Amazing Graphics and Cinematics

There is no doubt that Gears of War has spectacular graphics! The characters are extremely detailed and life-like, but the best part is the cinematics. They do everything in real time so the cut scenes don't take you away from the action at all. Sometimes it even feels like they've got a cameraman on the scene with you. You feel like you're part of a movie.

The gameplay is somewhat technical and does require learning a few tricks. For example you want to be careful where you walk. Hiding behind pillars and sandbags is an integral part of the gameplay. What I love is how you can hide behind a sandbag, poke your head out to let off a few rounds then go back into hiding in a matter of seconds. The vibration is done quite well and sometimes the controller alerts you to your impending doom.

The monsters are great! They're the best part of the game. You'll be finding yourself ducking and poking around just to avoid butting heads with something ugly and massive. The final boss is impressive and quite a challenge, but it felt somewhat short. The ending actually caught me by surprise. I didn't expect it to be so short. Another complaint I have is with the lack of color. Everything is very dark and gloomy. It's understandable that they're trying to be artistic, but I'd like to see a little more water and trees.

All-in-all this game is great. It's sure to have a lot of replay value and the cinematics are the best I've ever seen.