,ps2,x-box,and psp but when I heard how good this game is I spent my Christmas money on 360 and Gears of War and I was amazed how great this game is. It is no Halo 2 but pretty damn close. The fact that you can use chainsaws to cut people in half is great. The only reason now I'm keeping 360 is Gears of War and Halo 3 when it I'm not really an Xbox 360 fan at all. I own a ps3 ,ps2,x-box,and psp but when I heard how good this game is I spent my Christmas money on 360 and Gears of War and I was amazed how great this game is. It is no Halo 2 but pretty damn close. The fact that you can use chainsaws to cut people in half is great. The only reason now I'm keeping 360 is Gears of War and Halo 3 when it comes out in nov 07, those are the only 2 games 360 is made for.… Expand
  12. StephenR.
    Dec 31, 2006
    8
    Here at the things you aren't getting in the other reviews, for better or worse. This game is VERY short, but at the same time intense. There are a couple of levels of badly designed crap (the light "gun" shooting at bats, is maddening). The game is really really pretty, and for the most part well executed. The other things that are missing are a lack of being able to affect or Here at the things you aren't getting in the other reviews, for better or worse. This game is VERY short, but at the same time intense. There are a couple of levels of badly designed crap (the light "gun" shooting at bats, is maddening). The game is really really pretty, and for the most part well executed. The other things that are missing are a lack of being able to affect or interact with the scene, if they put a bottle on a table you should be able to blow it off. The fact that it tells you that you can control that guys, but you really can't, is also a negative. There is nothing worse than trying to flank a dude shooting at you and having the guy who was suppressing them stop shooting and follow you. The games 'brothers in arms" and "freedom fighters" have the best player control of NPC's that I've seen, I hope that game developers take note of that at some point. I would suggest playing the game, but renting before you buy. Replay value may or may not be high enough to warrant $60. This game is better than HALO. HALO was always overhyped. The graphics are better, the action is better, the villians are "smarter." This is as close to the joy of Half Life 2 that you can play on the 360.… Expand
  13. PaxtonC.
    Nov 19, 2007
    7
    decent. Looks great, but Epic made a mistake by trying to impress the community with real-time-rendered cinematics. They just don't look as good as they could. Fun campaign, but I wasn't a fan of the multiplayer, the achievements were too hard to get. Also, no ranking system makes for a highly unbalanced matchmaking. RENT first, THEN buy.
  14. KadathB.
    Dec 17, 2007
    10
    Epic used to have a much larger name- 'Epic Mega Games'. Gears of War is their first game to truly be Epic, or a Mega Game, since the original, and still best, Unreal. In fact, it's sweeter. Gears of War is a thrill ride. It is not a BioShock style 'choose your own adventure' game where the gameplay changes based on ones decisions in the gameworld, it is rather a Epic used to have a much larger name- 'Epic Mega Games'. Gears of War is their first game to truly be Epic, or a Mega Game, since the original, and still best, Unreal. In fact, it's sweeter. Gears of War is a thrill ride. It is not a BioShock style 'choose your own adventure' game where the gameplay changes based on ones decisions in the gameworld, it is rather a movie-quality thrill ride, you strap in, let the graphics and sound suck you in, and then let the rest of the game blow you away. Gears of War is the only true 'Adventure' game that also plays like a shooter. While it's story is not the greatest, it's thrills are worthy of Indiana Jones and Alien. It's adventure and horror, fun and gore. In fact, speaking of Indiana Jones, one of my favourite parts is a section where you go for a ride in a mining cart. This is like one of those Hollywood blockbusters that may not have much to say in it's word or message, but everything else is just.. FUN. Despite it's dark premise, theres quite a bit of humour and adventure, and even a few pretty damn creepy moments, including a couple nods to it's inspiration, Resident Evil. Gears Of War is not entirely on the rails though, you do get to play the game, and it is a unique game at that. The strategy involved is minor, but the cover system is the first in any game to truly be unique and entertaining. It gets even better online, where Strategy does show it's true form, though balls to the wall splatterfests [where you massacre the other team as a one man army] can sometiimes be more exhilarating leading your team to victory, if your team is exceptionally bad. The graphics are gorgeous. The music is great, except for a couple out of place metal guitar riffs, and the guns sound like guns, and the villains sound menacing. The dialogue isn't brilliant, and the characters are thin, but their characters are brought out by great points of humour and good voice acting (Except for Fenix, who tries to hard to sound like a Vin Diesel with rocks stuck in his throat.). The game is truly Epic, and it is worth playing through several times just to enjoy the experience, and the multiplayer is there if Singeplayer games get old to you after awhile. It's a great package, and a truly Epic game.… Expand
  15. JacoboT.
    Dec 18, 2007
    10
    It deserves an 11. I used to love halo, now it is nothing in comparison. This game in comparison to Resistance: Fall of Man is amusing, resistance is like a dumb little kid, and gears is a grown super-genius with a machinegun.
  16. jonathan
    Aug 13, 2010
    10
    Easily one of my favorite games of all time. It's one of my favorite campaigns to play and I find the story missions very enjoyable to play. Especially Marcus Fenix. He's just a badass! Otherwise, the campaign is not too long and not too short either. On easiest, it'll take around 6-7 hours, which is not bad at all for games nowadays. Playing on Insane, however, will take anEasily one of my favorite games of all time. It's one of my favorite campaigns to play and I find the story missions very enjoyable to play. Especially Marcus Fenix. He's just a badass! Otherwise, the campaign is not too long and not too short either. On easiest, it'll take around 6-7 hours, which is not bad at all for games nowadays. Playing on Insane, however, will take an extremely long time. Multiplayer is not the best but during development, it was considered not being included. The sequel, Gears of War 2, features an expanded multiplayer component. Overall, Gears of War is an excellent game with stunning visuals, intriguing gameplay and a whole lot of blood.… Expand
  17. niconline
    Oct 29, 2012
    9
    It's a rarity that a game gets as much hype as this game got, and even more rare that it lived up to that hype. Even 6 months after its release it's still going strong. This day in age, that's a lifetime for an online shooter. In the tradition of Goldeneye and Halo, this is a game for the ages.
  18. kpheg5953
    Aug 15, 2010
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Two of the coolest, most brutal, over the top weapons I have ever seen are introduced in this game. The Lancer is incredible. A high powered assault rifle with a bayonet that is a chainsaw sounds a bit ridiculous I know, but it is ridiculousness that sets games like Gears of War apart from other similar games. The second weapon I speak of is the Torque Bow. If anything could put this game over the top of the threshold of total gruesomeness, it is the Torque Bow. For all intents and purposes, this thing is a cross bow that fires exploding arrows! What more could a gamer (or COG soldier) ask for? On top of the awesome weapons, there are good characters (with good voice acting), fun objectives, a really cool and simple duck and cover system, plus an easily detestable horde villains. My only complaint, and the reasoning behind my 9 rating rather than 10, is that the campaign is kind of short. However, the game is fun enough to play through again, especially because once the game is played through, you unlock "Insane" difficulty.… Expand
  19. AngryNewYorker
    Aug 24, 2010
    10
    Where there's hype, there's people who hate it. One reviewer admitted loving Gears for 3 weeks straight, then reaching a completely turnaround after trying the multiplayer. Then he rips on the singleplayer. So, what, you just looked at the box for 3 weeks? If you're going to be critical of a game, let it be based on something. What do I think of Gears? The game's pretty good. Pretty,Where there's hype, there's people who hate it. One reviewer admitted loving Gears for 3 weeks straight, then reaching a completely turnaround after trying the multiplayer. Then he rips on the singleplayer. So, what, you just looked at the box for 3 weeks? If you're going to be critical of a game, let it be based on something. What do I think of Gears? The game's pretty good. Pretty, pretty, pretty good.… Expand
  20. Smartacus
    Aug 30, 2010
    8
    Fun game to play but it had a few frustrating bugs/crashes. Very nice visuals and the characters are second to none. I do not play on-line, so I cannot comment on that aspect of the game, but storyline mode if fun and there is something cathartic about using a chainsaw to cut through a mass of enemies. Anyone who slags this game should reevaluate their expectations because if you cannotFun game to play but it had a few frustrating bugs/crashes. Very nice visuals and the characters are second to none. I do not play on-line, so I cannot comment on that aspect of the game, but storyline mode if fun and there is something cathartic about using a chainsaw to cut through a mass of enemies. Anyone who slags this game should reevaluate their expectations because if you cannot have fun playing this, you should probably quit playing video games.… Expand
  21. dupplawt
    Apr 22, 2011
    6
    Gears of War is a good game with fantastic action set-pieces and an almost creepy setting, with a human colonised world being destroyed by a ground-dwelling species known as the Locust. The voice acting is great, the graphics, for its time, were spectacular, if a little drab, and the story is solid. The multi-player aspect, I never really got into, as I was always outclassed andGears of War is a good game with fantastic action set-pieces and an almost creepy setting, with a human colonised world being destroyed by a ground-dwelling species known as the Locust. The voice acting is great, the graphics, for its time, were spectacular, if a little drab, and the story is solid. The multi-player aspect, I never really got into, as I was always outclassed and obliterated by other players. The ability to do co-op campaign takes this game from a 3/5 to a 3.5/5, and defeating the final boss with my mate on the hardest difficulty setting is easily my biggest achievement in gaming so far.… Expand
  22. Zlatan
    Apr 15, 2014
    9
    Jut a fun and action packed game. Thats it. Try also the other games in the series. But the last one lost a bit on the story and just a bit weird.....
  23. CorsairReviews
    Nov 18, 2010
    7
    Gears of War is one of the greatest exclusives brought to the 360 (Yes it was also on PC, so we shall call it console exclusive) ! A great game featuring some great in-game mechanics such as the cover system. Although you aren't likely to be bored by the awesome story and clips, the repetitive gameplay might bore you after a while though.
  24. claychastain
    Nov 25, 2010
    8
    One of my favorite memories of the 360, Gears of War is a great game. It's fun to go through, the story is about a bunch of huge space marines, and things go boom. It looks great, even today, and it's mechanics are rock solid. I've beaten it a dozen times and I still have fond memories about it. The multiplayer is good, though the sequel has it beat there. But for the price you can getOne of my favorite memories of the 360, Gears of War is a great game. It's fun to go through, the story is about a bunch of huge space marines, and things go boom. It looks great, even today, and it's mechanics are rock solid. I've beaten it a dozen times and I still have fond memories about it. The multiplayer is good, though the sequel has it beat there. But for the price you can get this for these days, you might as well pick up and have a go.… Expand
  25. TheQuietGamer
    Mar 6, 2011
    8
    Gears of War might have been over hyped, while it's a great game with solid gameplay it's not a game changer, graphics show age, but the sound is great, and the multiplayer is good, the worst part about this game is the story, there is absolutely no character development, hey try to give you a feeling of mystery about Marcus Fenix's (the main character) past, but it just makes himGears of War might have been over hyped, while it's a great game with solid gameplay it's not a game changer, graphics show age, but the sound is great, and the multiplayer is good, the worst part about this game is the story, there is absolutely no character development, hey try to give you a feeling of mystery about Marcus Fenix's (the main character) past, but it just makes him unlikable, weak story aside if you like 3rd person cover shooters you like this, just don't expect a deep story backing it up.… Expand
  26. Karma_police
    Oct 13, 2012
    6
    GOW by no means is a bad game but is very very overrated i just can't find the masterpiece that everybody sees, the story is boring the game play is very repetitive the characters are plain, the only good thing are the graphics for a 2006 game off course.
  27. creptor
    Apr 20, 2011
    8
    I love this game! Achievements are fun to get, the game play is really fun, great graphic. If you find this game cheap, get it. It is a great game with only one problem. It take too many shots to kill an enemy. That is not really too bad of problem see as you get an unbelievable amount of ammo.
  28. schnoogens
    May 29, 2011
    10
    The most enjoyable multiplayer experience I've had on the Xbox 360. I met most of my XBL friends through this game and played it more than any other game I've owned for the system. It's a perfect blend of arcade action, strategy, teamwork, and fun. Single player is short but that's not the reason to play this. The only downside in hindsight is the lack of a MP leveling system and noThe most enjoyable multiplayer experience I've had on the Xbox 360. I met most of my XBL friends through this game and played it more than any other game I've owned for the system. It's a perfect blend of arcade action, strategy, teamwork, and fun. Single player is short but that's not the reason to play this. The only downside in hindsight is the lack of a MP leveling system and no stats tracked for non-ranked matches (which is where I spent most of my time).… Expand
  29. TheChaser1985
    Nov 1, 2011
    8
    Single player: The single player campaign is the main reason why I love Gears of War. I spent most of my time on the game, playing the campaign with my ex or by myself. The story is great and the controls are pretty good. I feel like the campaign was just long enough as well. With it on it's easiest level, it's EXTREMELY easy and hard is just hard enough to still enjoy the gameSingle player: The single player campaign is the main reason why I love Gears of War. I spent most of my time on the game, playing the campaign with my ex or by myself. The story is great and the controls are pretty good. I feel like the campaign was just long enough as well. With it on it's easiest level, it's EXTREMELY easy and hard is just hard enough to still enjoy the game Multiplayer: I enjoyed multiplayer but I wasn't good at it. I was very impatient and that hurt me. You have to be good at aiming from your hip a lot. It's solid gameplay, but it just wasn't my thing.… Expand
  30. Rosco
    Sep 2, 2011
    8
    With Gears of War 3 drawing ever closer I decided to go back to the start before it finally arrives! First of all, stating the obvious, its a great game. Sure, 5 years or so on from the original release but it's still one of the best gaming debuts. Back in the day I recall being blown away by what Gears had to offer. Visually it raised the bar, it looked very next gen. More importantly theWith Gears of War 3 drawing ever closer I decided to go back to the start before it finally arrives! First of all, stating the obvious, its a great game. Sure, 5 years or so on from the original release but it's still one of the best gaming debuts. Back in the day I recall being blown away by what Gears had to offer. Visually it raised the bar, it looked very next gen. More importantly the game plays extremely well. The shooting system is fairly straightforward and easy to come to grips with although it times you may get ever son slightly frustrated but thats were the revolutionary chainsaw and gun combination comes to the rescue. Yes, its absurd, ridiculous but also genius! The story is simple, humanity is on the brink. The Locust Horde have risen and are taking over, enter Marcus Fenix, humanity's last hope. Well not quite but you get the drift. Its an incredibly engaging experience and a very well written game full of twists and also full of all sorts of weird and nasty creatures. For me there wasn't much wrong with this game however I just feel it was lacking something, what though I can't quite put my finger on I wanted more but I was for from disappointed because as an all round game Gears of War is a fantastic game. Online is addictive as hell and there is bags of fun to be had here for hours on end, you really do have to experience this game mind you it is 2011 so I doubt any 360 owner hasn't. Not perfect but a stunning game nonetheless.… Expand
  31. SpartanEdge
    May 31, 2011
    10
    What more can i say about this game.. Its definately up there with the best! A real benchmark of a game to this day,both graphically & features that have inspired many other games to copy elements it has introduced to gaming,like the now much copied context sensitive cover system,Blind Firing from Cover,to the feel itself,with games like Resistance & later Killzone games,& even games laterWhat more can i say about this game.. Its definately up there with the best! A real benchmark of a game to this day,both graphically & features that have inspired many other games to copy elements it has introduced to gaming,like the now much copied context sensitive cover system,Blind Firing from Cover,to the feel itself,with games like Resistance & later Killzone games,& even games later games such as Vanquish & Hunted-The Demons Forge among others owing alot to Gears.Its great that,as good as the graphics are(& lets face it,they dont come much better),all the Gears games still have Online & Offline Co-Op.GREAT!! & is an example to all those developers out there,using the feeble excuse,that their games cant be done in Co-Op,or Split Screen,& not without Borders in Split Screen.If Gears can,then ANY game can.Simple as that!… Expand
  32. Rapter2011
    Oct 26, 2011
    10
    The is the game that started it all. This is the game tht started one of the most beloved and successful Xbox exclusive games in our beoved consoles history. With beautiful graphics, wonderful gameplay mechnics, this game will be remebered by Xbox fans for years to come.
  33. drlowdon
    Jan 14, 2014
    8
    Its easy to forgot now but at the time the original Gears of War set a benchmark for next generation graphics and inspired a whole genre in the way it reinvented the cover based shooter. Truth be told there is little story behind proceedings and the controls could be a little fiddly until you got a handle on them but, the brutal gameplay was truly unlike anything else available at theIts easy to forgot now but at the time the original Gears of War set a benchmark for next generation graphics and inspired a whole genre in the way it reinvented the cover based shooter. Truth be told there is little story behind proceedings and the controls could be a little fiddly until you got a handle on them but, the brutal gameplay was truly unlike anything else available at the time and the opportunity to play the entire campaign with a friend (either split-screen or over Xbox Live) only made things even better.… Expand
  34. Zarathesus
    May 2, 2011
    5
    I'd like to be kind here, but I just don't understand where some of the reviewers are coming from. Golem's cave perhaps? It is not tactical in the least bit. Run, shoot, ooh creepy, shoot, ahh look at that! shoot, yeah! give him the chainsaw! shoot.
    I returned it for a full refund a day or 2 after I purchased it. They asked me why I would do such a thing, and I told them what I'm telling    I'd like to be kind here, but I just don't understand where some of the reviewers are coming from. Golem's cave perhaps? It is not tactical in the least bit. Run, shoot, ooh creepy, shoot, ahh look at that! shoot, yeah! give him the chainsaw! shoot.
    I returned it for a full refund a day or 2 after I purchased it. They asked me why I would do such a thing, and I told them what I'm telling you now. They put a lot of effort into this game, and a lot of detail, but it has been way over-hyped. Primarily because of how gritty and cool it looks(I admit that at least). But tactical? Nah. Maybe if taking a dump is tactical for you.
    In all fairness, I thought it was a cool game, and the 2nd one is much much better because of online and horde mode, but I'm surprised this franchise has gotten to where it is now. Did not see it coming.
    Like I said though, it's enjoyable, but completely not complicated.    … Expand
  35. Driwde
    May 6, 2011
    5
    Sure its got some amazing graphics, but this isnt anything i havent played before. Throw in extremely linear, one dimensional gameplay, zero exposition , and a messy control scheme, and what you get is an terribly overrated piece of garbage. Its very hard to believe this recieved such high ratings- i smell a payoff.
  36. MillionPoundHam
    Jul 3, 2011
    10
    I can't believe Gears of War came out 5 years ago, I recently revisited it and it's one of the few games that you can say has aged well. Regardless of being overhyped, Gears of War is still one of my most favourite games of this game gen.
  37. NaughtyDog
    Jun 12, 2011
    8
    Gears of War is epic. Just epic. If you haven't played this game...go play it. It's a little short but overall this is a very good game! The gameplay is WOW and the graphics is good. This is better than Gears of War 2 in my opinion.
  38. Th3cyb3rnick
    Jun 2, 2011
    10
    oh my god iv just read a few reviews and so many stupid c***s. i bought it and haven't got live so $70 wasted who's dumb fault is that and my 4 year old younger bro had nightmares don't let him watch you play it and it wont ever be better then halo ??????? it's way better then halo as halo is boring f***ing fanboys piss off this game is great story is ace a little short yes but makes upoh my god iv just read a few reviews and so many stupid c***s. i bought it and haven't got live so $70 wasted who's dumb fault is that and my 4 year old younger bro had nightmares don't let him watch you play it and it wont ever be better then halo ??????? it's way better then halo as halo is boring f***ing fanboys piss off this game is great story is ace a little short yes but makes up the time in online multiplayer if you did enjoy this game buy gears of war 3 on september the 20th iv played the beta and it was awesome nuff said… Expand
  39. Mesk
    Jun 21, 2011
    5
    Even if I finished this game I was realy dissapointed. It´s quite fun to playthrough, but I dont see anything so amazing about this title. Yeah, maybe the cover system was something new, but the control is bad, It have realy poor story, stupid enemies, graphics was maybe once good, but these days bad, but never great. The final boss fight also bit killed the game for me. IEven if I finished this game I was realy dissapointed. It´s quite fun to playthrough, but I dont see anything so amazing about this title. Yeah, maybe the cover system was something new, but the control is bad, It have realy poor story, stupid enemies, graphics was maybe once good, but these days bad, but never great. The final boss fight also bit killed the game for me. I cant help, but when I see Cliff, nothing personal, I see some very juvenile ego with the muscles, soo full of himself..., the same I thing about this game. I give five, because of regret.… Expand
  40. TheMaximalist
    Oct 22, 2011
    8
    On the weekend I went game shopping and rustled myself up a copy of the 2006 Xbox Classic-Gears of War. By Epic Games the creators of Bulletstorm and the Unreal Games. Gears of War was a Revolutionary shooter and I see why. When Microsoft released it they said it was the new Halo and they weren't kidding. But when they said that they meant it was better than Halo. You are the ratherOn the weekend I went game shopping and rustled myself up a copy of the 2006 Xbox Classic-Gears of War. By Epic Games the creators of Bulletstorm and the Unreal Games. Gears of War was a Revolutionary shooter and I see why. When Microsoft released it they said it was the new Halo and they weren't kidding. But when they said that they meant it was better than Halo. You are the rather massive Marcus Fenix who has been put in jail because you tried to save your father from the locust horde who have risen out of the Earth for some reason. This is all until your friend Dominic Santiago rescues you from prison you are then told to go plant a resonator light bomb in an underground pumping station to stop them. The games story is average but it doesn't really need one because the game is pure action you sort of forget the story even. The gunplay is as any good i've ever seen the cover system is the most intuitive ive ever seen and the guns are kick-ass. My favorite is the Lancer mainly because it's attachment is a chainsaw and that makes for some very gory parts in fact the game it self is pretty damn gory. It's sort of annoying with the hub though when your being shot the GoW logo fades in as you get closer to death but even then I didn't know when I was dying because I was focused on the action. I barely got lost. The level design accomadates some tactics they were the same in evry level but thats good to have in a game overall I had a great time and it definitely beats Halo so i'll give it 8.5 massive stars As always this will be on Metacritic http://www.maximalistgtg.blogspot.com/… Expand
  41. tylwrdem
    Aug 1, 2011
    10
    Compared to other game released in 2005, 'Gears of War' far exceeds all expectations against it's competitor's. It was clean, smooth and great to play, If you go by time frame 'Gears of War' is probably one of the greatest games ever. It was a new way of war playing game and something that we have never seen before. We have to appreciate that this game released in 2005 has that kind ofCompared to other game released in 2005, 'Gears of War' far exceeds all expectations against it's competitor's. It was clean, smooth and great to play, If you go by time frame 'Gears of War' is probably one of the greatest games ever. It was a new way of war playing game and something that we have never seen before. We have to appreciate that this game released in 2005 has that kind of graphics and game play, well that is just remarkable. In all, this was my all time FAVORITE game!!!!!! 10/10… Expand
  42. sinadoom
    Sep 24, 2012
    9
    It's not often that you can play a game SIX YEARS AFTER RELEASE and still be amazed by the graphics. I had to stop playing the game just to come here and say that it's THE BEST LOOKING SHOOTER ON XBOX 360 TO DATE! The lighting and textures have insane detail, and no other game- not even Gears of War 3- can match its graphics. As the first ever game to use the most common game engine ofIt's not often that you can play a game SIX YEARS AFTER RELEASE and still be amazed by the graphics. I had to stop playing the game just to come here and say that it's THE BEST LOOKING SHOOTER ON XBOX 360 TO DATE! The lighting and textures have insane detail, and no other game- not even Gears of War 3- can match its graphics. As the first ever game to use the most common game engine of this generation, its technological achievement is astounding. The gameplay is so original, and the controls are the best for a third person shooter because they are fast and fluent. I've come from Gears 2 and 3 to play this and you really CANNOT tell that this game is old. It was one of the first games to have co-op splitscreen in campaign, and the gameplay, controls, graphics and campaign are still amazing today. Another thing that is astonishing is the A.I. I have completed the other two games on Insane and playing through this on Hardcore puts them to shame. Unlike the other two the AI on here seem to analyse your position relative to other enemies and can judge when to advance. In most other shooters the AI just sit there behind cover, wheras on here they seem dynamic. As a result, the game is made more challenging, which is always welcome. Not only was Gears of War way ahead of its time, but the gameplay and controls were so original and unique that now you have games that try to copy its style, like Warhammer Space Marine. For its time, this was definitely the best shooter on X360 without a doubt. The graphics on this game just go to show how little advancements have been made for console shooters due to the hardware's limited performance. I'd highly recommend this game if you like a good shooter and especially if you've played other Gears games.… Expand
  43. illage2
    Sep 26, 2011
    3
    Graphics are nice, and the characters have some personality. However the game is very boring, I found myself staying in cover too much for too long and it ultimately became boring. Also getting killed when trying to navigate through a level, made the pacing way too slow.

    I don't mind taking cover, as long as the game lets me roam around without getting killed constantly. It had the    Graphics are nice, and the characters have some personality. However the game is very boring, I found myself staying in cover too much for too long and it ultimately became boring. Also getting killed when trying to navigate through a level, made the pacing way too slow.

    I don't mind taking cover, as long as the game lets me roam around without getting killed constantly.

    It had the potential to be something great but it disappointed.    … Expand
  44. SCB92
    Oct 27, 2011
    6
    Great game, but it's rather ironic that a developer would name themselves Epic Games, but not make the story in this game epic; there should've been another difficulty level really; but for what it is, the campaign mode is nice, the graphics are amazing, the music is John Williams standards, the characters scream testosterone and masculinity, and the gameplay is a bloody mess in a goodGreat game, but it's rather ironic that a developer would name themselves Epic Games, but not make the story in this game epic; there should've been another difficulty level really; but for what it is, the campaign mode is nice, the graphics are amazing, the music is John Williams standards, the characters scream testosterone and masculinity, and the gameplay is a bloody mess in a good way; but the multiplayer is the big problem here; the team deathmatch mode doesn't let you respawn after you die until the next round; they should've took lessons from Halo 2 and have you respawn immediately after you die so you'll get better at it, and have a limit of the number of kills that ends the match instead of rounds; after being told to leave a match by some wanker, I'm never going to play this game on multiplayer ever again… Expand
  45. Zilcell
    Nov 11, 2011
    10
    I haven't played this game in a long time but I really enjoyed it. Shooting combat has rarely been as unique as Gears of War and this game was only the beginning of a great series.
  46. whitewi666
    Nov 15, 2011
    9
    Even in 2011 this game still looks great! Online still great ! One of the greatest 360 games !!!! I can' t recommend this game more than I already do! Must have for any 360 fan!
  47. Vio
    Nov 20, 2011
    9
    Gears of War is a ground breaking game in terms of graphics, and gameplay for the third person shooter genre. Graphics wise I remember seeing it the first time and thinking WOW is this ingame? Today obviously those graphics, while still good are not so much of a WOW factor when buying. Gameplay wise the cover system was brand new and I found it quite intuitive diving from cover to coverGears of War is a ground breaking game in terms of graphics, and gameplay for the third person shooter genre. Graphics wise I remember seeing it the first time and thinking WOW is this ingame? Today obviously those graphics, while still good are not so much of a WOW factor when buying. Gameplay wise the cover system was brand new and I found it quite intuitive diving from cover to cover etc and laying down fire. Of course there's also the chainsaw mounted on your gun that allows you to flay into your enemies! Did I like it? Big time yes!… Expand
  48. Ztride
    Jan 22, 2012
    8
    Set in a dark but interesting world, with well thought-out game-mechanics in the form of the cover-system, sprint, melee, reload bonus etc, this is a good overall game.
  49. HellzAssassin
    Dec 2, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gears of War was one of the first games I played on the 7th gen consoles. I was fairly young at the time I played this (around 13 years old, I think?), and to this day consider Gears of War one of the best third person shooters ever developed.

    Story-wise, this game would be passed of as decent. But the story isn't the bread and butter of this game. No, the bread and butter is everything else. Atmosphere, voice acting, characters, enemies, chaos, blood and gore, guns, and controls/combat mechanics.

    Every stage in the campaign is memorable. I first played this game back in 2008 when I was thirteen. I'm nineteen now, and I can recite to you every single moment, every word that's said, and the layout of each stage. Why? Because this game is unforgettable. As mentioned before, the story is a bit flat, but the combat, dialogue, and atmosphere makes up for lack of story. Hell, it pretty much IS the story.

    The enemies are unique and terrifying. Take the Corpser for example. The Corpser is a giant spider-crab hybrid that digs huge tunnels for the rest of the Locust (the enemy) to travel through. Not to mention, it's strong enough to level entire buildings.

    The guns are another unique attraction this game offers. Take the Lancer for example. It's an assault rifle with a mounted chainsaw on it. Tell me, what other game has that?

    The developers hit it out of the park with the characters. Every one of them had there own personality. The developers also nailed the voice actors for them.

    The atmosphere of this game is dark and gritty, and leaves you wondering. There's destruction everywhere, monsters around every corner, and enough blood and gore to fill the ocean with.

    The game would be perfect, if it weren't for a few flaws. I'll list them now:
    -Sometimes, the fighting can be a little repetitive. However, there is always a way that makes the fight feel fresh. This is most likely because of the fantastic game design.
    -The game can feel a little too dark. Lighting isn't this game's strong suit, but many things make up for that.
    -The story isn't very well explained, and the ending doesn't bring everything together or reveal anything. But, many things make up for that.
    -The boss battles are kinda lame. For example: The battle with the Corpser was very disappointing. In order to kill it, you must push/fight it back into lava. The way to do this, is to stand still and wait for the Corpser to attack, and then shoot it in the mouth. Yeah, it was that easy.
    -I can't say much for the multiplayer of this game. I barely played it, mainly because I didn't have Xbox LIVE until Gears of War 3. However, I can say that in ALL of the Gears of War games, the multiplayer is ruined by just one gun: The Gnasher shotgun.

    Over-all, Gears of War is fantastic. While the lighting wasn't great, the boss battle laughable, and the story flat... the characters, voice acting, atmosphere, fun-factor, combat(while sometimes repetitive), and gameplay mechanics made up for them. I give Gears of War a sold 9/10.    … Expand
  50. MikMakPL
    Feb 13, 2012
    10
    Przez pierwszego gears'a którego graÅ
  51. 7dogguy
    Feb 15, 2012
    7
    This game is one the best games Xbox 360 has to offer. The storyline isnt amazing but its close to it. gears of war 3 and 2 have better storylines but that is expected being that the game is the first in the series. The originality of the story is amazing and very clever i love it. The game does fail though with its multiplayer. Its probably on of the laggiest multiplayer experience youThis game is one the best games Xbox 360 has to offer. The storyline isnt amazing but its close to it. gears of war 3 and 2 have better storylines but that is expected being that the game is the first in the series. The originality of the story is amazing and very clever i love it. The game does fail though with its multiplayer. Its probably on of the laggiest multiplayer experience you will ever have. While some level designs make sense others dont and also there is no ranking system. If you want a game that has a really good storyline buy it but if you are in it for multiplayer this isnt the game for you… Expand
  52. potatoes351
    Mar 8, 2013
    10
    The planet Sera was once a beautiful planet, one of humanities greatest colonies, however that all changed after E-Day. Gears of War picks up 14 years after the events of E-Day, you play Marcus Fenix, an ex-COG soldier imprisoned for abandoning military post. You are busted out of prison by your old buddy Dominic Santiago and are informed that the COG needs you again. Reluctantly you agreeThe planet Sera was once a beautiful planet, one of humanities greatest colonies, however that all changed after E-Day. Gears of War picks up 14 years after the events of E-Day, you play Marcus Fenix, an ex-COG soldier imprisoned for abandoning military post. You are busted out of prison by your old buddy Dominic Santiago and are informed that the COG needs you again. Reluctantly you agree to help and so begins humanities struggle to take back Sera from the alien forces known as Locust that emerged from the ground.
    Gears of War is perhaps the perfect example of a third-person shooter, a killer app for the 360 early into its lifespan and the start to one of this generations greatest gaming series.    … Expand
  53. watithink123
    Oct 30, 2012
    9
    What I love about Gears of War one then 2 and 3 is the world is more dark, grime and really suits it. Amazing campaign and awesome multiplayer make this one of my favorite games of all time. Gears of War 9.5/10
  54. ConnKon
    Nov 24, 2013
    9
    Gears of War (1) was amazing at it's time and is still fresh today. It's a great 3rd person shooter and this first instalment feels more like a horror/survival game, whereas it's sequels are more action orientated. The graphics and art design are superb, the music is fantastic and it's gameplay is very solid. It might drag a bit here and there and its story and characters might be a bitGears of War (1) was amazing at it's time and is still fresh today. It's a great 3rd person shooter and this first instalment feels more like a horror/survival game, whereas it's sequels are more action orientated. The graphics and art design are superb, the music is fantastic and it's gameplay is very solid. It might drag a bit here and there and its story and characters might be a bit over the top, but that's Gears. 9/10… Expand
  55. wesker2012
    May 27, 2012
    9
    One of the best multiplayer games ever. I poured hours into this games multiplayer until I mastered it...One of the most satisfying multiplayers of all time.
  56. Cazanator
    Aug 27, 2013
    8
    The game that helped put the Xbox 360 on the map, Gears Of War is one of the most unique 3rd Person Shooters you can possibly play. For a game to have come out back in 2006, it is a testament to the game and the GOW series that it is still memorable.

    A summary of the plot is that it is set 15 years after the events of E-Day when a horde of mysterious enemies called the Locust attacked    The game that helped put the Xbox 360 on the map, Gears Of War is one of the most unique 3rd Person Shooters you can possibly play. For a game to have come out back in 2006, it is a testament to the game and the GOW series that it is still memorable.

    A summary of the plot is that it is set 15 years after the events of E-Day when a horde of mysterious enemies called the Locust attacked the world which puts Humanity on the brink of extinction. You play as Marcus and to put it as simply as possible, you must defeat the Locust, or is it as simple as that?

    It is one of the best, if not the best 3rd Person Shooters I've played. I can't think off the top of my head any game other than the sequels to really stand out any more than GOW, an important factor is the excellent cover system which is the main substance for the action in the game.

    If you have never played Gears Of War and you want to get into a new series, than this is the perfect game for you.

    8/10 Brilliant    … Expand
  57. ReubenIsAGod
    Sep 30, 2015
    2
    Yeah, I kind of understand why people would like this Macho-man Randy Savage **** simulator. But Frankly Mr Shankly, I think its easily the blandest video game I've ever played.

    Its just so god-awfully hollow as a game. Sure the multiplayer is rather enjoyable, but the setting, dialog, characters, environment is just so **** bland, I mean we never really get to understand or    Yeah, I kind of understand why people would like this Macho-man Randy Savage **** simulator. But Frankly Mr Shankly, I think its easily the blandest video game I've ever played.

    Its just so god-awfully hollow as a game. Sure the multiplayer is rather enjoyable, but the setting, dialog, characters, environment is just so **** bland, I mean we never really get to understand or emotionally feel invested in the struggles of the characters as they basically act as these walking talking beefy buff **** who basically slaughter the **** out these Aliens, of which I have no real idea as to why they feel as if its a necessary to take over earth.

    God I just really didn't enjoy this game I know visuals shouldn't be an aspect as to why not enjoy a game but the murky bland environments that are just grey is so ugly. I just really disliked this game.

    Like if your into hardcore bromance shooters pick it up and play it, by all means yall have a blast. But if your someone like me and really like beautiful colours and an interesting suspenseful story, with innovate gameplay, its not for you. I had no fun with Gears of War, absolutely none.    … Expand
  58. alex007
    Nov 4, 2012
    9
    "Gears of War" for the XBOX 360 is a groundbreaking masterpiece. Cliff Bleszinski's highly-acclaimed action game set a standard for third-person shooters. It joined David Jaffe's "God of War" and Shinji Mikami's "Resident Evil 4" as an innovative trend setter in the video game industry. A successor to the XBOX's "Halo" franchise, "Gears of War" pushed the 360's graphical capabilities to"Gears of War" for the XBOX 360 is a groundbreaking masterpiece. Cliff Bleszinski's highly-acclaimed action game set a standard for third-person shooters. It joined David Jaffe's "God of War" and Shinji Mikami's "Resident Evil 4" as an innovative trend setter in the video game industry. A successor to the XBOX's "Halo" franchise, "Gears of War" pushed the 360's graphical capabilities to the extreme. Developed on the Unreal Engine (which also powered "Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory"), its animated characters and locations seemed to be the most visually detailed creations in a video game at the time. With its highly-kinetic action gameplay and cinematic visual grandeur, "Gears of War" existed on entirely different plane than other similar titles in '06. Its beefy protagonists Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago lead a band of brothers into battle to stop a massive alien army from invading the Earth. If there was ever a Hollywood action blockbuster made exclusively for video game consoles, this is it. This is an extremely satisfying shooter than almost feels like an interactive action movie at times. The "pop 'n stop" cover system works like a charm and the visceral gunfights deliver in a big way. "Gears of War" is a great and gritty game that all fans of action should try at least once. It's that good. 9.5 out of 10.… Expand
  59. iKen
    Apr 12, 2020
    9
    Played on XBOX 360.
    Gameplay: GREAT.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: GREAT.
    Music/Sound: GREAT.
    Dialogue/Voice Acting: GREAT.
  60. Iky009
    Oct 20, 2016
    8
    I remember I played Gears for about 20 minutes and not enjoying it, I was wrong, the game is cool, it has an interesting plot, good characters, a gameplay frantic action, and not counting the final boss that is very insane (damn General Raam a very great pdf). It's a good game.
  61. emoney
    Nov 28, 2012
    9
    This game is solid cus there were no third person shooters and **** heads blowin off after getting domed peiced. the only bad thing is the sometimes lag and over powered sniper.
  62. Compi24
    Jun 25, 2013
    10
    Lovable characters, legendary gameplay, tonal breadth, awesome action, the first worthwhile multiplayer experience on the 360, and a horrifyingly memorable set of visuals and sound leave "Gears Of War" a go-to masterpiece for gamers of all kinds.
  63. Vanpire73
    May 2, 2014
    8
    Played this not long after it came out and enjoyed the hell out of it. Every 3rd person game that came out after it copied and pasted it's cover mechanics. Great graphics atthe time and tight gunplay. Grumble all you want about the dick jokes, but gameplay trumps all and I happen to be the type of guy that enjoys a good fart from a distance.
  64. GriffPardon
    Mar 26, 2013
    9
    Very good game, recommend it to everyone. I'm not a fan of third person shooters but this game is still worth 9/10. The story is strong and dark. Gameplay is almost flawless. Some few annoying moments is when the chainsaw on the Lancer gets stuck if your too near enemies, but it's probably to prevent it to be overpowered. The hammer of dawn is pretty fun. I tested co-op. Multiplayer not tested.
  65. gorelequint
    Apr 23, 2013
    10
    and easily one of the best games ever released. A Co-op campaign in games is something which is always requested, and rarely is it pulled off as well as Gears of War does. Halo 2's co-op campaign is the only thing which comes close to it, and even then, I feel that as the game is 3rd person, it just feels more Co-Oppy.

    Not only is the Co-op amazing, the Xbox Live Co-Op is out of this     and easily one of the best games ever released. A Co-op campaign in games is something which is always requested, and rarely is it pulled off as well as Gears of War does. Halo 2's co-op campaign is the only thing which comes close to it, and even then, I feel that as the game is 3rd person, it just feels more Co-Oppy.

    Not only is the Co-op amazing, the Xbox Live Co-Op is out of this world... no lag, and everything streams together nicely bringing a nice feel to playing with a friend. You both see the cut-scenes at the same time and the only bug I found was the occasional texture not loading for the first 5 seconds of a chapter. Apart from that, chainsaw killing glory.

    If you have a 360, you /need/ this game, if you don't have a 360, you need to buy one     … Expand
  66. noob_saibot
    May 4, 2013
    5
    A bit pale to be honest it was easy on easy setting but when you jump on the Insane level it's gets so bad hard that it just feels so wrong to play on your own.

    I did try on insane and let me say it was hardest thing to try to do as when you're inside a house ect there send waves after waves after you and you pretty much die in one hit by almost anything. Also it takes a million hits    A bit pale to be honest it was easy on easy setting but when you jump on the Insane level it's gets so bad hard that it just feels so wrong to play on your own.

    I did try on insane and let me say it was hardest thing to try to do as when you're inside a house ect there send waves after waves after you and you pretty much die in one hit by almost anything.

    Also it takes a million hits just to kill something in 1p mode it's really is annoying because you don't know what gun you want to use in the long run on them.

    Checkpoints is long too to save the game is horridly to say the least MUST WAIT FOR A CHECKPOINT to kick in before you can save a game just like modern day games.

    The driving was not good too in it you had to drive away from the black bat things I really can't remeber them so something like locast and then aim a light at them in the end I keept dieing over and over then the game put me in after it for some strange reason maybe a glitch or if you die too many times the game will pass you on the next part because frankly it was hard to do.

    So yeah the game can be a bit unfair on you at times that's why I give it a 5 for half non a 10 because it's missing a lot of things I wanted in this game.    … Expand
  67. HATEPOLICY
    Mar 26, 2014
    9
    Great game for its time,
    Truly ground breaking, atmospheric, dark, violent & gore galore!

    Versus was and still is loads of fun.
    This is a classic and it deserves respect.
  68. savagejoe444
    May 29, 2013
    8
    This game made me become a Gears fan and I'll never forget it! The difficulty is crazy, easy feels like normal, normal feels like hard, and hard feels like impossible, but I was easily able to forget those problems and enjoy the game the way I wanted!
  69. WyattTheAwesome
    May 30, 2013
    8
    Gears of War was a unique experience and the sole reason I bought an xbox 360. It's just a one of a kind experience. Gears 1 is heavily online based and that's where most of its replay value is, but the campaign is still awesome. Back to the online, it can be frustrating to hop on and play Gears multiplayer if you've never played before, so it's not user friendly multiplayer, but itGears of War was a unique experience and the sole reason I bought an xbox 360. It's just a one of a kind experience. Gears 1 is heavily online based and that's where most of its replay value is, but the campaign is still awesome. Back to the online, it can be frustrating to hop on and play Gears multiplayer if you've never played before, so it's not user friendly multiplayer, but it definitely worth every penny.… Expand
  70. electriclight41
    Jun 3, 2013
    9
    I remember how gritty and gory I thought Gears of War was when it first came out. That's a thing of the past, but I definitely look back fondly at this first entry in the series. My friends and I had a blast and probably spent the most time in competitive multiplayer amongst the entries in the series. The story was dark and it was overall an entertaining experience.
  71. iddqd4
    Feb 13, 2018
    10
    Любимая часть серии, не в последнюю очередь за мрачную цветовую гамму и тяжелую атмосферу.
  72. bulletchan
    Apr 11, 2016
    9
    Wowzers 0_o...the multiplayer is so good that I was pretty much speechless. The chainsaws, bombs, brain-plattering headshots, and gore are just the beginning of what is truly a tactical TPS game that defines what Next-Gen means. Props to MS and Epic for giving us such an awesome game and I can't stopping thinking about it as I'm typing this...must go play now.
  73. SupaChigga
    Nov 19, 2013
    7
    Single Player/Multi Player (2/2)

    (If the single player is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no multplayer) (If the multiplayer is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no single player) Gameplay (2/2) Visuals/Story (1/2) (If the visuals are better than the story, review this section as if it had no story) (If the story is    Single Player/Multi Player (2/2)

    (If the single player is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no multplayer) (If the multiplayer is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no single player)

    Gameplay (2/2)

    Visuals/Story (1/2)

    (If the visuals are better than the story, review this section as if it had no story) (If the story is better than the visuals, review this section as if the visuals didn’t matter)

    Accessibility/Longevity (2/2)

    (Review this section only on Accessibility if the game has no longevity) (Review this section only on longevity if the game isn’t accessible)

    Pricing (0/2)

    Wildcard (0)

    This is a guideline for how to properly review games. Many reviewers like to get a “feel” for a game, and arbitrarily give a game a score that they believe it deserves. This results in wildly different scores between different reviewers, and vastly different scores between similar games. This guideline addresses these problems and scores games fairly and consistently. This guideline also gives scores that are usually similar to the metacritic score.

    The review score is based out of 10 points. There are no “half” or 0.5 increments. It is impossible to have a score above 10 or below 0. The review score will change as the game gets new dlc, drops in price, or if more secrets are found through the game increasing its appeal.

    The scoring is split into 6 sections. The first five sections can add a possible 2 points to the final score. The first 5 sections are Single Player/Multi Player, Gameplay, Visuals/Story, Accessibility/Longevity, and Pricing.

    Notice that 3 of these sections have two parts. These particular sections will be scored based on the stronger part of the game of the two. For example, if a game has a lousy single player campaign, but an excellent multiplayer component, that section will be based solely on the multiplayer as if the single player did not exist. This allows games to be based on their own merits, as many unnecessary features are shoehorned into video games by publishers to reach a “feature quota”. Games that excel in both areas of a section don’t receive should be noted in the written review, but cannot increase the score past 2 in that section. However, it can be taken into account in the final section

    The final section can add 1, add 0, or subtract 1 to the final score. This final section is the “wildcard” section. This section is for how the reviewer “feels” about the game, but limits this only to this section, rather than the entire 10 point review. This section can include any positive or negative point that was not covered in the previous 5 sections.    … Expand
  74. LostNexusGamer
    Jun 22, 2014
    8
    Not the best game on the 360, but one you can enjoy. The purpose of this game was to give 360 gamers a well-crafted experience in 2006 and the game didn't disappoint. This game was the creator for the covering system in most 3rd-person games now, and is one reason why this game did set standards. The game may have been one of the fist 3rd-person shooters of the generation, but it didn'tNot the best game on the 360, but one you can enjoy. The purpose of this game was to give 360 gamers a well-crafted experience in 2006 and the game didn't disappoint. This game was the creator for the covering system in most 3rd-person games now, and is one reason why this game did set standards. The game may have been one of the fist 3rd-person shooters of the generation, but it didn't bring anything new really. It feels like the common shooter, and in my opinion lacks some deep storytelling campaign wise. I have personally not played the multiplayer, but I'm sure it was one of the best during its time.… Expand
  75. resumegam3
    May 21, 2014
    10
    I love Epic Games, and Gears of War is just as good as Bulletstorm, meaning that it's awesome!! The story is great, the characters are good, the gameplay is incredible, and the graphics are good!! Don't expect a look at online multiplayer on my Xbox 360 reviews, because I'm not going to get Xbox Live, and I hate online multiplayer, anyway. However, there are some minor bad things aboutI love Epic Games, and Gears of War is just as good as Bulletstorm, meaning that it's awesome!! The story is great, the characters are good, the gameplay is incredible, and the graphics are good!! Don't expect a look at online multiplayer on my Xbox 360 reviews, because I'm not going to get Xbox Live, and I hate online multiplayer, anyway. However, there are some minor bad things about Gears of War, which are the annoyingly dumb teammates (especially Dom) and the extremely frustrating 'kryll' enemies, which eat you alive if you don't stay in light, in act 2. Gears of War still gets a 10/10, though, and it's gotten extremely cheap now, so go buy it!!!… Expand
  76. coopert
    Jan 11, 2014
    3
    Writing these reviews at the end of a generation really let's you not only see what games stood the test of time but also lets you add that games contribution to the industry as part of the reviewing process. Gears of War did not stand the test of time and the only contributions it had to the industry were negative. First let me mention how this game got it's score of 3, it is one of theWriting these reviews at the end of a generation really let's you not only see what games stood the test of time but also lets you add that games contribution to the industry as part of the reviewing process. Gears of War did not stand the test of time and the only contributions it had to the industry were negative. First let me mention how this game got it's score of 3, it is one of the only games on the 360 with split screen co-op multiplayer and one of the best gaming experiences I have had was with Halo's co-op multiplayer playing split screen with a friend. Me and the same friend were overjoyed at the fact this would carry on into the new generation and had fun with Gears of War, but that joy would be short lived as the push for online began. This game seems to have been the start of the trend for what would become generic for this generation, a brown looking cover based shooter with a story based around massive men with no personalities, just huge guns. This game was fun the first time around but it inspired nothing and is easily forgotten about, I can't remember the story at all. Overall Gears of War was **** on a stick worth a nostalgic run through if you have a friend you wish to torture and you can pick it up for a pound.… Expand
  77. harryjc
    Mar 13, 2014
    7
    I know the people that worked on this game worked really hard and it shows to a great degree. However, personally, this did not appeal to me. The controls were simple enough, but did not allow fluidity of movement. Furthermore I found it to be extremely repetitive. It is interesting for a while but soon gets tiring. Another issue, I found with this game, is it was somewhat buggy. SometimesI know the people that worked on this game worked really hard and it shows to a great degree. However, personally, this did not appeal to me. The controls were simple enough, but did not allow fluidity of movement. Furthermore I found it to be extremely repetitive. It is interesting for a while but soon gets tiring. Another issue, I found with this game, is it was somewhat buggy. Sometimes it lagged enough to disrupt gameplay and sometimes it froze.… Expand
  78. thegodfigure
    Jan 20, 2014
    7
    God, I want to give this game a 10. The single player is pretty entertaining. The use of a cover system can either intrigue or frustrate gamers. The Gears of War series' multiplayer is superb... hands down the best I have played on Xbox360. It is challenging, has a steep learning curve, but very rewarding. This game however, does have some serious flaws. Textures are poor, some levels areGod, I want to give this game a 10. The single player is pretty entertaining. The use of a cover system can either intrigue or frustrate gamers. The Gears of War series' multiplayer is superb... hands down the best I have played on Xbox360. It is challenging, has a steep learning curve, but very rewarding. This game however, does have some serious flaws. Textures are poor, some levels are way too dark, and waiting times for multiplayer can be ridiculous. It does feel ridged and clunky. If interested in the single player, play all three games. If you simply want a great multiplayer experience, get the 2nd or 3rd.… Expand
  79. lukechristiansc
    Apr 6, 2014
    6
    Gears of war is fun . but way to hard and it the most biggest challenge ever . but is okay i guess . i will pass level 1 . Grade C+............................................
  80. adronator98
    Apr 3, 2014
    10
    This is an example of how a video game should be made. Great graphics, considering its age, a much better game then any other generic shooter, completely amazing story and characters and an amazing start to the best video game trilogy ever made.
  81. flametail23
    Dec 9, 2014
    9
    THE GORE LEVEL IS OVER 9000 as you shoot your way through a very well executed story. The game is great and one of the first games to be exclusive to the Xbox 360.

    Verdict:
    Great game with a good story.
    9/10
  82. joaopontesvaz
    May 29, 2014
    8
    Graphics: 8.8 Sound: 8.0 Gameplay: 8.0 Fun/Story: 8.0

    A good game but in my opinion too straight to have better score. Graphics are very good with good textures.
  83. LongSlayer
    Jul 27, 2014
    9
    Gears of War is an amazing shooter and a fantastic game overall. The gameplay and combat are great, the campaign is interesting and is very enjoyable, the multiplayer is really fun, and co-op works very well. The story is very creative and well done and the setting is unique and I absolutely love it. The characters have great personalities and are interesting to get to know. For 2006 theGears of War is an amazing shooter and a fantastic game overall. The gameplay and combat are great, the campaign is interesting and is very enjoyable, the multiplayer is really fun, and co-op works very well. The story is very creative and well done and the setting is unique and I absolutely love it. The characters have great personalities and are interesting to get to know. For 2006 the graphics were unbelievable and no one had seen anything like them, even today the graphics are pretty good. This is an incredible game and it's a must play.… Expand
  84. br_1245
    Sep 14, 2014
    9
    Games de tiro em terceira pessoa nunca mais serão os mesmos apos Gears. Toda a ação frenética envolve o jogador e sua jogabilidade é praticamente perfeita.
  85. SlayerofGods
    Sep 15, 2014
    10
    The game that started it all. This review is a bit unnecessary considering how long the game's been out for, but here goes. The game is bloody, brutal, and gritty, a big plus in my opinion considering how hard it can be to find a really gut-wrenching game. The cover system is a bit stiff compared to future releases, but still works. The story isn't super well fleshed out in this one. ItThe game that started it all. This review is a bit unnecessary considering how long the game's been out for, but here goes. The game is bloody, brutal, and gritty, a big plus in my opinion considering how hard it can be to find a really gut-wrenching game. The cover system is a bit stiff compared to future releases, but still works. The story isn't super well fleshed out in this one. It feels a bit like an action movie in that parts are a bit predictable. But the game provides a genuine challenge, which the sequels seem to have shied away from. If you play on insane on Gears 3 and want a challenge, try the original.… Expand
  86. jelikey
    Sep 10, 2015
    9
    for a game thats loaded to the hilt with bugs and glitches its one of the most funest games ive played both online and off. the story mode is only about 5-6 hours long but its a fun 6 hours . with some of the best voice acting and diolouge in any game to date . it has a good cover mechanic and with 2 player co-op its a blast. not to mention you get a chainsaw on the end of your gun . thefor a game thats loaded to the hilt with bugs and glitches its one of the most funest games ive played both online and off. the story mode is only about 5-6 hours long but its a fun 6 hours . with some of the best voice acting and diolouge in any game to date . it has a good cover mechanic and with 2 player co-op its a blast. not to mention you get a chainsaw on the end of your gun . the animayions of cutting your enimy into little bits of meat just never gets old… Expand
  87. Vinylspinners
    Oct 26, 2014
    8
    It's funny looking back at all of the Gears reviews here. Seems so long ago, but this was the first game that made me realize that a new generation had come. There ain't much wrong with the first outing for this great franchise. Looking back its hard to score it, especially since there is a lot of nostalgia. The single player still stands up well although the chances of finding a mp gameIt's funny looking back at all of the Gears reviews here. Seems so long ago, but this was the first game that made me realize that a new generation had come. There ain't much wrong with the first outing for this great franchise. Looking back its hard to score it, especially since there is a lot of nostalgia. The single player still stands up well although the chances of finding a mp game are slim to none. A classic.… Expand
  88. rhysmyself
    Sep 6, 2015
    8
    Played this through on the XBOX One (backwards compatibility with the 360) on split screen co op campaign, very good couch co op shooter and great to be able to play on revised controllers.

    Game play mechanics for a console shooter were very good, graphics looked great, sound was engaging and overall an awesome experience. Story was lets say minimal, but the focus of the title is the    Played this through on the XBOX One (backwards compatibility with the 360) on split screen co op campaign, very good couch co op shooter and great to be able to play on revised controllers.

    Game play mechanics for a console shooter were very good, graphics looked great, sound was engaging and overall an awesome experience. Story was lets say minimal, but the focus of the title is the game play. Campaign is a little short (5-7 hours), but actually worth playing through of different difficultly settings. Bugs and glitches (crash, loss of function, sound event disappearing) happened about 5 times each play through decreasing my overall score.    … Expand
  89. Mudgerman
    Mar 24, 2015
    10
    Best game on the 360 by a milestone,this game defined what next gen is and what we should expect and if i could score higher than ten i would,absolutely stunning in every way and **** dark souls.
  90. apollw
    Sep 7, 2021
    8
    O início de uma das maiores franquias da Microsoft, um jogo revolucionário pra sua época, com a história bem interessante e uma jogabilidade viciante.
  91. Heisenberg93
    Apr 11, 2022
    9
    You might hear someone saying: "Gears of War didn't invent the cover system in TPSs, Kill Switch did"; true but there was a before and after Gears, NOT a before and after Kill Switch. Gears was the watershed in third-person shooters, that's the point. And also importantly, unlike Kill Switch, Gears of War turned out to be a great, critically acclaimed and best seller video game and one ofYou might hear someone saying: "Gears of War didn't invent the cover system in TPSs, Kill Switch did"; true but there was a before and after Gears, NOT a before and after Kill Switch. Gears was the watershed in third-person shooters, that's the point. And also importantly, unlike Kill Switch, Gears of War turned out to be a great, critically acclaimed and best seller video game and one of the most important ever released.

    It's clear Gears wanted to establish a new video game universe. However the game itself does not exude a deep lore and an important introduction is made in the game's manual, which would have been better if made as an in-game opening video instead. The plot flows well and is engaging from start to finish, the characters work, Marcus is iconic and the writing of the game is solid enough to keep the whole thing up, while being nothing special and at times even a bit mediocre. The plot effectively gives a sad, dark and "last hope" mood.

    Gears made the TPSs gameplay as we know it today, which is not how we knew it before Gears. The gameplay structure is solid and did not aged much, it's still contemporary. The cover system, not new but innovative in how it's implemented, works great. The system leads to stay behind a cover position and to choose with the analog stick where to move to the next cover, like the player is being guided, performing various tactical moves. Gears also notably introduced mechanics like blind fire while behind cover and shooting by the hip, which would become widespread in the genre. The game has slower pacing than other TPSs, character movement is clunky and heavy. The enemy AI is very good and aggressive, it's not rare that, despite the slow pacing, locusts launch fierce assaults, pushing forward combat and even flanking, effectively nullifying cover and forcing movement. This way, the gameplay ensures very engaging shootouts, also thanks to a great level design, for the most part. "Active reload" mechanic is interesting: push RB to reload, let the reload finish or risk and push RB again; if done well-timed the reload will be faster, if not, the weapon will jam and slow the reload. It's nice that sometimes the player can choose different paths for reaching the level objectives, even if this only has a limited impact. I did not find the squad orders particularly useful, whether they are used or not seems to make little difference; allied AI doesn't seem as smart as enemies'. The game is violent, with a high gore rate.

    But Gears is not perfect. The game's communication of the player's health is impractical, the whole screen color should communicate health status, instead of a symbol around the reticle. Grenade launch system uses a weird trajectory, it does not allow a complete movement of the view downside. The design here was simply immature for such a watershed game. Now the serious flaws. The game is playable in single-player but it's clear how many parts were made above all, I repeat above all, with the coop in mind, which can lead to irritating situations with allied AI; this could have influenced design of some parts within the "Insane" skill level, since "oh, well, it's doable in coop so who cares". Which is not good nor honest, Epic, cause the game has been sold also as a single-player game. Similarly, except for the lower "Casual" skill level, enemies take too much damage to die, as the skill level increases both their damage and health, making them annoying bullet sponges: a helmetless drone locust should die with a single head shot by any kind of firearm; it doesn't. Generally, there is a too large gap between the lowest and the two highest skill levels. Lancer chainsaw bayonet executions leave the player vulnerable to damage: that's lack in game design basics. Checkpoints are misplaced, sometimes not only for the purpose of artificially increasing difficulty, but simply out of bad design, making the player repeat boring parts after reload.

    Graphically, I mean, it's Gears of War. It was Unreal Engine 3's technology showcase game and aged very well. Those graphics were incredible in 2006, showing Xbox 360 power and it's a nice game to look at even today, especially in environments and models visuals, with solid frame rate performance. We all wanted to play Gears after watching the historical graphically accurate Kosinki preview trailer with Mad World. Everyone wanted to "jump in", even those who waited more than a decade to, like I did.

    With Gears of War video game history was made, to the point of it symbolising a whole era. A game with great gameplay and an out-of-scale technical side, which gathered the past, gave a new face to an entire genre and contributed the most to a new wave of games. It has some serious flaws but they are overwhelmed by what good the game offers nonetheless. It's a recommended video game for all lovers of the genre, even worth getting an Xbox 360 for it today.    … Expand
  92. shock
    May 13, 2015
    10
    Mohaa (Breaktrough( 2003, Socom 2, Wolfenstein: ET, Gears of War 2006 are the best multiplayer teamplay and fun skillsfull games I have ever played. .
  93. Epik_Ninnja
    May 24, 2015
    8
    At nine years old, it still holds up as a fun shooter. I first played this game a couple years ago (when it was a Games with Gold game) and I enjoyed the single player thoroughly. Some parts were a bit frustrating and the shooting didn't feel quite varied or exciting enough at times, but I would say the single player is a solid 8/10 overall. The guns are fun, the mechanics work wellAt nine years old, it still holds up as a fun shooter. I first played this game a couple years ago (when it was a Games with Gold game) and I enjoyed the single player thoroughly. Some parts were a bit frustrating and the shooting didn't feel quite varied or exciting enough at times, but I would say the single player is a solid 8/10 overall. The guns are fun, the mechanics work well (switching cover, etc.) and it's very gory! The multiplayer is fun, too, but I'm not a huge fan of it. I'd give multiplayer a 7/10. Basically, it is what it looks like: an action-filled ultra violent game with stereotypical soldiers. It's fun, though, so therefore it's a good game.… Expand
  94. Jack09164
    Jun 23, 2020
    5
    Несмотря на апдейт для Xbox One, игра тотально устарела. Я понимаю, что в свое время она была революционной и чертовски повлияла на шутеры от 3-го лица. Но сейчас в нее и правда трудно играть из-за блеклой графики, унылого лвл дизайна и очень затянутых и скучных перестрелок. Это моя самая не любимая часть и я убежден, что в нее нет смысла играть, когда есть Ultimate edition, котораяНесмотря на апдейт для Xbox One, игра тотально устарела. Я понимаю, что в свое время она была революционной и чертовски повлияла на шутеры от 3-го лица. Но сейчас в нее и правда трудно играть из-за блеклой графики, унылого лвл дизайна и очень затянутых и скучных перестрелок. Это моя самая не любимая часть и я убежден, что в нее нет смысла играть, когда есть Ultimate edition, которая исправляет большую часть устаревших моментов оригинала.… Expand
  95. filip92
    Aug 29, 2023
    9
    Played it in 2023, on my Xbox One. I was pretty surprised considering such an old game can be so fun and inovative. World,weapons and cutscenes were so unique.The game from time to time changes the playing style, so it doesnt get boring. Enjoyed it from the start to finish, i cant wait to play the sequels.
  96. Nigme
    Jan 13, 2022
    6
    A dull, monotonous, drawn-out game with no plot. Even for a game of 2007...
  97. Aliengamer96
    Jun 2, 2016
    10
    juegazo uno de los mejor shooters del mundo de los videojuegos.
    Buenas mecanicas,buenos graficos,buena historia...
    y un magnifico multijugador comprarlo merece la pena
  98. Gerard51MX
    Apr 12, 2016
    9
    Gears of war fue la razon por la que me pase de nintendo a microsoft. Me impresiono con sus videos de lanzamiento, aunque veia imposible que lograran esas graficas... cuando puse el juego me quede asombrado, todo funcionaba. Me esperaba un shooter bueno pero fue mas de lo que esperaba, epic games logro revolucionar el genero con sus dinamicas de cobertura, de camara. La historia no sera laGears of war fue la razon por la que me pase de nintendo a microsoft. Me impresiono con sus videos de lanzamiento, aunque veia imposible que lograran esas graficas... cuando puse el juego me quede asombrado, todo funcionaba. Me esperaba un shooter bueno pero fue mas de lo que esperaba, epic games logro revolucionar el genero con sus dinamicas de cobertura, de camara. La historia no sera la mejor pero no deja de ser buena. La jugabilidad es excelente y aunque hay uno que otro bug, no opacan para nada la accion. El apartado de audio es de otro nivel, silencio en momentos suspensivos y al llegar los enemigos entra esa musica epica que eriza la piel y te hace adentrarte al juego.La inteligencia artificial es ridicula en niveles bajos y muy exigente en los modos mas altos, en el nivel locura te acostumbraras a ver ese craneo y engrane rojo... El multiplayer tiene bastantes errores pero ofrece variedad, reto y competencia. Altamente recomendable y obligado si tienes 360… Expand
  99. xlastovi
    Jul 24, 2017
    0
    This game on 2nd difficulty is incredibly difficult and unfair. I struggled 40 minutes at one place dying over and over, a few times getting instantly killed by birds without any warning (you can't tell if a spot you are standing is dark/light enough to be safe). After I survived that part some cinematic event started and 2 seconds later some objective was "failed" for no reason and I wasThis game on 2nd difficulty is incredibly difficult and unfair. I struggled 40 minutes at one place dying over and over, a few times getting instantly killed by birds without any warning (you can't tell if a spot you are standing is dark/light enough to be safe). After I survived that part some cinematic event started and 2 seconds later some objective was "failed" for no reason and I was forced to reload! I did not have a clue what was going on, seemed like some bug. Of course save checkpoint was missing in this part of level so all hard effort was lost.
    Game would be more fun if one could save anytime or at least it had proper checkpoints.    … Expand
  100. kvnd
    Dec 26, 2019
    8
    It was already a fun game to begin with but it was also the first time I ever witnessed a gun with a built in chainsaw...

    that's tuff
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2006
1
#1 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2006
2
#2 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 88 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 88 out of 88
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 88
  3. Negative: 0 out of 88
  1. Yahoo!
    90
    The hallmark of Gears' weapon design is the balance of powerful tools with critical, exploitable weaknesses, and it's executed with real finesse.
    Read full review
  2. 1UP
    100
    Each stage is memorable...They all combine for an unforgettable adventure through 36 hectic, desperate hours of a group of soldiers' lives...A visual and visceral masterpiece.
    Read full review
  3. TeamXbox
    96
    If you're a graphics whore, you absolutely, positively need to pick this game up. To say that Gears of War features "next-gen graphics" is a gross understatement. It's got the most impressive graphics ever seen in a video game, and the stellar art direction only makes it more beautiful.
    Read full review
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