Onto the action...
We played two of the multiplayer maps in a 4 vs.4 battles with me, Nick and two other journos battling it out against four Microsoft employees. The first map was called Gridlock, a stunningly detailed small map with abandoned cars that can be used as cover, plenty of doorways to hide in and numerous vantage points ideal for sniping. Both teams start at opposite ends of the map, and despite only asking staff for the basic controls, it was literally within the first couple of minutes that we became familiar with the smooth control system. The first thing that totally dumfounded us was the fine level of detail. From our character’s body armour and weapons to the hanging vines and abandoned cars every inch of the environment added to the tense and realistic battles that seem to build in energy as they progress and reel you into their powerful grip. In Gears of War it’s not simply a matter of running headfirst into the enemy, it’s working as part of a team that offers the most reward and we were soon shouting out enemy positions to our colleagues, dashing over to fallen comrades to revive them whilst machine gun fire whizzed past our heads, and lobbing smoke grenades into areas that we planned to storm.
Click for larger imageBy pressing the ‘A’ button you can run, the motion slightly blurs and the clunking sound of your character with his weapons and ammo strapped to him is just one of the many excellent audio highlights. The ‘A’ button is also used to take cover, something that you’ll need to do at every opportunity. Run towards a doorway, wall, car, set of steps or almost any static object in the environment keeping hold of the button and he’ll dive for cover. The animation of the character and even the sound of executing such a manoeuvre is unmatched. Admittedly I was so drawn into the game that early on I was frozen to a spot behind a car, heart pumping and fearful to even move an inch. The sound of battle ringing in my ears and echoing around the environment is the stuff that gamer’s dreams are made of as I poked my head around the bonnet of the car to see if I could glimpse an enemy. I was spotted and within seconds there was machine gun fire ricocheting of the bonnet; I knew I was pinned down. Using the d-pad I switched to a smoke grenade and dropped it at my feet. Once the smokescreen appeared I broke my position, holding the ‘A’ button down and darted for cover at the top of some steps using the smoke as a screen. I’d spotted the enemy position and yelled it out to Nick who was perched behind the cover of an opposite balcony. He proceeded to fire at the enemy whilst I made my way around to the eastern side of the map to flank him.
Click for larger imageI equipped the machine gun, spotted the target bobbing up and down behind the safety of yet another balcony and unleashed a barrage of bullets into his body. The feel and power of the weapon had me gurning as I pummelled him with every last one of my bullets. He dropped to his knees clutching his chest as I moved towards him and stamped on his head to finish him off, blood spilling into the cracks in the stone. I knew I was deep in enemy territory, but thought I’d have a chance to retreat back to safety. No chance. The moment I’d killed the enemy two more came dashing towards me, one brandishing a chain saw. As he powered it up I ran for my life, but could hear the sound of the chainsaw rattling in my ears getting closer and closer. It wasn’t long before I was lying in my own pool of blood, shaking my own head in disbelief at the raw emotion that my first introduction to the game had brought out in me. "Jesus Christ" I thought, "Let's do that again." Gears of War makes you feel as if you're in a big budget movie and you've landed the starring role.