Gears of War (Limited Collector's Edition) (Xbox 360, 2006)

What comes in the tin...
Destroyed Beauty, the Gears of War hardbound art book; "Art of Gears of War" trailer; an inside look at the making of Gears of War; Mini-doc -- "Gears of War: The Race to E3."

GAMEPLAY
The stop 'n pop mechanic works well, although hardcore shooter fans might want to up the difficulty for more of a challenge. The action is intense and very well-paced.

GRAPHICS
This is one of the best looking video games I've seen.

AUDIO
Crank up your surround sound, rev your buzz saw, and feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins.

LONGEVITY
The intense, brutal multiplayer modes will keep you coming back for a long time. Online co-op is lot of fun.

INNOVATION
While there are some cool weapons, most of them fall into the "old standby" category. The active reload and roadie run mechanics are nice touches.

FINAL THOUGHTS...
Unlike many "event" games that come and go, Gears of War lives up to the hype surrounding it, and while it's not perfect, it's impossible not to want more. While the storyline is lacking in a few areas (this is filled in more with the release of the sequel), the gameplay itself is exciting and intense, although hardcore players might want to up the difficulty a bit. For many, the game's strength lays in its multiplayer options, both cooperatively and competitively. If you can keep from letting out a whoop after you curb stomp a buddy, you're a stronger man than I.