Gears of War

by Epic Games · published by Microsoft Game Studios · Gears of War series

2006 · X360

Shooter Action Sci-fi Single-player Third person Multiplayer Co-op Horror Split screen

Gears of War is a third-person shooter built around a cover system, where players duck behind obstacles and use tactical fire to advance on enemies. The signature weapon is an assault rifle fitted with a chainsaw bayonet, and a timed reload mechanic can grant a brief damage bonus or jam the gun if mistimed. The five-act campaign can be played solo or in two-player co-op, and a competitive multiplayer mode supports up to eight players split between the two factions. It was the first game in the Gears of War series and helped popularize the modern cover-based shooter, later receiving remastered versions.

Story

Gears of War takes place on the Earth-like planet Sera, where the discovery of an underground fuel called Imulsion triggered a long global war. Years later, humanity faces a new enemy on Emergence Day, when a subterranean race known as the Locust Horde surfaces and begins a genocidal assault, forcing the ruling Coalition of Ordered Governments to make desperate sacrifices to survive. The story follows Marcus Fenix, a soldier reinstated into the military after being imprisoned for abandoning his post to try to save his father. Freed by his close friend Dominic Santiago, Marcus rejoins Delta Squad and is sent on a dangerous mission to map and strike at the heart of the Locust tunnels, hoping to turn the tide of the war.