Gears of War is the first game developed by Epic Games exclusively for Microsoft Game Studios and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. Gears of War thrusts gamers into a deep and harrowing story of humankind’s epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet.
Taking a different approach to gameplay in the action genre, Gears of War features a unique duck and cover combat system that requires careful use of the environment to stay protected during the many intense battles against the Locust Horde. The story-based campaign can be played alone as the protagonist Marcus Fenix; or in co-op mode where a second player can play as squadmate Dominic Santiago to team up to accomplish the missions. Players can then take their skills online against other players in game modes and maps designed specifically for the tactical style of combat.
Using the same engine technology and tools that are being licensed to power some of the best next-generation games, Epic proved that the Unreal Engine can be modified to suit a unique style of gameplay while achieving stunning visuals running at high framerates on a next-generation console. Even better, the pipeline favored fast turnaround of content without the need for 100 or more developers.
Gears of War, which has sold over 4.5 million copies since release, is available for Xbox 360 and PC.
An award-winning engine, indeed!