Gears of War is a third-person tactical action/horror game under development using Unreal Engine 3 by Epic Games. It will be released for the Xbox 360 on November 12, 2006 in the United States and on November 17, 2006 in Europe, and will be available in a limited edition as well as a standard release. The game focuses on the protagonist Marcus Fenix, fighting an alien enemy known as the Locust Horde.
The people of Sera have been fighting a decades-long war over the miracle energy source known as Imulsion when a new enemy appears: The Locust Horde. "Gears of War" tells the story of Marcus Fenix, a former soldier imprisoned for abandoning his post. After the "Pendulum Wars," the "Coalition of Ordered Governments" is formed, and an uneasy peace is achieved.
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Marcus Fenix
Son of the famed military scientist Adam Fenix, Marcus established a reputation as a brilliant soldier during the Pendulum Wars, earning numerous field promotions and decorations. He was on a fast track to an outstanding military career until the war with the Locust Horde.
When the Horde breached Jacinto Plateau's defenses, Marcus defied orders to save his father. Marcus was charged with dereliction of duty and was sentenced to 40 years in Jacinto Maximum Security Penitentiary.
Four years into his sentence, the Horde overtook the penitentiary but Marcus was rescued by his best friend Dominic Santiago, so that he could rejoin the fight against the unstoppable Locust Horde. |
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Dominic Santiago
Dom is a vocal, colorful and yet practical soldier. He's loyal to a fault, especially with his friends, and has no patience for those that think of themselves first.
Dominic has always believed in his country and his leaders, but his faith has been slipping in the face of this endless war. Dom lost his wife in the Emergence Day cataclysm. For him, the fight against the Horde is deeply personal.
By testifying in Marcus' defense, Dom prevented an execution, but was forced to accept the heavy judgment the military tribunal handed down to his childhood friend. Never forgetting, Dom seized his first opportunity to save Marcus' life, and convinced Lieutenant Minh Young Kim to enlist Marcus into his squad. |
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Minh Young Kim
Lieutenant Kim is a proud, dedicated and ambitious soldier, a by-the-books believer in all things COG. To Kim, the Coalition of Organized Governments is humanity's only hope for survival and feels that it is an honor and privilege to serve as a Gear.
Kim moved quickly through the ranks, but after a run of bad luck he was left leading the misfits of Delta Squad. Feeling undervalued and overlooked, Kim has something to prove.
Only the strength of Dom's faith -- and the scarcity of experienced soldiers - convinced Kim to consider bringing former prisoner Fenix into his squad. |
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Augustus Cole
Cole, aka "The Cole Train", is an adrenaline junkie and former professional thrashball player. He craves action, and prefers to take the most direct path to the Locust Horde in any situation. What he lacks in finesse, he makes up for in raw energy.
Along with his child-like enthusiasm and charm, Cole is supremely confident in his own abilities to overcome anything, regardless of the odds—and he hasn't been proven wrong yet.
Cole and Damon Baird have served together for years, and he treats Baird as he would an older brother with a younger brother's license to torment. |
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Damon Baird
Despite being a reluctant and cynical soldier, Baird excels at the military life. Baird is perfectly capable of being a successful officer, but has never been promoted due to his poor attitude, short temper and his unwillingness to take on any responsibility.
Baird's greatest strength is his intelligence. He not only fights the Locust, but he studies and observes them as well. He's the closest the COG has to an expert, and when Baird tells his comrades to be quiet and listen, they know it is in their best interest to do exactly that.
Baird's only motivation is self preservation. He's willing to do whatever it takes to get through the war alive -- even march along side a troublemaker like Fenix.
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The Locust Horde are the creatures which have emerged from the depths of the planet Sera. Not much has been revealed about the Horde, but we know there are at least seven different types ranging from basic infantry in the form of Drones, to enormous Berzerkers and spider-like tunnel diggers called Corpsers.
Cliff Bleszinski cited Resident Evil 4's quick pacing and emphasis on "memorable moments" as a major influence on Gears of War in an interview with Game Informer, and promised the game would have set-pieces and a variety of enemies comparable to its inspiration. Additionally, the game bears a similar camera scheme, in which the player's viewpoint hovers over the protagonist's shoulder, and includes Dragon's Lair- and Shenmue-style "Quick Time Events". When running in "no man's land," the camera will pull back as if the player were running behind Fenix, in an effect dubbed the "roadie cam."
Bleszinksi also has mentioned that Fenix would be granted limited control over a squad of fellow soldiers (Delta Squad). The game also features teammates but does not allow the player to select with whom to fight each mission, instead deciding on the squad's make-up automatically.
The developers have placed great emphasis on cover in a similar fashion to games like Full Spectrum Warrior or Kill.Switch. Unlike other notable games by Epic, Gears of War is a slower-paced shooter, focusing on sound tactics rather than brute force. As such, the player will be able to carry only two primary weapons, a sidearm, and a limited supply of grenades.
A multiplayer mode is planned, but is not expected to be a major feature at this stage. Epic developer Cliff Bleszinski has stated that the presentation of this game will be cinematic in scope, and chaotic, destructible environments will be an important aspect of gameplay.
Co-op in Gears of War will let up to two players play through the game from starting to end. One of the more interesting aspects of co-op in Gears of War is the ability to invite players on the users’ friends list and have them instantly pop in the player’s game to help them out. Cooperative Play will also differ from the single-player game in some ways. Cliffy B has stated that there will be different paths throughout every level which will allow the players to decide on which path they want to take, and they will also be able to support their teammate on their side. It has also been said that Player One will be Marcus, and Player Two will be his buddy, Dom. [2]
In Gears of War, Team Deathmatch will allow up to eight players (four COGs vs four Locust Horde) to engage in battle throughout several maps. Cover, like the single-player game, will be necessary for this mode. Each player starts out with their standard weapons, but there will be more powerful weapons laid out across the level such as sniper rifles and rocket launchers. [3]
At E3 2006, the game won the following Game Critics Awards: Best Console Game, Best Action Game. [1]
All of Gears of War Awards can be seen here
A limited collector's edition will be released alongside the standard edition. The collector's edition will include an art book titled "Destroyed Beauty" and a bonus DVD featuring the making of the game. It will be shipped in a metal case and is expected to retail for $69.95 USD.
- ^ 2006 Winners. gamecriticsawards.com. Retrieved on 2006-06-25.
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