Best of E3 06: 360

Gears of War

Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Epic Games
Release Date: Fall 2006

Gears of War jacks itself directly into your brain stem and activates every overdrive hormone you've got. A maelstrom of muzzle flashes and blood splatters, the time we spent with this title convinced us of the magic of the crafted chaos that confronted us at every turn. The best part is you barely have to think about controlling your character thanks to the "All Move" A button that automatically keys itself to the context of every situation.

The addition of a chainsaw to the classic assault rifle is a stroke of sheer brilliance, enabling close quarters gore explosions at the drop of a hat. Fast and brutal, Gears of War showed us exactly the kind of next-gen experience we'd hoped for since the 360's launch.

For more on Gears of War, gohere.