Gears of War presents a top-notch control scheme. It really flows together well. The cover system, despite the sizable learning curve, combined with the shooting controls creates a playing environment that most people can adapt to quite easily after a few games.

Unfortunately, the single player campaign is pretty short when played on the default “Casual” difficulty. We recommend that if you’re a “true” gamer, that you start off playing on the “Hardcore” difficulty. Once you beat the game, you will unlock the near-impossible “Insane” difficulty level.

Gears of War contains a very satisfying arsenal of weapons. There are your usual mainstays like the sniper rifle, shotgun, and machine gun (both a human machine gun and a Locust variant), but there are also some very unique weapons such as the Torque Bow which fires explosive-tipped arrows and the Hammer of Dawn which is, to put it simply, a laser that is shot from a satellite. Every projectile weapon features an “active reload” system which allows you to reload quickly and, in some cases, get a damage boost by hitting the right bumper at the right time. If you miss your mark, your gun will jam and you’ll be vulnerable to attack, so beware. Every weapon features a melee. Of course, you’re probably wondering about the much talked about chainsaw mounted on the front of the human machine gun. Well, we can assure you that it is AWESOME sawing your foes literally in half. To use it, you just hold the B button (melee button) and run at your enemies, but it isn’t as easy as slashing someone with the energy sword in Halo 2.

Gears features one of the most memorable multiplayer experiences of any game. In addition to cooperative play, there are three team-based, eight player game modes. The modes are War Zone, Assassination, and Execution. War Zone is 4 on 4 team deathmatch with no respawns. In Execution, you need to kill an opponent with an up-close-and-personal move, such as the chainsaw or a close-range headshot. Otherwise, the opposing player respawns after a thirty-second wait.Assassination is basically “kill the leader.” (highest-ranked player on the team who can pick up weapons that supporting players can’t use). There are 10 maps, all are small and most of them are symmetrical. You can also play two-player splitscreen online (or co-op).

To put it simply, Gears of War is the first must-have game for Xbox 360 owners. The sweet blend of tactical maneuvering and fast-paced gunning is truly a perfect formula, and Gears capitalizes on it. Despite its brief campaign, the game’s lasting appeal is drawn out by the incredibly fun multiplayer experience. A game this good should be put at the top of every chainsaw freak’s list.