Gears of War is the new shooter from Cliffy B and the crew at Epic that\'s got everyone going, \"Damn!\" The visuals here are absolutely incredible, from the dirty textures of a wartorn humanity pitted against monstrous enemies from the bowels of the Earth, to the delicate lighting effects that challenge the greatest cinematographers and most sensitive painterly visions. We can only hope that the gameplay and story live up to the huge graphical promise of Unreal Engine 3. Check out these screens for a real idea of what the Xbox 360 can do.

Gears of War is a third person tactical shooter, which is a major departure from Epic\'s reputation for producing first-person shooters. Players take control of Marcus Fenix, a disgraced former war hero who finds himself on the trail of personal redemption. The trail is made difficult by the Locust Horde, monstrous creatures that come up from the depths of the Earth\'s core and wreak some of that old-time future-havoc.

To be honest, we\'re skeptical about the story, but the visual prowess of Gears of War, and the incredible sense of mise-en-scene displayed in the game footage we\'ve seen so far, have got us hyped to check it out. Gears of War is set to release on \"Emergence Day\" 2006.

Here is the features list:

• Engaging and disturbing cinematic story. Massively scoped worlds, memorable characters and an epic story line play out like an intense and unsettling Hollywood blockbuster action film. Movielike cut scenes, cinematic camera moves and in-game storytelling bring the brutal, emotionally charged narrative to life. Gamers control Marcus Fenix and his fire team as they pit advanced human technology against the overwhelming and horrific Locust Horde.
  
  
• Fire team co-op action. All game modes, levels and scenarios are designed for cooperative fire team play (A.I. or human). For the first time, A.I. teammates are indiscernible from human players. They move intelligently, take orders effectively, and seek cover and defend themselves when necessary. Gamers will experience richer cooperative gameplay than ever, through unique characters that require cooperation to survive. Voice recognition and real-time lip-syncing heighten the immersive experience.
  
  
• Unprecedented visuals in next-generation gaming. \"Gears of War\" ushers in the next generation with unprecedented visuals. The Unreal Engine 3 technology pushes high-definition visual designs and brings out the smallest details in the largest battle. Gamers will experience a rich dynamic world with an unprecedented level of detail. Characters come to life with unbelievable model quality and a physics-integrated animation system that has them truly reacting intelligently to events as they unfold around them.
  
  
• Hyper-realistic and intense combat. In \"Gears of War\" the battlefield is a lethal place - to foolishly stand out in the open is to die. To survive, gamers can create and take cover using interactive and dynamic environments, suppress the enemy with blindfire, and use their weapons and teammates to outwit and outfight their terrifying enemies.
  
  
• Next-generation Xbox Live action. \"Gears of War\" will embody the next-generation Microsoft? Xbox Live? experience and extend it even further. Gamers will be able to experience individualized matchmaking, view player statistics, earn player achievements, customize their games, and build and personalize their gamer profiles.